Comparison Between RF-Kit RF2K-S vs Mercury Lux | Pros and Cons of RF2K-S and the Mercury Lux Amps
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- čas přidán 13. 07. 2024
- A viewer requested that I do a comparison video to help prospective buyers gain some insight to what I like and dislike about both of these HF Amplifiers. I have the Anan 7000 DLE Mk3 dedicated to the RF2K-S and my Icom IC7610 dedicated to my Mercury Lux. Thanks for watching!
#RF2KS
#IcomIC7610
#MercuryLux
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Amazon Links to what I use for my Amps
20Amp Smart Plug: amzn.to/3NB6SCV
Computer Power Cord, 15A, 14 AWG: amzn.to/46eSE2a
220VAC Smart Wifi Box: amzn.to/444ivI0
~~~~~ Video Contents ~~~~~
00:00 Intro
00:38 RF2K-S Power On
01:32 Mercury Lux Power On
02:29 Ease of Use
08:28 Pricing and Wait Time
10:47 RF2K-S Remote Operations
18:07 Mercury Lux Remote Operations
23:40 Using Tablet to control RF2K-S
25:12 Built In Predistortion/Pure Signal
26:02 Pure Signal on Mercury Lux
26:35 RF2K-S advantage with TCI
27:14 Mercury Lux Interface
27:27 Antenna Ports
27:39 Power Input
28:44 Full CW Break In
28:58 Raspberry Pi in RF2K-S
29:44 Remote Power On/Off
30:53 Input Exciter Drive
31:11 Fan Noise
31:40 Dimensions & Weight
32:58 Outro
Disclaimer:
This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and buy a product, I receive a small commission. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Good comparison Cap'n. The controller in the Mercury is running firmware from RZ1ZR which is loaded onto a Teensy4.1 micro-controller. Search RZ1ZR for the website. Not withstanding some agreement between RZ1ZR and the manufacturer of the amp, any free updates are unlikely.
I have a similar kit amp from VK3AMP but it uses a previous version of the RZ1ZR firmware running on an Arduino Nano and I was using it successfully with an Icom Radio. When I got the Anan 7000 mkII I had difficulties using the BCD band decoding. Long story short the Nano micro had a faulty input pin and I had no apparent way to replace the micro short of buying a preflashed unit from the firmware author and paying for the new hardware as well as another copy of the firmware ex Russia along with the delays in transit.
Luckily by using a not well known and non trivial method to read the memory content and configuration bits of the Nano I was able to clone a new Nano for my amp. 😌
The takeaway lesson here? What faith do you have in the future availability of firmware and parts. Given both of these amps rely on boutique software products, in the event of something failing it may not be possible to repair the amp to original spec. The Arduino Nano will likely be available for many years to come but the firmware is proprietary. The Teensy line of micro-controllers is again from a boutique manufacturer and is frequently obsoleted by new incompatible versions and again runs proprietary RZ1ZRfirmware. So Caveat Emptor. At least with the RasPi based controller you can backup the SD card.
Interestingly the Teensy 4.1 is Ethernet capable via a small patch cable but the RZ1ZR controller does not make use of the option :(
Both of these amps could benefit from the addition of hardware inputs to control the power on and on-line/standby states as a minimum to simplify remote operation.
Given your operating conditions and the money spent, I suspect the Flex radio and Flex amp would be a better solution for you, since it is easily remote controlled and there would be little need to duplicate a station for the two QTH's
always interesting Cap
I’m sticking with my ICOM PW-1.I run both my ICOM 7610 and ICOM 9100 with it on two different bands and it’s smart enough to switch automatically between the two radios even between an HF Band and 6 meters. What other amplifier will do that? Only the New PW-2 that I’m aware of.
I were looking at the Mercury, but it can't do QSK. I do only CW so the RF-Kit is the choice because it has Pin-diode switch do I can run 50 WPM+ and still listening between the dots and dahs.
Hi Darren, does the LUX come with a 220 V female connector?
No.
I’m going to miss your OM power🙁🙁🙁
It's was a very strong Amp.
Now do the DX1200.
Gosh if one could find one to buy. That commander is impossible to buy. 9 month wait list.
