The AL-80A is the Ameritron version of the Heathkit SB-1000. The amplifer is a straight forward 3-500Z design that gives me about 800 watts on CW into my antennas. I have used the amp for CW and RTTY without a whimper. I also have used the amp on SSB and it does quite well. The AL-80A is a very durable amplifier and the 80B model is also know for being a good amp.

I am currently installing a vacuum relay for the output and a reed relay for the input to remove the hugh "clank" the current relay sounds like. I using an optoisolator to drive a TIP-33C to turn on the amp.

The station consists of a Elecraft K3/100, a K2-100, KAT3 Tuner, an Ameritron AL-80A, and a PalStar 1500 tuner. The station is located in a "workshop" area built on the back of the garage in 1994. (I did the work and it is not professional, but fairly inexpensive.) The shack has baseboard electric heat and a window air conditioner built in the wall, a couch and chair, a rocker, bookcases, and lamps. I also have a workbench where I build kits and circuits and do general electronics tom-foolery.

I like CW the most and love CW contesting. I like RTTY contesting as well as rag chewing and I do pick up the microphone and talk. I am not a two meter FM enthusiast, but have a couple of mobile rigs somewhere.

The Elecraft K3 landed in Newton in March of 2008 and took me about 3 days to complete. The radio has lived up to my expectations. The radio is great on CW and do not find it objectionable on SSB. It works fine with RTTY and the filtering is wonderful for that mode. I have done several software upgrades that have gone very well. I have a 2.8 Khz and a 500 Hz roofing filter. I am planning to install a 1.8 Khz filter to improve SSB. Using the K3 with an amplifier is very good too, the power control is an encoder and takes several turns to get the power to full power. Therefore, you can really make sure you are not over driving the amp. Very good - excellent - stupendous radio.

Of course I have some equipment that has been retired and just sitting around.