EXPERT 1K-FA - Vine
Contents
1. SOCIET PER L ELETTRONICA s r l EXPERT 1K FA 1KW SOLID STATE FULLY AUTOMATIC LINEAR AMPLIFIER USER S MANUAL me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA Main index IMPORTANT E 4 PRECAUTIONS EE 4 SNAM due 6 1 PANEL DESQOCRIBT JIGOIN coy en Coe eve aaa 7 1 1 Front Panel ec ian 7 1 2 Rear 2 IM LL eI LU else npe LAE ES 8 2 GENERAL INFORMATION aa aeaa aa 9 2 1 edo 9 2 2 Uo EET 9 2 3 ALO RELAY PICA TL 9 3 INTERCONNECTION WITH THE TRANSCEIVER seen 11 4 USE OF THE LINEAR AMPLIFIER eee ee 12 5 EXTERNAL GROUND CONNECTION 13 6 aloni 13 7 POWER SUPPU ara lle ALe 14 7 1 Mains cable terminationi c i alii cieli 14 8 TONER ee hee eet Reg 16 9 PROTECTIONS ALARMS 17 10 PROGRAMMING uil vei es 19 10 1 Waysto soperate iaia 19 11 INITIAL OPERATION OF THE AMPLIFIER i 22 11 1 Initial Programming reete eie eee t ck na ia 22 11 2 Operating TERES 23 12 CAT CONNEC FIONS 2 anita 25 12 1 CAT i 25 12 2 SPE Rini 25 123 ICOM reanna ia2. FULL HALF 1KW 500 W 5 OPERATE switches between Standby Operate 6 SET used to program the amplifier 7 Y used to program the amplifier 8 4A used to program the amplifier 9 INPUT selects one of the two inputs of the amplifier 10 4 BAND switches bands manually downward in frequency 11 BAND switches bands manually upward in frequency 12 ANT shows the current Antenna Band setting 13 CAT shows the current CAT interface setting 14 TUNE starts the automatic tuning process 15 4 used for manual tuning 16 C gt used for manual tuning used for manual tuning used for manual tuning red led illuminates during transmission 2 St yellow led illuminates when the amplifier is in Operate state 21 O green led illuminates when the amplifier is ON 22 SET green led illuminates during programming 23 TUNE yellow led illuminates during tuning 24 ALL red led illuminates when there is an alarm 25 DISPLAY 26 AIRFLOW GRID Pag 7 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 1 2 Rear Panel WARNING NEVER disconnect any antenna dunring transmittion NEVER remove the cabinet with AC cable connected ja ace Pa x A w we ON ba Da I a LOS AG
3. RUSET FUSE CAT RELAY ALC RELAY ALC RS232 IN 1 IN2 8 7 5 6 4 1 connectors for four possible antennas 2 INPUT connectors to connect two exciters 3 FANS 4 RS 232 CONNECTOR 5 IN 1 ALC RELAY CAT connectors for exciter 1 6 IN 2 ALC RELAY CAT connectors for exciter 2 7 FUSE 2 fuse for the power supply PA unit 12 5A 230 Vac 20A 115 Vac 8 FUSE 1 fuse for the power supply electronic unit 0 5A 230 Vac 1A 115 Vac 9 AC mains power cable 10 GND ground connector 11 ON main switch Pag 8 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 2 GENERAL INFORMATION Read the specific chapters for more details 2 4 Power supply The amplifier s power supply is 230 115 Vac 230 Vac default The main switch I O is located on the rear panel in the O position all the internal circuitry is powered off in the I position red led ON it is possibile turn ON or turn OFF the linear amplifier in one of the following ways a Using the ON OFF keys on the front panel b Applying removing 9 15 Vdc on pin 8 of the CAT connector Using the RS232 port and the management software It is possible to download this software from the website www linear amplifier com NOTE When turned ON almost all transceivers output 13 8 Vdc With this voltage the linear amplifier can be turned automatically ON OFF at the same time as the transceiver 2 2 Input Output The linear ampl
4. 26 CAT GEM Interface eoe ii 26 BAND CONTROL VOLTAGE Interface 26 124 KENWOOD risinn ie ei 27 CAT R9232 Interface etes ecce ana aa ii 27 CAT 5V TIL Interfere in 27 125 YVAESU il eri i eri 28 GALRS232 Interface coniare 28 GATDN FTL nterface nali 28 BAND DATA Interface ei 29 126 TRANSCEIVERS OF OTHER BRANDS hene 29 13 OTHER CONNECTIONS i 30 13 1 ALC RELAY CONNECTIONS 30 13 2 REMOTE ON LINK nro rri eer etm re i ee evo 30 13 9 SIXCINEDEINIS diee enne DEI DAD A eS 31 14 TRANSCEIVER CONTROLLED WITH A PO 32 14 1 ICOM GEV INTEREAQGE 34 rrr er ia 32 14 2 RS232 INTERFACE anno 33 14 3 5V TTL KENWOOD INTERFACE 33 144 5V TIL YAESU INTERFACE hne re teo hy eoe etre ca eeu nx aea ane one esa Sock nennen 34 15 USE OF THE RS 232 PORT etii itte laica 35 16 MUR eicc 36 17 CHARACTERISTICS SPECIFICATIONS esses 37 18 M scs Q EETA 39 19 WARRANTY 40 Pag 3 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA Congratulations for choosing the SPE EXPERT 1KW FA linear amplifier It is small and powerful it covers the whole frequency range from 1 8 to 50 MHz completely automatically All operating co
