Titan Model 425 Duty Cycle and Version Description

From the Ten-Tec Reflector January 18, 2008

The Titan 425 is rated at 1000 watts continuous – no time limit. Running RTTY with that amplifier at 1500 watts in usual digital mode duty cycle will not present a problem. The maximum power output for CW and SSB was well over 2000 watts – it was designed with lots of headroom. The pair of 3CX800A's is rated 120 mA maximum grid current; 1500 watts out into a good load should run the amp in the 30-40 mA range, typically.

There were 3 Amateur Radio versions of the Titan 425. The easy way to tell them apart: the first had a dark case like the original Corsair, mid-1980's. The second was a grey case, Corsair II-style knobs and says TITAN 425 on the front panel. Serial numbered up to 425-01000. Roughly 1986 to 1989. Third version has the rubberized knobs like the modern HF rigs, says TITAN on the front, serial numbers after 425-01000 and then date encoded serial numbers which we started using in 1989. There technically was a fourth version – the "Titan Gold" series, which were the last 50 units built of the Titan. They had a gold plate on the front and a gold plastic logo. They are the same as the third version except they were the very last ones we sold when we announced we were cutting it off and doing one final production run in 1996-97.

For the technical differences between the amps, I'd refer to the service department. I don't know them off the top of my head.

There was also a military version of the Titan called the Titan 425D. Different power supply – rack mount unit. More broadbanded coverage than the ham bands version, the front panel bandswitch labeling is not 15-20-40 etc. for the ham bands, but was labeled with frequency information like 3.3-5.7 MHz, etc. Required less drive power than the 425. Front panel, rear panel, and power supply also say Titan 425D. Interestingly enough, 15 years or so out of production not many of these have turned up for ham radio use. One can only wonder where they all are now.

I bought a used 1989 vintage second version Titan 425 in 2001 and it has been run up to 20 contests a year since that time. Great amp.

73
Scott Robbins
W4PA


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