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I would like to know how well? the 60dbm Neptune Amplifier works with a FT 817ND for those of you that have and use one? My goal is to use it in the shack and in the field. I realize I can get a FT 857 or FT 897 to do the same thing but would like to keep costs down to purchase other essentials at present.
Thanks and 73
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60 dBm? That's a kilowatt. Do you want a kilowatt amp with your FT-817?
Zack W9SZ
I would like to know how well? the 60dbm Neptune Amplifier works with a FT 817ND for those of you that have and use one? My goal is to use it in the shack and in the field. I realize I can get a FT 857 or FT 897 to do the same thing but would like to keep costs down to purchase other essentials at present.
Thanks and 73
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60dbm.com is the name of the company, with the same url.
They offer? 50w and 100w auto switching qrp amps, hf including 6m.
The amp I am interested is a 50w Neptune.
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Oh, OK. Seems like a strange name for a company! :-)
Zack W9SZ
On Mon, May 13, 2024 at 8:32?AM abigalcamino via <abigalcamino= [email protected]> wrote: is the name of the company, with the same url.
They offer? 50w and 100w auto switching qrp amps, hf including 6m.
The amp I am interested is a 50w Neptune.
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That's the name of the company and the URL to the? online store.
I would just like to know if any ft 817 owners have used the 50w Neptune amp. eHam.net has a few positive reviews but I would like to hear from those on this forum. The? amp covers HF plus 6m which would be good for me and the cost is reasonable. I am still debating on getting a FT 897 to do what the ft 817 does with more power.
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Just make sure it has low pass filters or you'll need to add your own.
Joe N1KHB?
On Mon, May 13, 2024 at 3:54 PM, AG3 - KI6DOZ <2gatos@...> wrote: That's the name of the company and the URL to the? online store.
I would just like to know if any ft 817 owners have used the 50w Neptune amp. eHam.net has a few positive reviews but I would like to hear from those on this forum. The? amp covers HF plus 6m which would be good for me and the cost is reasonable. I am still debating on getting a FT 897 to do what the ft 817 does with more power.
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I have one here. ?It arrived about 2 weeks after the order and works as advertised.
Power out on 12 meters was lower than the other bands with the same drive level, but meets the 3 dB flatness spec. ?It looks well-made.
But I’ve only used it with my IC705 so far. ?I will give the 817 a go soon.
You might consider an IC-706 mk2 G with the Power Port backpack that has a compartment for a 9 aH lithium iron phosphate battery. ?That’s what I replaced my 897 with when its microprocessor failed. I’ve found thst to be a close equivalent and maybe somewhat lighter.
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On May 13, 2024, at 2:54?PM, AG3 - KI6DOZ <2gatos@...> wrote:
?That's the name of the company and the URL to the? online store.
I would just like to know if any ft 817 owners have used the 50w Neptune amp. eHam.net has a few positive reviews but I would like to hear from those on this forum. The? amp covers HF plus 6m which would be good for me and the cost is reasonable. I am still debating on getting a FT 897 to do what the ft 817 does with more power.
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Thanks for the update and your use with the amplifier. I believe I will take the plunge. I live in a canyon and need more than QRP output to get of? the hills on certain bands.I currently? use a Mirage 2m amp for 2m ssb (2.5w in - 25w out)and would like to work 6m but with 5w my local contacts write and tell me they can barely hear me. I have an IC 751a which is 100w but no 6m, VHF/UHF output. Did not want other? devices sitting on the table such as transverters and decided the 817 with two small amps (2m and a Neptune) would not take up too much space and still be portable. Ideally a 857 or 897 would be perfect but that would be an added expense.? Here are some specs on the amplifier which details some of the components:
Neptune Amplifier – 50w Amplifier
This amplifier works very well, easily producing 50 watts with a drive around 2 watts. It requires no special interfacing only a cable connected between the amp and radio.
Details:
The HF +50MHz amplifier is custom designed, called NEPTUNE, with LPF (low pass filters), 4x RD16HHF1 transistor based, intended for field or mobile operations or as driver for higher power amplifiers. The amplifier produced from high quality ORIGINAL parts, such as Mitsubishi transistors and AMIDON cores. PA PCB mounted on metal heat-sink for good heat dissipation. PA has 2.5 dB flatness of frequency response and PA can operate 24x7x365 in any digital modes without extra cooling.