5. Do not disconnect this under any circumstances or there is a risk of severe or fatal electric shock ZA WARNING DO NOT use an extension cord with the AC power cable as if it is not correctly rated there is a risk of fire or electric shock A WARNING DO NOT allow metallic objects or wires to enter inside the amplifier Pag 4 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA A WARNING DO NOT obstruct the entries for cooling air at both the sides of the amplifier Ensure that no object impedes the correct operation of the fans AN WARNING DO NOT expose the linear amplifier to rain snow or any liquids A WARNING DO NOT instal the linear amplifier in a place without good ventilation This could limit heat dissipation and the amplifier could be damaged AN WARNING DO NOT touch the amplifier with damp or wet hands There is danger of electric shock Avoid opening it before you have disconnected it from the mains supply then wait at least 2 minutes for electrolytic capacitors to complete their discharge To clean the amplifier DO NOT use chemical agents like alcohol or benzene because the plastic surfaces could be damaged AVOID using the amplifier in areas with temperatures below 10 C 14 F or above 40 C 104 F AVOID using the linear amplifier in locations that are very dusty damp or in direct sunlight AVOID placing the linear amplifier against walls the circulation of the air would be obstructed and the nois
6. FA 12 4 KENWOOD CAT RS232 Interface 9 20 100 gi 110 a 12 S 13 6 14 TO 15 gf DB15 M RX 232 TX 232 GND RXD TXD RX 232 TX 232 GND RTS CTS RADIO CONNECTOR The Radio connector could be DB 9 or DB 25 male connector or female connector read the specific manual In the manual also verify if the RTS CTS link is necessary CAT 5V TTL Interface RX TTL TX TTL KEN TTL GND 9 2 10 3 11 4 12 5 13 6 140 TC 15 a DB15M RX GND r RTS CTS RADIO CONNECTOF The connector is described in the specific manual Verify if the RTS CTS link is necessary Pag 27 of 42 ape User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 12 5 YAESU CAT RS232 Interface 1 9 2 10 300 11 400 12 5 13 6 14 15 80 DB15M RX 232 TX 232 GND RXD TXD TX 232 RX 232 GND RTS CTS RADIO CONNECTOR The Radio connector may be a DB 9 or DB 25 male connector or female connector read the specific manual Verify from the manaul if the RTS CTS link is necessary CAT 5V TTL Interface 9 20 m RX TTL Ta TX TTL 11 al GND 12 5 13 6 4 7 450 8 DB15M TX RX GND RTS CTS RADIO CONNECTOR The connector is described in the manual Verify if the RTS CTS link is necessary Pag 28 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA BAND DATA Interfa
7. in the list select Band Data read the CAT CONNECTION chapter of this manual With a proper protocol it is possible to use this port not only as a remote control but also as a CAT port useful to link the linear with any customer application Download the protocol specification from the website www linear amplifier com Program when there isn t a link with the Transceiver The amplifier frequency counter will then be used NOTE If using the CAT check that the baud rate of your transceiver is set to the same value as you program to the amplifier Pag 20 of 42 ap User s manual EXPERT 1K FA MANUAL TUNE Allows you to tune the amplifier manually However achieving a better setting than that obtained by automatic tuning is very unlikely d BACKLIGHT e CONTEST f BEEP Set your exciter to transmit a continuous RTTY or CW signal Press the 4 1 L gt 4 C C gt keys until you obtain the minimum SWR The operating frequency and the sub band are also shown on the display NOTE The tuning process has to be repeated for every entry INPUT1 INPUT 2 Regulates the backlight of the display NOTE Display contrast has to be set manually Remove the upper cover and adjust through the hole at the upper right of the CPU card Adjust only if it is necessary and use an insulated screwdriver with care Permits programming two fan thresholds for normal operation Normal and heavy us
