ZETAGI BV-603, 27 Mhz - TUBE RF AMPLIFIER REPAIR - POWER TEST.

Testing a ZETAGI BV-603 27 Mhz RF tube amplifier which came to me for repair, the second tube amp i have repaired in only 3 days! - as usual it would seem the owner does not know how to use this amp correctly and has subjected it to too much key-down in FM mode and has cooked it !!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• ZETAGI
• BV
• 603
• 001

[21KG001]

Whats the real output from one El 509 tube? my bv 135 amp just give out about 150w-200w.

[weazle66]

@21KG001 The output from one EL509/EL519 is normally around 150-200 watts so sounds good, i recently rebuilt a RM- KLV400 amplifier and i used two Svetlana 6P45S (EL509) tubes and it manages 380 watts with 20 watts drive.

[bigpimp347]

i've got a Galaxi 1000, doing around 500w on AM/FM as it should, but one valve is glowing blue, so needs new caps i'm thinking..

the 603 i have needs a cap also, but i'm thinking changing all 2kv caps to 3kv and adding a fan of course..

any suggestions ??

also need some trannies for a B2002 too MRF422 or SRFE1164, but not paying £35 each for them when you can get them for £20 trade, so need to find four for cheap :)

[weazle66]

If the tube has a whiteish or blueish glow it normally indicates a weak tube, there should be no more than 600-850 volts on the HT side so 2kv caps are more than enough so changing to 3kv probably won't make any difference.

There are lots of MRF422's and alike on the net but many are refurbished and not new old stock, MA-COM and FREESCALE still make them.

[bigpimp347]

did you try it on a dummy load and power meter, as those front meters are so crap...

i have a BV-603 here myself needing repair, also a B2002 for new trannies too..!!

[weazle66]

Yes i did and i managed about 300-350 watts PEP.

They use 3 x EL509 tubes but only 2 of them are finals, the other is a driver as they were made to run from low input power.

They only need about 12 watts PEP input for good output and most i have seen have been well over driven which burns out the tubes, very strange that Zetagi skimped on a fan which is pretty bad on their part if you ask me!

Like most Zetagi gear they do not do the power they claim they do.

[ShortFoxyMan]

I have a Zetagi BV2001 I owned it by an exchange in a Ham Fest. It was used and not working.i clean and repair it and is like New. it has 4 tubes.one 509 drives the other three 509's.it is a great amplifier and it delivers easily 450w max power and 350w with very good modulation.The high voltage that it feeds the 509's is about 1000Vdc. I don't really know but is 519 tubes better than 509 tubes? I hear that 519 delivers 25% much power than 509.! Is that true????

[G0IMB]

I remember seeing these devices in the 1980s. Someone who owned a 150 watt version said they didn't get the output power as rated. Still, a hundred watts is pretty good going on CB!!!!!

[happymark1805]

just make a tunnel so the fans have some use.

[jigibao]

nice amp,with litle bit of mods you can make it work on amater bands...