SPE/Flex 6xxx drive control

Comments

• Ignacy Misztal Member

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  I have 2k-fa and 1.3k-fa.
  
  I use 2k-fa with K3. 2k-fa went 4 time for repairs, with at most one due to overdrive. 
  I use 1.3k-fa with 6600. Low power drive mod. Numerous bad antennas and high SWR. Never a problem. Automatic power control for LOW/MID/HI works well. 
  
  Ignacy, NO9E

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• Tom Worthington Member ✭✭

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  I just received my SPE 1.5K amp.  I have it hooked to my 6600M with a 3 wire cable as described and with an ALC cable and Hardware ALC is turned on (Version 3.1.8).  All that seems to work correctly but I am just getting started.  The max drive for the LOW setting is 7-10 W depending on the band.  For MID I need about 15 W and about 25 W for the HIGH setting.  I set those in CW mode.  I have been monitoring the ALC voltage with an oscilloscope and it seems to be working as expected; if I raise the drive power or sit close to the output limit in CW mode and then switch to SSB (DX processing) I occasionally see some ALC action.  So far so good. 
  73 and Aloha, Tom, NH6Y

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• Eric Gruff Member

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  FWIW, I had my 1.3K-FA go up in smoke three times with my 6700 driving it. The last time was on the Low power PA setting on 80 M FT8 (probably 600-700 W RMS power) into a tuned dipole with SWR of less than 1.1:1. Half of the RF board was immolated by the heat, but there was no alarm or other warning before I smelled the magic smoke coming out of the amp. 
  
  I suspect it was more of a heat dissipation issue than a spike causing the LD-MOSFET to pop. I've seen that happen with another SS PA. 
  
  My opinion is that the SPE PAs should not be used for digital modes, period. The heat dissipation leaves a lot to be desired. My PGXL arrives today, and I intend to baby it quite a bit. I will use my Alpha 9500 and Acom 2100 for the digital modes. They can handle all sorts of insults and just keep on humming along.
  
  

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• Lasse Moell Member ✭✭

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  Using a SSPA and reducing power to baby it may be counter productive, UNLESS the power supply do reduce the transistor voltage. Running less that designed o/p will increase the output mismatch and dissipated power. SPE do reduce the voltage with it's three settings, allowing for a better output match vs power.
  

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• Pat N6PAT Member ✭✭

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  I have a Tokyo Hy Power 450B that's built like a tank. Works great in any mode.  THP amps are always in high demand because they're so rock solid and reliable. In 7 years the only issue I've had with it is a blown fuse.  I sure wish they hadn't gone out of business.
  
  The only reason I purchased an RM Italy HLA 305V is because the THP amp doesn't do 160. The 305V needs only 2 watts for full power on 160 and is very touchy if you overdrive it.  Not nearly as reliable as the THP.
  
  Some of these new very expensive amps act like they're made out of glass. One false move and it's back to the factory.
  

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• Erik Carling Member ✭✭

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  Just my opinion but to me having to change the input power depending on whether the amp is in HIGH, MID or LOW is not good. My 1.5 behaves like that (actually 'behaved' as it is back in Italy after a failure). But my SPE 1.3 takes exactly the same input power to drive it to just under maximum output for all of the power settings, 500W, 1000W and 1300W. There is no need to adjust and no risk of forgetting to reduce input when you change from HIGH to LOW. 

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• Rick Ciotti W3DIY Member ✭✭

  February 2020 edited April 2020

  Thanks for this feedback. Reminded by SPE US numerous times about many Flex owners with SPE amps who have no issues. Started to wonder about my operating conditions. The ACOM1000, which is my backup amp, is running FB into the same antennas as the SPE and does not require a tuner.

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• Chris DL5NAM Member ✭✭

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  your Acom using a PI filter at output !!

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• Erik Carling Member ✭✭

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  If it were true that "..SPE PAs should not be used for digital modes, period" and were effectively not fit for digital they would not be fit for much, given the high percentage of digital operating that now takes place. But their respective user manuals state they are "able to mange all (digital modes) currently in use". Further, Gianfranco I0ZY posted to the SPE Forum that there is no restriction on use for digital modes. False moves are one thing but when they fail through no fault of the user, that is a different matter. 

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• Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  And considering that the amps protection circuit is way to slow to protect it from anything. I would see about getting that fixed.
  

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• Mike-VA3MW FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager admin

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  In comparison, the PGXL is pretty fast about shutting down.  It does it in micro seconds.   
  
  There is a video on YouTube of Ranko from 4O3A having the amp transmit into a dummy load and then, with the center conductor exposed with a T connector, he uses a screwdriver to totally short the antenna.  
  
  The amp immediately goes into standby.  No damage.
  
  Mike
  
  

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• Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  I read were Gerald said the PGXL is so fast that a spark can not even be seen with this test. He said before buying any amp do that test first, if it sparks,,don't buy it.
  

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• Ignacy Misztal Member

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  This is not my experience. With low power drive, about 4W for LOW, 6W for MID, and 8 W for HIGH. More on 10M. 
  
  One way to determine the optimal driving power is to increase drive watching output power, and stop when teh increase is much less than linear.
  
  For instance if 1 W produces 100W, 3 W produce 290W, 5 W produce 450W, and 6 W produce 470W, 5 W seems OK and 6W is too much. 
  
  One can drive with 8 W in Low and the amp will work but will be greatly distorting on SSB. Probably no effect on CW.
  
  Setting different power levels on many bands is trivial with Flex setting in SPE.  

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• Ignacy Misztal Member

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  Same was apparently done with SPE 1k-fa. After a series of problems the amp was redesigned. Testing included random short and open at full power.
  Ignacy, NO9E 

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• Rick Ciotti W3DIY Member ✭✭

  February 2020 edited February 2020

  Yes it is, I have not located a SPE schematic to know how its designed.

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• Mauro HB9FBG Member ✭✭

  October 2020

  Hello everybody.

  TODAY I saw this post after booking SPE 1.5K in February.

  With Covid the delivery will probably be at the end of October but you have given me a thousand doubts ... is it so catastrophic?

  I have friends (who don't have Flex or if they have Flex they have SPE 2k) and they are thrilled. I have the Flex 6400 and have booked SPE 1.5K, no one to comfort me with good news?

  Thanks in advance for any comments.

  73, Mauro HB9FBG

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• I0JBL - Luc Member ✭✭

  October 2020

  I have a 6500 linked to SPE 1,5k and works fine. It is possibile band by band to decide the Power input generated by 6500 to avoid any kind of overdrive.

  Best 73 and DX

  Luciano I0JBL

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• Bill AB7AA Member ✭✭

  October 2020

  I have been using a 6700 to drive a SPE 2K-FA for about 5 years with no problem. I drive it to 1.5 KW with about 40-60 watts depending on the band. I do not use the ALC even though the SPE manual highly recommends it. There may be a problem with lesser drive levels overshooting in the Flex, but this is just a guess. I have never had even a hiccup while using the above parameters.

  73,

  Bill AB7AA

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