8. of which is dedicated to the transceiver interface requirements CAT Pi L output circuit Over 13000 lines of software for performance that cannot be found in any other amplifier Fully Automatic Easy connection with all models ICOM YAESU KENWOOD for immediate management of the bands tuner and antennas Same performance with all makes or homemade rigs The operator has only to move the Frequency Tuning Knob in the transceiver Wide frequency coverage 1 8 MHz to 50 MHz including WARC bands US version available Fully solid state 1 KW pep SSB output 900 W pep CW out typ 700 W pep out typ on 50 MHz FULL HALF power selected according to the operator SSB CW power requirement for digital modes and for linear protection automatic No heating time immediately ready Virtually limitless life of the amplification devices MOSFETs Automatic Antenna Tuner built in Capable of matching 3 1 SWR on HF and 2 5 1 SWR on 6 meters Capable of programmable switching of 4 antennas SO239 connectors Bands Antennas Tuning conditions are changed in 10 msec Bands Antennas and Tuning conditions are managed also in STBY to support the exciter only Two inputs available S0239 connectors Driving Power 20 W typ 60 W typ US version In OPERATE the required drive power is automatically set with an ALC connection and in STANDBY the exciter is then automatically reset to full power Very clean and
9. old models often analog or digital information are sent for changing band The SPE Expert 1K FA thanks to an efficient frequency counter constantly controls and verifies data coming from the transceiver Automatic management of bands antennas and tuner can be done in the following way Pag 9 of 42 ape User s manual EXPERT 1K FA a In recent ICOM YAESU KENWOOD models through CAT b In the older ICOM models through Band Control Voltage C In the YAESU models not listed or without CAT through Band Data d In every other case through the frequency counter NOTE In case d the CAT link with the transceiver is not needed because the frequency is detected from the transmitted signal Pag 10 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 3 INTERCONNECTION WITH THE TRANSCEIVER ANTENNAS P d ARA 0 X TRANSCIEVER NINNI N N o fe leo fo WARNING fo 9 j Noi A P NEVER app voltage unt ihe ampiter grounded S e d SEE MANUAL NEVER remove the cabinet with AC cable d O o ANTA ANT2 ANTS ANT 4 INPUT 4 INPUT 2 N Z7 o ON 2 7 ALC RELAY CAT GND DI o ac cat RELAY ALC RS232 e nt 1 zu f A i E ove T IN2 The diagram shows the connections with one transceiver only To connect the second transceiver repeat the same connections using the port IN 2 For the ALC R
10. or less is noted RTTY DIGITAL MODES SSTV FM SPE recommends you operate in HALF mode because these types of transmission have a very high duty cycle Check PW REV and if it shows more than 120 140 Watts decrease the power from the transceiver In case of very heavy use it is advisable to work in Contest condition to take advantage of the greater efficiency of the fans d AM This transmission mode radiates a continuous carrier which is 25 of its PEP value 400W PEP AM 100W carrier power SPE recommends you always operate in HALF mode for AM To get an output signal without distortion proceed as follows transmit the AM carrier only with your transceiver MIC GAIN set to zero and no modulation Set the transceiver without exceeding 125W of carrier output from the amplifier Then speaking into the microphone normally set the MIC GAIN of the transceiver until the peak output power on speech peaks as shown on the amplifier display is no more than 500W Note that because of the modulation characteristics of AM the average value shown will normally be much less SPE suggests you monitor your transmission to check that the MIC GAIN setting is correct In case of very heavy use it is advisable to work in Contest condition to take advantage of the greater efficiency of the fans NOTE If you choose to set the output power of the amplifier by varying the output power of the transceiver the ALC connect
