6 m LINEAR AMPLIFIER OPERATING MANUAL
Table of Contents 1. GENERAL INFORMATION .............................................................................................. 3 1-1. Introduction and Description .................................................................................................................... 3 1-2. Owner Assistance ...................................................................................................................................... 3 1-3. Equipment Supplied......................................
6-1. Cleaning .................................................................................................................................................... 14 6-2. Fuses Replacement.................................................................................................................................. 14 6-3. Tube Replacement ................................................................................................................................... 15 6-4.
1. GENERAL INFORMATION 1-1. Introduction and Description This manual explains the installаtion, operation, and maintenance of the ACOM1006 six meters linear amplifier. The ACOM1006 is a complete and self-contained linear amplifier that covers the amateur band 50-54MHz and provides over 1000W output power with less than 60W exciter drive. Antenna VSWR up to 3:1 is acceptable at full power.
• Less QRM and improved Electro-Magnetic Compatibility during tuning. Antenna matching can be achieved in less than 10 seconds at a quarter of nominal output power. • Operates without special signals from the transceiver - "ground on TX" and 60W RF drive power are sufficient. • Uses a single 4CX800A (GU74B) Svetlana high-performance ceramic-metal tetrode with plate dissipation of 800W (forced air cooling, grid-driven).
liquids. AVOID placing the amplifier in excessively dusty environments or in direct sunlight. DO NOT OBSTRUCT AIR INTAKE (rear panel) and EXHAUST (top cover) areas of the amplifier. Keep a minimum distance of 10cm (4 inches) to the intake and 50cm (20 inches) to the exhaust. WARNING Do not undertake on your own repairs or changes in hardware or software of the amplifier.
No magnetic-field sensitive devices should be located next to the right side of the amplifier as its power transformer is located there. It's best to position it to the right of your transceiver. No temperature sensitive devices should be located above the exhaust hot air area, so don't place it under a shelf. You may prefer to utilize the bottom scales of both variable capacitor knobs (TUNE and LOAD) if you install it on a shelf.
Transceiver producers give different names to this output and they are for instance TX-GND, SEND, T/RLINE, etc. Some transceivers require that "ground on transmit" is implemented via a software command, or by changing the setting of a switch on the rear panel, or interior of the transceiver. Check your transceiver's manual. NOTE Your amplifier will not work if KEY-IN is not connected properly. This is the T/R control input of the antenna relay.
It is preferable that you use the wall outlet closest to the source. The installation wires should be at least 1.5sq.mm (AWG 15 or SWG 17) for 200-240 VAC and 2.5sq.mm (AWG 13 or SWG 15) for 100-120V AC. Check if the respective fuses can handle current up to 10A for 200-240 VAC and 20A for 100-120VAC. Check also whether the voltage corresponds to the voltage for which the amplifier is set (S.2-2). If you would connect the amplifier to a new mains outlet, be sure that you check it, too.
NOTE If the characters on the LCD are dim or not readable, please follow the method of LCD contrast and backlighting adjustment described in S.5-1. In this position (called "OFF LINE" hereafter) only the micro-controller is operational, while the amplifier itself is still turned off (the tube is not powered at all). The control of the amplifier is accessible during "OFF LINE" and "ON LINE" states, each having several information screens and control functions (see Fig.3-2): POWER ON S.3 OFF LINE S.
There are 14 "ON LINE" information screens, which can be consecutively selected by pressing the NEXT or PREV buttons (see fig.3-2). Their purpose and method of use are described in the next five sections 4-1 through 4-5. 4-1. Turning ON and OFF In order to turn on the amplifier, while the Main Power Switch (located on the rear panel) is on, press the red ON/OFF button (on the right-bottom corner of the front panel) and hold it on for about 1 second.
Please note, that the REFLECTED POWER readings and the measured VSWR depend on the load impedance only, and not on the amplifier tuning. If the load impedance is different from 50-Ohm pure resistive (nominal), the REFLECTED POWER reading will always indicate reflected power presence (even at excellent tuning). The proper tuning will allow you to operate at greater power without distortion or danger to the amplifier.
c) Tuning Procedure. While a continuous (CW) signal at the desired frequency is still applied: - Look at the upper scale (forward power); obtain maximum power using the upper (TUNE) knob; - Look at the lower (Load Cap) scale and turn the lower (LOAD) knob in order to center the “V”-marker at the "!" mark. - Release the PTT shortly in order to disable the attenuator, then repeat both steps at nominal power. Always finish by peaking with the TUNE knob.
Temperature (Celsius and Fahrenheit scales). You can use them to monitor the technical state of the amplifier and the associated parameters in digital form. Selection is made by the PREV and NEXT buttons. You may change them in a closed loop, while the amplifier is used and controlled in operate and standby modes, changes transmit and receive, without any influence by the measuring process. b) You can control LCD adjustment and Auto-Operate feature selection also while "ON LINE".
In order to enable or disable the Auto-Operate at all, after a contrast and back-light selection (see the previous S.5-1), continue with pressing shortly the PREV+NEXT buttons. The "Auto Operate = ..." screen will appear on the bottom line. Use the PREV button to select OFF or use the NEXT button to select ON. Press shortly the PREV+NEXT buttons again to accept and return. NOTE If LCD back-lighting or contrast are too low, thus no characters are seen on the LCD, execute S.
complicated and potentially dangerous operation. Should one of these fuses be blown, it may be indicative of other failures. For this reason, we recommend this work be carried out by a trained service technician. 6-3. Tube Replacement A single 4CX800A (GU74B) high-performance ceramic-metal tetrode manufactured by Svetlana is employed in the amplifier. Replacement is a complicated and potentially dangerous operation. The idling plate current must be adjusted after a replacement.
Fig.
5. Troubleshooting See S.5-3 for the method of reading the auto-protection signatures. You can decode them using the information below.* The signatures are structured in two lines, three groups by six symbols for every one event of auto-protection. The last event is numbered as 1A-1B pair of lines, and the oldest one is 7A-7B.
7. SPECIFICATIONS 7-1. Parameters a) Frequency Coverage: The six meters amateur band 50-54MHz, extensions and/or changes on request. b) Power Output: 1000W PEP or continuous carrier, no mode limit. In continuous carrier modes (RTTY etc.) for transmissions longer than 15 minutes (up to several hours depending on ambient temperature), the external auxiliary fan must be mounted. c) Intermodulation Distortion: Better than 35dB below rated output. d) Hum and noise: Better than 40dB below rated output.
d) Signatures of the amplifier internal status are stored in a nonvolatile memory for the seven most recent auto protection trips. e) Dot-matrix back-lighted alphanumeric LCD with bargraph for forward peak power and text messages to the operator. f) Measurement and constantly monitoring of 12 most important parameters of the amplifier via LCD. g) Menu-selectable LCD Back-light and Contrast.