Great video. I looked at the tuner Lux offers.. The Mercury ATTuner is garbage. They should have rated it for at least 1500 watt Digi. Also I need legal limit 1.5k digital for stuff like slow scan. They need to make an amp that does 1,5kw digital continuous I would pay big money. If I tried 800watt slow-scan on the amp, it would blow up. I have guy that can make the amps that run 1500 Digi all day. but he is a CBer. We need to figure out a 1.5k filter board and a way to run it remotely. Anybody have ideas? Stay turned. Thanks for the link for the 220v Wi-Fi switch. it works so good. I have the same one. Sometimes you have to send the signal twice. No issue. !! Awesome channel Oh P.S the cave video was interesting. Like all that content as well.
K4RNA
I need to wire my Wifi Smart Box. When you get a chance, send me some photos of your wiring diagram. 73's de N4VFR
Man, you are seriously misinformed about the MercuryAT tuner. It's a work of art, I've got many tuners in my shack, and this is the only one that will tune in 1 or 2 seconds. It's built like a tank and doesn't heat up at all on power levels of 1200-1400W SSB. Yes, they are coming out with a FLL tuner in near future, as this one was designed for the Mercury IIIS.
@@lindajensen6889 When it can do full duty digital. I would look at it.
@@AARON-K4RNA I don't think they'd care whether you look at it or not. Anyone who calls something "garbage" shouldn't have any sway whatsoever, whether it's on this channel or any other. If someone reviews a Porsche and compares it to a BMW, and then calls one of them "garbage," is that reviewer going to GAIN or LOSE followers? I'd stop the blanket negatives if I were you, as they don't wear well.
if you need a tuner to put a load of 1500 watts in digital mode to your antenna, you may have a serious problem with your antenna. There is nothing wrong with being a CB'er in the closet just own up to it instead of talking what you dont know as the tuner km3km offers at the moment is not for the lux
OMG $10K on amp’s. I'd use the money for a sublime antenna system. Nice mast and yagi. Resonant antennas do not need a tuner. And if the antenna has a higher SWR than 1:3 I would tune the antenna first. The 1:3 tune option in modern amps is to tune the band edges. Not an antenna that is nowhere resonant.
Hopefully you get the DX comander completely right. It would be nice to be able to make a QSO sometime
73 have fun Bram
why would you spend that kind of money on a sold state amp ? I'll take a good 3cx1500 amp over SS any day of the week
Remote station.
Brother has the RF-KIT in his RV ....he claims it works even when there Voltage ⚡️ drops below 100V (Solar Package)
There are some inconsistencies that i see in this video about it being a comparison video as i dont see it as being impartial. The boot up cycle on the RF-KIT is extensive when compared to the lux and when the lux give you the (morse-R) the boot up is complete and ready to use there is no continual boot up going on. It also talks about the internal tuner the RF-KIT has but it cannot be used because it does not tune the antenna in use so an external palstar has to be used. So what good is a 3:1 tuner in an amp? how about if the internal tuner malfunctions? That single point of failure will cause you to loose the entire amp. I stopped watching not too far after that as it looks like this comparison is very opinionated. The lux may not be perfect but call is down the middle when you are making a comparison
Mercury Lux does not have adaptive pre-distortion. The Mercury Lux does not have any sort of built in antenna tuner. The Mercury Lux is slow switching and relies on a mechanical relay so it can not operate full break in (QSK) - a real disappointment for cw operators. The Lux requires an additional computer to do any sort of remote control. The RF2KS has all these features and more, built in. The RF2KS antenna tuner work well (firmware release in Sept 2023 made huge improvements in the tuning algo) and will easly handle 3:1 or even 4:1 on certain antennas, no sweat. I can't see why anyone would buy a Lux - with a few dollars more, you can have a RF2KS. That's $ 5490 shipped (no added taxes, shipping costs or other add ons). Compare that to a Lux ... no contest.
@@jomf8929 You nailed it! By the time you add in all the "extras" to make the Lux comparable to the RF2KS, you will be spending more than just buying the RF2KS. Plus you will have extra boxes and it still wont be a quiet as the RF2KS.
Mercury Lux has no Antenna Tuner!
They sell one for 795 but it only does 800 digital.
That's right, and Mercury LUX users are probably better off for that reason. It's compact, and when there's an issue with the tuner, you don't lose your amp. It's not forcing the designer to come up with some tiny little full LL tuner to jam into a space on the boards of the amp. There are MANY RFKit comments in the social media and eHam about that tuner -- they are certainly not all positive. I'd avoid a built-in tuner at all costs.