11. the lower part of the display NOTE Programming is only possible in STANDBY mode NOTE Programming changes take effect only after exiting from the menu page the green led extinguishes 10 1 Ways to operate Pressing the SET key opens the menu page On the display there are the following options a ANTENNA An appropriate antenna may be assigned to each band selecting the ANT 1 ANT 2 ANT 3 ANT 4 connector If you don t have an antenna for a particular band input NONE Pag 19 of 42 ape User s manual EXPERT 1K FA b CAT Allows you to program the amplifier to accept control commands from specific transceiver types You may need to refer to your transceiver user manual to ensure that it is correctly programmed to handle such a link Select the brand or function SPE ICOM KENWOOD YAESU RS232 NONE No further programming is necessary all is already programmed for the SPE transceivers You need to choose between CI V or Band Control Voltage if you use the analog connection read the CAT CONNECTION chapter of this manual If you choose CI V you also need to choose the baud rate which is usually 9600 You have to choose the baud rate almost always 9600 If you use the CAT connection read the CAT CONNECTION chapter of this manual select the model of the transceiver and than select the baud rate almost always 4800 If the model isn t
12. 3950 49 3970 50 3990 51 4010 52 4030 53 6963 54 6988 55 7013 56 7038 57 7063 58 7088 40m 59 7113 60 7138 61 7163 62 7188 63 7213 64 7238 65 7263 66 7288 67 7313 68 7338 30m 69 10075 70 10125 71 10175 som 1172113975 173114025 74 14075 75 14125 76 14175 77 14225 78 14275 79 14325 80 14375 17m 81 18075 82 18125 83 18165 jsm 1184120975 8521025 86 21075 87 21125 88 21175 89 21225 90 21275 91 21325 92 21375 93 21425 94 21475 12m 95 24891 96 24963 97 25038 98 27950 99 28050 100 28150 101 28250 102 28350 103 28450 jom 11104128550 10528650 106128750 107 28850 108 28950 109 29050 110 29150 111 29250 112 29350 113 29450 114 29550 115 29650 116 29750 em 11117149750 118 50250 119 50750 120 51250 121 51750 1122 52250 123 52750 124 53250 125 53750 126 54250 NOTE sub band Central frequency KHz Pag 39 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 19 WARRANTY SPE warrants to the original purchaser that this product shall be free from defects or workmanship SPE warrants for two 2 years from the date of original purchaser that will provide free of charge all parts and labor necessary to correct defects in material or workmanship The purchaser has to pay only the cost of shipping for warranty work To obtein such warranty service the original purchaser mus
13. 42 e User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 5 EXTERNAL GROUND CONNECTION A WARNING Before connecting an external ground as described below check with a qualified electrician that your national wiring codes permit such a connection To reduce TVI BCI and other RF problems it is sometimes helpful to connect the amplifier to a good RF ground The inductance of such a connection has to be low so the connection to ground should be as short and direct as possible Large section copper conductors should be used for this purpose Terminating the earth connection with a small metal plate is suggested The best solution is to have a ground stake driven into the ground and used only for the radio station Often good results can be acheived using correct earthing clamps connected to the mains water supply pipe attention most water pipes are now in plastic DO NOT use central heating pipework AVOID the electric circuit ground of the building to be used for the 50 60 Hz safety only A WARNING DO NOT connect to gas pipes because there is danger of explosion 6 ANTENNA Because this is a high power amplifier it is necessary to use correctly rated antennas and feedline cables Take special care with antennas with traps because trap warming can occur during periods of high power transmission and a high SWR can result Always use antennas with SWR less than 1 6 1 even if the tuner is able to overcome some mismatches greater than 3 1 W
