Collins HF 8000, any good?

[W2PFY]

No good.
Not a single tube in it.

LMAO Paul


Nice looking stuff for sure. I wonder how these things will hold up 50 years down the line. I'll be 131 then

[SM6OID]

Hi Paul!

Oops, a late answer, didn't see you post until now.
I have parts of the stuff up and running, 8010A + 8020 + 8030, it seems to work fine.
The only "show stopper" I have had so far har been the pressure switch for the PA cooling, but that was fixed easily. Now I have to have a look at the delay circuit for the HV a.k.a. filament timer. Have to make the timing manual, since there is NO delay. Have had a look at the circuits and it seems quite straight forward. The coupler and 8090 remote are still waiting to be put into service.

I have no "complaints" about background noise from the "jet engines" unless it sit in the front of the PA/PS, slightly surprising? I have the narrow filter (2.35 kHz) in the SSB generator, one could have expected comments about the limited passband, but everybody seems to like the sound of the TX.

I can not explain how much I like this rig! I just "need" a few more things, like a matching receiver and possibly pre/post-selectors. But, I have many other things going on.
Right now I'm waiting for a Skanti TRP-8750 (750 W, solid state) to come home to it's new home, to day I have a TRP-8250 (250 W). So I "need" a 8750...   :-)

[VE7 Kilohertz]

Hi Morgan,

That's great news! Glad you have it up and running. I too have the identical setup here, working 100%. I have now connected my TAPR HPSDR system to the Collins PA and it is working just perfect. I need to make a few adjustments to the TGR and IGR settings in the PA as it folds back power output at 1100W and tends to flatten out AM modulation a bit. I am running the PA at 250W carrier and mod peaks are knocking down the carrier about 25 -50 watts or so. In the 8010 exciter there is the large Collins mechanical filter, but there are also a multitude of other RLC filter options on the piggyback card attached to A8. I have the manual for this but it reads like an encyclopedia and I haven't been able to figure out how to get those other filters to work. There are 2 sets of jumpers on A8, one near the bottom connector, and one mid/left side of the board. These control what filters work when you change the mode switch on the front panel. I ended up putting a .1uF cap across the mechanical filter and that made a huge difference in the audio quality. There is still the final roofing filter in line somewhere on that card...

I haven't really tried the setup on SSB but I am sure it will work as it should. Love the amp. Tunes up quickly and automatically. Did you get the TS-8020 service panel with yours?

Keep us updated and let me know if I can help with anything. I have studied the manuals for the PA and exciter, but that's it. I haven't brought in the 8050 yet, but may do that. I also may bring in the 8060 preselector to use with the TX/RX of HPSDR.

I have the HF-80 sitting in the closet next to my Bauer 707 broadcast TX. Fits with 1/2" to spare. 

Cheers and 73
Paul
VE7KHz

[SM6OID]

Hi!

Hello Paul, yes I do have the TS-8020 service panel, fun to look at when the amp tunes.
And, useful if it needs trouble shooting.

At the moment I'm searching for the control cable to the coupler. There is a company in Germany, but they do not want to sell to me. They only sell to the military and to federal users. I have to write a new letter to them...
The search goes on.
I hope for a miracle!