Nominal power supply – 13.5v
Nominal current is – 7A
Maximum current is – 10A
Idle current is – 0.8A
Input frequency 1.8, 3.5, 7, 10, 14, 18, 24, 28, 50 MHz
Input and output impedance is 50 Ohm
Input SWR – better than 1.5 for all bands
Nominal input power is 34dBm (2.5W)
Maximum input power is 37dBm (5W)
Nominal output power 47dBm (50W CW)
Maximum output power is 48.5dBm (65W CW)
Measured IMD3 performance is -32dB for nominal power
External PTT signal – GND active
Band switching – manual, by pressing a button
Case size 187x120x80 mm
– Cable included for connect Amplifier to Radio
Thanks to all who have made suggestions and recommendations.
73
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If you happen to be at the Hamvention this weekend, please stop by the HobbyPCB booth in building 1, booth 1912. We'll have the new 10th Anniversary Hardrock-50 and the 100W Hardrock-50+ on display and for sale.?
The RF circuit in the Neptune in surprisingly similar to the Hardrock-50's RF deck. The big difference between the amps is the control system; the HR50 is fully integrated with most QRP transceivers from Yeasu, ICOM, Xeigu, ELAD and others without relying on frequency detection. The Hardrock amps all have optional internal ATUs?
Hope to see you at the show.
73,
Jim WA2EUJ
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Thanks for the information Jim. Unfortunately I will not be at the hamfest. However, I do have a question regarding the Neptune.
Will it run off a 12v power supply such as a deep cycle battery?
73
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Hi,
I am also thinking about the Neptun PA for my son (he is using his FT-818ND) so any experiences and suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
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They offer 1 KW amps, probably their first products.
Sorry, no experience with them - good luck, let us know what you come up with - for what it's worth, the eHam reviews look positive...
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On May 13, 2024, at 10:21, Zack Widup <w9sz.zack@...> wrote:
? Oh, OK. Seems like a strange name for a company! :-)
Zack W9SZ
On Mon, May 13, 2024 at 8:32?AM abigalcamino via <abigalcamino= [email protected]> wrote: is the name of the company, with the same url.
They offer? 50w and 100w auto switching qrp amps, hf including 6m.
The amp I am interested is a 50w Neptune.
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Hi all,
as with any amplifier the most important thing is to know about basic protection and circuitry functions.
1. SWR protection
2. Overdrive protection
3. Overheat protection
4. Overvoltage protection
5. Polarity protection
6. Bandpass filters switching
7. T/R switching
8. PA finals availability and price
Until I will have all of these Q replied it is hard to make decision for purchase.
--
73 - Petr, OK1RP
FT-817ND | FT-818ND | FT-857D?
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Hi,
Just got this amplifier, the version with band sensing, and their cable kit for FT-817.
Working conditions:
- Yaesu FT-818nd (TX) -> Neptune 50W (AMP) -> Diamond SX600 (EXT. METER) -> Diamond HF20CL (ANT)
- Diamond HF20CL is mobile antenna for 20m installed on a balcony rail w/ some radials. At worse parts of bands the external meter shows SWR 1.8
Initial observations and questions for those that may have this already working:
- The green lights are very strong… I happen to have this amp close to power/swr meter and while doing the initial tests, it was hard looking anywhere near the amp
- The amp mains cable are very short and to make it longer, I had to build an extension cable using 15A Anderson Powerpole connectors
- On the amp mains wire, why is that black and red wires have different thickness/awg?
- When my external meter shows 1.8 SWR, the radio meter shows something around 1.1… I love this fact, just want to know if this an expected behaviour
- Yesterday night, I tried to answered some calls on 20m, using power levels of I, II and III bars (1W, 2.5W and 5W) to drive the amp and noted the following two strange behaviours among TX attempts:
* When I press the PTT button, the TX indicator on the amp would turn ON for brief seconds and then turn OFF - the ext meter would also consistently indicate no significant power (amp disengaged)
* Other times, when I press the PTT button, the TX indicator on the amp would turn ON and stay ON, but as soon I speak to the mic, it would turn OFF - the ext meter would also consistently indicate no significant power (amp disengaged)
Email sent to maker, while waiting, any comments/idea about this?