14. D RADIO CONNECTOR 2 4 2 9 ma i RX TTL TX TTL m KENTIL_X a GND 12 130 60 TTL INTERFACE 140 TI 15 PC DB15M The links on the linear connector side are the same On the other end of the cable it is necessary to link only GND and RX TTL Pag 33 of 42 ape User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 14 4 5V TTL YAESU INTERFACE YAESU RADIO CONNECTOR Q 1 Z 9 T x RX TTL i TX TTL 3 X 10 r GND l 12 5 92x 13 6 TTL INTERFACE 14C 7 E 15 PC 8 DB15 M The links on the linear connector side are the same On the other end of the cable it is necessary to link only GND and RX TTL Pag 34 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 15 USE OF THE RS 232 PORT Through the RS232 port it is possibile to interface the amplifier with a PC It is possible to download from the website www linear amplifier com the software that permits interfacing the amplifier in a remote way connecting the amplifier to a PC with the supplied cable EXPERT Console Riev 29 09 06 A Ele Setup EXPERT 1K FA Fully Automatic Solid State Linear Amplifier ES TUNE I PA lesion 23 7 A operare EIN BAND ANT OUT PA GAIN TEMP IN 4 BAND BAND gt ANT CAT SET Remote connection ON Setial port COMI On the same website there is for programmer use a protocol specification that permits creation of a proper software ap
15. ELAY connections use the shielded cable furnished with phono RCA connectors For the CAT connection the cable must be made for the transceiver to be connected This cable may also be made to include ALC RELAY ON OFF read the CAT Connections chapter of this manual For all other information about connecting a transceiver please refer to its manual Pag 11 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 4 USEOF THELINEAR AMPLIFIER i ANTI e e ANT 2 INPUT1 2 e TUNER e e e INPUT 2 ANT 3 AMPLIFIER 6 IN1 IN2 CAT RELAY ALC CAT RELAY RS 232 The position of the contacts as shown in the diagram is the situation of the linear amplifier in OFF state The linear amplifier can be used in the following ways 1 OFF Only direct connection between INPUT 1 and ANT 1 exists 2 STANDBY All the functions are activated band change antenna change tuner control but the transmission is from the transceiver only 3 OPERATE All the functions are activated and the transmission is using the linear amplifier NOTE Regulation of the exciter s power is automatic through the ALC connection the maximum power in STANDBY the neeted power in OPERATE Without the connection you have to manually regulate the exciter s power NOTE For continuous duty cycle transmissions RTTY PSKxx SSTV FM AM etc we recommend switching the power to HALF state Pag 12 of
16. OTE ON DB15 M Pag 30 of 42 e User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 13 3 TX INH LINK Some tranceivers have a suitable input called TX INHIBIT LINEAR MUTE etc that disables transmission To improve the receive transmit switching efficiency it is highly recommended but not mandatory to connect this input with the pin 13 of the linear connector TX INH 10 100 4 GND 120 GND 50 i x 13 TX INH TX INH 60 14 70 15 RADIO CONNECTOR 8 DB15M Pag 31 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 14 TRANSCEIVER CONTROLLED WITH A PC If the transceiver is controlled with a PC using the CAT utility the user should consider this situation for the link with the amplifier 14 1 ICOM CI V INTERFACE ICOM RADIO LINEAR CONNECTOR CI V INTERFACE CT 17 The plug from the amplifier has to be connected to a CI V port of the CT17 or similar device The transceiver has to be connected to another CI V port Pag 32 of 42 ape User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 14 2 RS232 INTERFACE RX 232 TX 232 X GND KENWOOD OR YAESU RADIO CONNECTOR 2 6 x 8 RS232 RS232 oR x DB15M PC CONNECTOR This type of link is the same both for Kenwood and Yaesu On the other end of the cable it is necessary to link only GND and RX 232 14 3 5V TTL KENWOOD INTERFACE KENWOO
17. ce 1 9 2 10 30 10 iC GND GND 12 500 13C 60 BANDA BAND A 140 BAND B BAND B 7 BANDE BAND C 14500 BAND D BAND D 80 RADIO CONNECTO DB15M Without the CAT the band is commanded by four digital signals Band A Band B Band C Band D Refer to the specific manual 12 6 TRANSCEIVERS OF OTHER BRANDS A special link is not necessary as the internal amplifier frequency counter will measure the input frequency and will control the amplifier Pag 29 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 13 OTHER CONNECTIONS On the 15 pin connector in addition to the CAT signals the ALC and RELAY signals are repeated REMOTE ON and TX INH are also available If you use this connector in some cases separate ALC and RELAY cables may not be necessary or it may be possible to turn the amplifier on off by turning on off the transceiver REMOTE ON The following diagram shows how to integrate all transceiver control connections to the 15 way amplifier connector Check the transceiver handbooks for terminating that end of the cable 13 1 ALC RELAY CONNECTIONS 10 E 20 _ 100 350 _ GND 10 4 gt 7 GND RELAY SEND TX GND ni 120 RELAY BEY ALC _ 1830 SNO ALC 6 LM 14 C GND 70O _ 180 RADIO CONNECTOR 80 DB15M 13 2 REMOTE ON LINK 10 9 2 10 3 11 4 12 50 13 GND 60 14 13 8V 7 150 RADIO CONNECTOR Ta REM
