Issue #18: A Smart New Solid State Linear Amp from ACOM (Tiny!)

I enjoyed reading your review. Quite pricey for an amp that apparently struggles to make 500 watts on 120V. I would have hoped to have seen a little extra headroom. Perhaps it performs better on 240V.

 

I agree. With my KPA500 I have seen over 500 watts several times, but usually run it at about 300.

But the KPA500 is heavier at 26 lbs and almost $2900. nowadays new.

120v is easy to find but not everyone has a 240 outlet easy to use.

I guess we can't have cheap and light at a low price, LOL.

 

Agree on this . . . putting 240v into my shack will cost me between 3-4K. It has to come around a big patio to the other side of the house, buried at least 20" or something to make code. That's a bundle of labor and wire, for sure. Dave

 

I think it would -- didn't test it on 240. The manufacturer mentioned that I should have thrown a few more watts into it to show it at or over 500W. I didn't do that because its manual states 25W. I have the feeling that even at 120v, it would have headroom if I had cranked to 30-35w from the exciter. Dave (betting that ACOM will change the manual to allow more than 25W at the high end).

 

Makes my FL-2100B look better and better every day. Not solid state, no 160 or WARC band coverage, but will do 500 all day long on 240V. Paid $400 CAD for it many years ago in mint condition. Mostly run it at 300 or 400 out to put less strain on the xcvr.

Would love a new solid state amp, but just not in the budget.

 

Thanks Dave,
I appreciate your reviews
73’s
K4FBS

 

THANKS and keep reading!

 

Dave, 2 notes for you.....
1) I really didn't know what your column was, from the title it just looked like a slam against ham YouTubers which I get a lot from.....so I just didn't click in protest.
2) today I did click as I was interested in the amplifier and discovered your REALLY GREAT STUFF! THANKS for writing, this is a needed part of radio. I'll read every article now, but I still think your title alienates some. IMHO only.

Please note, I'm not a big fan of the obvious YouTube channel loosely affiliated with ARRL You may get more like me without that phrase.....catchy graphic and now i know QUALITY CONTENT!! Please keep the Trial and Error coming! De Chris WO8USA

 

Thanks Chris. I'm a bit baffled though . . . the title of my column is "Trials and Errors -- Ham Life with an Amateur." QRZ populates their front page with links that come from other sources (many of them are on YouTube, people making funny faces into the camera while holding up a new Chinese radio). I think they were only trying to differentiate their OWN material, from countless other links. Thanks for your comments. Any suggestions on how to get more clicks on this section, if we take away the "No YouTube" mention that QRZ puts in there ahead of every article? Dave

 

Still not seeing any price or availability date;
But this was on my Facebook feed today.

 

Thanks Lee. Very surprising as I know its available internationally to dealers from ACOM. As I mentioned in my article, I thought they were $500-1000 overpriced when I got the retail price out of the buyer. Maybe they're in the process of thinking about it and we might see it lower cost, Dave

 

Hello group

I just bought an Acom 500s, does anyone have experience with a noisy fan?

The fan runs all the time from start-up also on standby, the temperature bar has 9 dots on start-up, the radio room temp. is 25c

73 oz1jmn Allan

 

$5,000 AUD! (4,982.54)

$10.00 per watt!!!

 

Hi Allan, the same PS is used in other amps, and it is has a small fan in it. What you are hearing is not the main fan in the 500, but the aux fan in the Power Supply. You'll need to buy one of those in-circuit switches to shut off all power to the 500s if that is annoying to you. If you are on lower voltage (ie, our 110v in USA) than they are cheap and easy to get, under $10. If you are on 240v, the same idea applies . . . shut off power to the amp. The PS fan is rated for tens of thousands of hours, it won't be trouble for you. Just makes a sound, that's all . . . .Dave, W7DGJ

 

Remarkable . . . at $10 a watt? Why is this amp so expensive? I don't "get" it. If other brands charged the same as in this case, than a Mercury IIIS would be a $12000 AUD amplifier. Not logical. Dave