(non-native English from this end, sorry for spell/grammar errors)
73,
Anaxi
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Strange behaviour but it is familiar to me with my '818 and has been a nagging issue for several years, commencing about one month after the warranty expired. I key the supplied Yaesu mic. and the RF collapses, and in my case it takes 6-8 hours before the radio is functional once again. It is possibly due to RF pick up via the morse key's lead, even into a dummy load and on off-grid power, and I still haven't found a solution that doesn't revert to this behaviour. Have you established whether the zero output from the amplifier is caused by zero drive from the radio? Maybe try the amp with a different radio as well.
--
Steve, G4VRR.
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Hi Steve,
Long time since no groups.io-thread-interaction ?
...commencing about one month after the warranty expired.
That is a bummer...
I key the supplied Yaesu mic. and the RF collapses, and in my case it takes 6-8 hours before the radio is functional once again.
How often do you face this? Any clue of the scenarios (temp, uptime...) when it happens?
Have you established whether the zero output from the amplifier is caused by zero drive from the radio? Maybe try the amp with a different radio as well.
Excellent tip, I'll try with another radio. Is there any other thread where I can read more about that 818 RF drop issue? Or suggestions on how to debug such issue?
73
Anaxi, CS7BGW
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I’m still seeing such behavior on the IC-705 (different radio)... when on SSB/voice, randomly, when I press the PTT, I see the TX light on the amp, but as soon I say something the TX light turns off and stays off until I release the PPT and try again.
When using FT8/digital it seems to work 100% of time.
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Hi Anaxi, I replied twice but the web page kept freezing towards the end of an extended post and I lost heart!
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It happens as soon as the radio is turned on.
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Connect mic only- all OK.
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Connect key only- all OK.
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Connect mic and key- OK to use key.
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Connect mic and key- PTT and it locks up for hours.
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This is on internal NiMh pack, various external battery packs, ProAudio Engineering PSU and other PSUs.
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This is with a selection of dummy loads including a Bird 300 watts example. Chokes everywhere didn't work.
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Because it only happened when I PTT, I naturally suspected the mic. I tried three Yaesu mics (one having a replacement Racal insert) but still no good. I would try a choke on the mic and different mics and think I had a cure, but then it would lock up again. Eventually I realised I was trying to cure the mic and so did not have the key connected. Sure enough, when I also connected a key it locked up on PTT. I tried a screened key lead and it seemed to work. Then it locked up again. I tried two chokes on the screened lead and it seemed OK, but then it locked up again. What I had failed to do was record the power levels whenever it happened and my "fix" nay have been at a lower power level. As of now I cannot be bothered with it any more. It's clearly an RF issue, but off grid on a dummy load? Really? I'm sick of this radio, no one should have to tolerate this, least of all all the folks who have had to put up with me going on about it.
?
Phew!
--
Steve, G4VRR.
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Hi Steve,
The issue I'm having seems to be different, but close attention to your reply makes me wanting to expend some euros on a dummy load for further debug this.
Meanwhile, I also engaged with Neptune crew (Pawel) and I'm preparing to follow his suggestion on firmware upgrade.
73,
Anaxi, CS7BGW
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Hi all,
The 817/818 is a very reliable radio when it comes to external keying and one of you has confirmed the same behaviour when using a different radio. From the descriptions it sounds like RF getting into the wrong places in the amplifier. This could be RF radiated?inside the enclosure from the PA. Could be RF getting onto?the external PTT line, could be RF getting into the supply of logic and switching circuits.
Anaxi said he is waiting for a FW update - that's a strange troubleshooting approach but maybe it has something to do with the RF sensing circuit.?
I would terminate the amplifier into a dummy load, make up a very short PTT cable (ground centre pin for TX) then try to TX from your radio with the lowest power possible - CW or FM is most convenient for testing. The point of doing this is to exclude the PTT cable as a possible cause. I couldn't find a manual but it looks like the amp has some kind of auto band select. Can you manually select the correct?band rather than relying on the RF sense?
I would use a 'scope to look for RF in places it shouldn't be such as the logic and switching circuits of the amplifier. Be prepared to put some 10 nano or even 100 nano capacitors to ground in areas where you think there should not be RF. This is not a 3 minute task, and requires persistence.
Hi Steve,
The issue I'm having seems to be different, but close attention to your reply makes me wanting to expend some euros on a dummy load for further debug this.
Meanwhile, I also engaged with Neptune crew (Pawel) and I'm preparing to follow his suggestion on firmware upgrade.
73,
Anaxi, CS7BGW
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Anaxi
Steve