18. e Contest off Normal 65 C 75 C on Contest 60 C 70 C on All acoustic warnings alarms operate and a beep confirms a keystroke off When you press a key there is no beep feedback but for all warning conditions and alarms the acoustic warnings are still functional Pag 21 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 11 INITIAL OPERATION OF THE AMPLIFIER Before turning ON the amplifier the following preliminary operations are necessary 1 Read this manual with care 2 Be sure that the amplifier is correctly set for the local mains voltage supply 3 Connect the linear to ground circuit 4 Connect the antennas 5 Connect the amplifier to the transceiver read the CONNECTIONS WITH THE TRANSCEIVER chapter of this manual Operate I the main switch on back panel and press the ON key on the front panel Select the INPUT for the transceiver and always carry out programming with the amplifier in STANDBY If you change INPUT you have to repeat this programming NOTE You may have to repeat some programming if you change antenna transceiver etc NOTE ATTENTION the RELAY and CAT signals in some types of transceivers are only turned ON from a transceiver MENU Refer to the user manual NOTE ATTENTION when the amplifier is on the STANDBY and OPERATE modes always disable the transceiver auto ATU 11 1 Initial Programming You must carry out the next steps in the sequence below a Set An
19. e of the fans would be reflected toward the operator AVOID permitting children to play with the amplifier If you do not use the linear amplifier for long time set the back main switch I O to the OFF position O This amplifier should only be operated by persons who have an appropriate radio transmitting licence and you should observe your licence conditions whilst using it Pag 5 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA UNPACKING Remove the packing and carefully check the contents If you find any damage or if there are any parts missing contact your retailer immediately Keep the shipping cartons for future transportation if required Accessories included in the carton a Transport carry bag b 2 cables with RCA phono connectors for ALC RELAY links 1 standard RS232 cable d 2 15 pole connectors DB 15 for CAT links e User manual f Spare fuses 1 12 5 A 1 0 5 A 1 20 A USA and Japan only 1 14 USA and Japan only g Spare air filter h Certificate of compliance and warranty form 9 Pag 6 of 42 ape User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 1 PANEL DESCRIPTION 1 4 Front Panel Fully Automatic Linear Amplifier L OFF ON 15 POWER DISPLAY 3 pe og INPUT eBAND Bano ANT cat es gt SET GEILE Expert 1K FA 1 8 50 MHz Solid State e 1 ON 2 OFF 3 DISPLAY switches between display pages 4 POWER switches output power from
20. g the TUNE key The system will then find the correct match for minimum SWR To achieve a better match than that achieved with the automatic tune routine most unlikely it is possible to set the tuning manually by using the keys C C gt 4 L L gt When manual tuning has been performed it is possible to read the tuning value the working frequency and the associated sub band on the appropriate screen page Both the types of tuning are always effected in STANDBY state NOTE The tuner like all analog circuits introduces a loss 0 8 dB max that may vary with tuning conditions power meter of the amplifier does not show this loss as the power is measured at the tuner input where the load resistance is always constant 50 ohm NOTE ATTENTION When the amplifier is on the STANDBY or OPERATE modes always disable the automatic tuner in your transceiver Pag 16 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 9 PROTECTIONS ALARMS The SPE 1K FA has a sophisticated protection system that constantly controls the amplifier s most important parameters These parameters are Temperature of the heatsink max min voltage on the PA max PA current SWR reflected power max voltage RF on the tuner input power power combiner balance NOTE Unlike all the other linear amplifiers that measure only the reflected power of the antenna to guarantee a greater protection of the PA the SPE amplifier measures a
