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Power Genius XL

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Answers

  • Asher - K0AU
    Asher - K0AU Member ✭✭
    edited July 2019
    Pair of Alpha 9500s would look really impressive on your QSL card!

    The 9500 has been a solid performer. Lost a TR relay just before SS a couple years ago. Lost QRO for the contest, but Alpha was great at fixing the problem after I mailed them the control board.

    I'm just dipping my toe into 6M. Next project is to swap out my Optibeam OB9-5 for a SteppIR. (Don't tell Thomas at Optibeam). Wish it was easier to sell used, high-end ham gear.
  • Eric Gruff
    Eric Gruff Member ✭✭
    edited July 2019
    My Alpha is about 7 years old and has been back for repair three times. Mostly the HV circuits. Right after the latest repair, the internal RS-232 chip died again, so it only works with local control (no remote). I hate shipping it back for repair due to the size and weight, so it's going to stay that way unless I find the time to fix it myself.

    As a 6 M enthusiast (WAS, 450+ grids worked) and a SteppIR owner (had DB36, now DB18E), I will tell you to buy a good 4- or 5-element yagi for 6 M. The SteppIRs are not good performers on 6. They work marginally well at best. I've done countless A/B tests with my 7-element OP-DES yagi, and there's at least an 8 dB improvement with the dedicated yagi over either of the SteppIRs. They are great on HF, just not for 6 M.
  • Asher - K0AU
    Asher - K0AU Member ✭✭
    edited March 2020
  • Eric Gruff
    Eric Gruff Member ✭✭
    edited July 2019
    I had a DB36 up on the same tower for 2 years before the trees around it got too big and i had to switch it out for a DB18E. The only real difference between the two (besides dimensions and weight) is on 40 M. There is no question that the DB36 is a much better antenna on that band, and I did sacrifice quite a bit by moving to the smaller antenna. That said, both work very well, but are delicate and often require work, so make sure you have access via a crank-up tower or other means.

    You can put a 6 M yagi on a 25-35' push up mast and it will work very well. I see only small differences in my 7-element yagi when my tower is nested at 25'. Not perfect, but you're still over 1 wavelength high and will do just fine. I would do that before replacing your OBs. Just my $0.02. 

    Good luck!
  • mikeatthebeach .
    mikeatthebeach . Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    image
  • mikeatthebeach .
    mikeatthebeach . Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    Works Great
  • KF4HR
    KF4HR Member ✭✭
    edited July 2019
  • Tino Pavic
    Tino Pavic Member
    edited September 2019
    Difficulty may be relative, but distance is not. Despite of using massive antennas, I never operate without good amplifier. From VK3 there is virtually nothing to work within 10,000 km.
  • Tino Pavic
    Tino Pavic Member
    edited April 2020
    My grandfather is 300 years old, he always run less than 1W, and he stabbed Napoleon with rusty screwdriver. So much **** ....

  • Tino Pavic
    Tino Pavic Member
    edited September 2019
    It is game of decibel, and big amp adds 13 dB in your favor. How hard is this to understand ?
    I have 4 element yagi, so how much bigger antenna I need for 13 dB gain ? Only 10 stacked 6 element yagis. 
  • Tino Pavic
    Tino Pavic Member
    edited September 2019
    Pat, you may argue 3+1=7 and demand we respect your opinion.
    You are saying nonsense, and we help you by telling you the truth.
  • Pat N6PAT
    Pat N6PAT Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    To each his own. If you need a lot of power to make a contact then by all means use it.

    It's my belief that the less power you use to snag a rare one the more enjoyment you will get. That's just my opinion.  I doubt I'll ever run more than 300 or 400 watts. I'm having way too much fun at 300 with a simple ground mounted vertical.

  • KF4HR
    KF4HR Member ✭✭
    edited September 2019
    The off-topic points have been made.  What say we focus on the subject of the thread now?
  • DL4RCE
    DL4RCE Member ✭✭✭
    edited June 2020
  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2020
    Wow, nice,,let us know how it works out in you shack...
  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    Thanks Bill, sure will keep you up to date. It has been a long time coming for me. I sold my Alpha 8410 about 2 years ago. I have been looking for several years to get a linear the same as my transceiver I was running. So I am sure I will be happy with the PGXL and my Flex 6400M.

  • Eric Gruff
    Eric Gruff Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    Just an update - I have had my PGXL for about two months. It's no longer vaporware (or vapourware for my colleagues outside the US).

    It's a great amp in many ways. Instant on, very tolerant of imperfect SWRs (nothing crazy, but say 2:1), interfaces beautifully with my 6700. No glitches or crashes or any other issues.

    Two negatives, although one is the design and something I knew going in, so just an observation.

    One, the fan is NOISY. Under heavy use or in Contest Mode, it sounds like a turboprop plane revving up for takeoff. It does a great job of cooling the amp, but my wife and daughters have come by and asked me what the heck was making so much noise in my office. Definitely a bit of a drawback for contests.

    Two, only two antenna outputs (one per channel). I have four different antennas to cover 160 - 6 M and I have to use an external antenna switch to cover everything, which makes remoting more of a pain than it should be. All of my other amps have at least three antenna ports, and four is really ideal IMO. Not sure there's any chance of a firmware upgrade to address this issue ;-)

    Overall, I am very impressed with the PGXL and recommend it to anyone looking for a rugged SS PA. This is coming from someone who saw an Expert 1.3K-FA immolate itself a total of three times in routine use.
  • Sergey KN7K
    Sergey KN7K Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2020
  • 4O3A Signature
    4O3A Signature Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    Hi Eric, just to ask - are you talking about SSB, or CW mode. In AB class ( CW, Digi..) do you have MEffA enabled? 73 Ranko
  • Patrick
    Patrick Member ✭✭✭
    edited June 2020
    Part of the deal to buy this amp, was the inclusion of an antenna tuner.  So were is it, is it anywhere near production?  We are now years into this process, so how about an update for those that put up there cash for the amp with a promise of an include tuner.  Time for an update!
  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    edited April 2020
    I had my Amp online this morning for some 6M Meteor Scatter running with MeffA turned on.  I worked VE1SKY on about the 2nd call as a couple of timely rocks buzzed by.  

    This is with my HF remote station and the PGXL remote as well.  

    The power was only 317 watts when I took the screen shot rather than the 700 it normally is for Meteor Scatter.  We are limited to 750 digital modes in Canada.

    Mike va3mw


    image
  • KF4HR
    KF4HR Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    I was hoping it could (maybe would) be solved with an update of firmware. It's not a deal breaker of course especially with our LP700 meter and also my Palstar AT4K meter set to pep following my LP700 very closely. One other trivia comment after adding my PGXL and sitting back looking at my station is now every piece of gear sitting there is black hi hi. The amp, tuner, LP, Flex transceiver. And I might add it is 100% USA. 
  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    Good show there Mike, I remember looking at your station remotely from the Collinsville,IL (Greater St. Louis Hamfest) the past January where Flex had a wonderful display setup.
  • Tim VE6SH
    Tim VE6SH Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    Other than the amp being manufactured in Montenegro?
  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    I feel like this is splitting hairs but yes it has 4O3A on it but Flex has their finger on it and has written most of the software for interfacing into the 6000 series Flex radios. When we look closely most electronic equipment is full of China inside. As you are aware everything is global anymore from electronics to soybeans. I live in Central IL (The soybean capitol of the world) and when it rains in Brazil the price of soybeans here goes down 10 cents a bushel.
  • Tim VE6SH
    Tim VE6SH Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    I agree Doug. I was more tongue in cheek! 

    73

    Tim VE6SH

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