Frank,

First, on a question you had posted on a similar thread:  The MFJ 
autotuners will interface with your TS-2000.  I have one here and have 
used it with my MFJ-998, before  using it with the 480, and later with 
the 590.   The interface cable is about 20 bucks and plugs into the 
little  6 pin molex connector on the back of the radio, next to the 2 
meter antenna jack.

Others have used the LDG tuners (without interface) with no problems. 
Jim's experience notwithstanding.

You would need  some sort of external tuner if you want to run an amp 
and your antennas are not resonant.   If I remember right, you are 
running some sort of vertical.  I don't know what bands it covers or 
what your swr is on the bands you want to  operate.

Here is the deal with SS amps:   The final transistors are easily 
destroyed  so the amps have  a number of protection circuits in them. 
If it sees a high swr (usually over 2:1), too much reflected power, too 
much drive from the transceiver,  wrong band selected, wrong antenna 
selected, over heat, or some other internal problems, the amp will  go 
into standby before any damage is done.   You would just flip a switch 
and be back in operation, but you also need to address the problem that 
caused the fault.

If the problem is high swr, the only options are to operate where your 
antenna has a low swr, or use an external tuner.

The MFJ-998 being discussed is rated at legal limit.   There are auto 
tuners made by MFJ and LDG that  are rated at less power.   Would handle 
the 600 watt amp and cost less then the 998.

Don't forget, if you add an amp, everything downstream from the amp 
needs to be able to handle the extra power: tuner, watt meter, coax, 
balun, antenna, etc.

Good luck, 73, Steve KW3A
On 12/9/2015 4:36 AM, Frank Ventura wrote:
> Steve, thank you for the feedback. So if I understand it correctly I should=
>   get an automatic tuner up and running and then think about adding the amp =
> after that?
> Frank
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]] =
> On Behalf Of Steve Forst
> Sent: Tuesday, December 8, 2015 7:12 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Blind friendly solid state amps
>
> Frank,
>
> A number of folks on this list have the Ameritron 600 watt SS amp, either t=
> he Al-600 with linear supply, or the ALS-600 with the  switching=20
> supply.   I think those that have them are happy.   It is probably the=20
> best bang for the buck you will find in  a SS amp.
>
> The 1300 watt version is twice the power, and also twice the price.=20
> Several thousand dollar units from Expert,  Yeasu, and Icom
>
> Another one to consider is the 500 watt  SS amp from Elecraft.   More=20
> money than the Ameritron, but maybe more reliable and more features.
>
> Rumor a few months ago is that the next incarnation of the AL-600 will incl=
> ude 6 meters and auto bandswitching.
>
> Any SS amp wants to see a SWR less than about 2:1.   You will probably=20
> need an external tuner  rated for  the power you plan to run.    The=20
> auto tuner in your rig won't help here.  Of course, you can run resonant an=
> tennas for all bands of interest and avoid the extra cost of the external t=
> uner.
>
> 73, Steve KW3A
>
> On 12/8/2015 6:46 PM, Frank Ventura wrote:
>> Hi all, I am considering getting an amp for 10 to 75m SSB. I would=20
>> like a s=3D maller solid state amp. Does anyone have any recommendations =
> as to what may=3D
>>    be easiest to use for someone who is totally blind. I have had one=20
>> recomme=3D ndation of an Ameritron 600 but would like to hear other opini=
> ons.
>> Thanks
>> Frank
>>
>