21. h available antenna and then program the tuner for the sub bands within which you will operate efer to the table in section 18 of this manual to select the appropriate sub bands for your operating preferences Progress as follows 1 Find the central frequency of the sub band to tune in the table refer to section 18 of this manual and set the transceiver to that frequency 2 Press the TUNE key 3 Set your transceiver to transmit a continuous tone in RTTY or CW The procedure for automatic tuning will start and then it will stop when SWR is at a minimum Sometimes it is possible to improve tuning by pressing the TUNE key again 4 Repeat the previous steps for all bands and sub bands you want NOTE If the ALC link is not used it is preferable to reduce the transceiver power to about 50 Watts during this operation NOTE As a default the table is programmed for standard 50 ohm out If for a band you want to reset to default programming progress as follows Go to the ANTENNA menu page and set this band NONE then exit from that page Go to the ANTENNA menu page again assign the appropriate antenna to this band then exit from that page The programming will be reset for 50 ohm output The initial programming concludes after steps a b c 11 2 Operating You need few precautions when using the amplifier thanks its high level of automation SPE reminds you that it is better to lose a fraction of dB in t
22. ifier has two inputs INPUT 1 INPUT 2 to which it is possible to connect two transceivers of any brand or type These inputs are selected with the INPUT key It can manage up to four antennas ANT 1 ANT 2 ANT 3 ANT 4 The amplifier selects antennas automatically when they have been programmed 23 ALC RELAY CAT There are two transceiver inputs IN 1 IN 2 to allow two different transceivers to be connected at the same time ALC Is a voltage 0 11 Vcc generated by the amplifier it is used to control the output power of the transceiver In this way the power from the amplifier may be automatically controlled This link is recommended If the ALC port is not connected it is ncessary to manually regulate the drive power from the transceiver RELAY This essential link allows the amplifier to be put in the transmit state To do that it is necessary that the inner pin of the phono connector is connected to signal ground This is normally done at the transceiver with either a close on ground relay or with a switching transistor It is important that the voltages at that terminal do not exceed 12 Vdc On the transceiver this link is often called SEND or TX GND Refer to your transceiver manual for more details CAT Thanks to this link the linear amplifier will detect the operating frequency of the transceiver and then automatically control changes of band antenna and automatic antenna tuner Most modern tranceivers have CAT control In
23. ion is not required NOTE ATTENTION never stress uselessly the amplifier with long periods in key down it can be a possible cause of damage NOTE ATTENTION in SSB the use of the compressor only when necessary strongly reduces the increase of the temperature Pag 24 of 42 ape User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 12 CAT CONNECTIONS 12 1 CAT Connector In this diagram the rear panel CAT connector and pinouts are shown a af 10 i 11 4 12 5 13 6 14 7 15 80 DB15 F pin n pin name 1 RX 232 9 TX 232 2 BAND CONTROL VOLTAGE 10 RX TTL 3 TX TTL 11 KEN TTL 4 GND 12 RELAY 5 13 TX INH 6 DATA A 14 DATA B 7 DATA 15 DATA D 8 REMOTE ON RX 232 TX 232 BAND CONTROL VOLTAGE RX TTL TX TTL KEN TTL GND RELAY ALC TX INH BAND A BAND B BAND C BAND D REMOTE ON BAND DATA Description Used on Kenwood and Yaesu transceivers for the link with a RS 232 connection Analog band switch on the Icom transceivers Used on Icom Kenwood and Yaesu transceivers for the CAT 5V TTL connection Connect to GND if CAT 5V TTL Kenwood connection Signal ground Connected in parallel with the RCA phono RELAY connector Connected in parallel with the RCA phono ALC connector Used to improve the receive transmit switching efficiency Bit A of Band Data digital switch of band for Yaesu Bit B of Band Data digital switch of band for Yaesu Bit C of Band Data digital switch of band fo
24. ith the tuner the PA is matched but with a high VSWR the cable is mismatched and there can be consequent loss of power heating and high voltages present It is suggested that suitable static protection be given to antenna feeder cables Pag 13 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 7 POWER SUPPLY The power supply unit of the SPE Expert 1K FA has two blocks with two separate power transformers The first block has regulated and protected voltages and powers all the electronic circuits for command and control The second block powers only the PA It has a toroidal transformer with a low magnetic field to avoid disturbances to nearby equipment The output voltages are 44 Vdc on Full power mode and 30 Vdc on Half power mode regulated with SCRs that also provide soft start on switch on This design was adopted as it provides maximum efficiency and therefore less heat to dissipate 7 1 Mains cable termination Your dealer will ensure that a mains plug appropriate for the country of use is fitted If the amplifier is used in a country other than that of the original purchase refer to your dealer for assistance The default mains voltage supply of the amplifier is 230 Vac 210 250Vac To change this to 115 Vac 105 125 Vac USA customers and other countries with 115 Vac supplies see below A WARNING REMOVE THE MAINS CORD FROM THE WALL SOCKET AND WAIT AT LEAST 2 MINUTES FOR CAPACITORS TO DISCHARGE Only then re
25. low distortion output Spurious emissions less than 50 dB 50 MHz 60 3rd order distortion two tone test 36 dB typ Input 50 ohm always perfectly matched SWR less than 1 2 1 Fully protected Temperature Over Voltage Over Current SWR Reflected Power Max RF Tuner Voltage Over Drive Amp The correct parameters are continuously monitored Pag 37 of 42 e User s manual EXPERT 1K FA The same protection is realized in two different ways Via hardware circuits HW to assure great speed Via the software SW to assure great accuracy Thanks to the SW transmit relay changeover is carried out with zero current at the contacts Full break in operation QSK Normal Contest operation to optimize performance Very quiet operation Seven quiet three speed cooling fans 150 CFM maximum total air flow Temperature thresholds for speed change 65 deg and 75 deg normal mode 60 deg and 70 deg contest mode Noise level 39 dBa at maximum blower speed Continuous use FULL mode SSB unlimited key down 3 minutes HALF mode SSB unlimited key down 10 minutes Regulated power supply input 230 115 Vac With both input voltages the output power doesn t change A well designed grain oriented tape wound toroidal transformer reduces magnetic fields around the amplifier The linear can be switched ON OFF also switching ON OFF the exciter With a large LCD display is possible t
26. lso the power of harmonics reflected by the band pass filter NOTE To guarantee the maximum efficiency with the same output power the PA has three MRF150 push pull amplifiers connected through a combiner NOTE Temperature measurement is used also to control fan speed The thresholds where the speed changes may be changed from NORMAL default or CONTEST See the Programming chapter of this manual The protection system is effected in two different ways 1 Through hardware circuits to guarantee minimum intervention time 2 Through software with one of the two CPU s to guarantee the maximum precision The two results are always compared every difference produces a protection trip and consequent alarm There are three types of protections alarms a SIMPLE This is the most common case An acoustic warning beep sounds but no operator intervention is required as the control system automatically restores the correct operating conditions b SERIOUS When automatic system recovery is not possible e g the temperature climbs over the limits due to obstruction of the fans SWR is too high etc In this case the amplifier switches into standby state and the alarm is stored Normally transmission can continue with the exciter only c FATAL If the amplifier is in the b situation but the CPU is faulty or it isn t able to operate the amplifier is turned OFF with no other warning To restart the amplifier the main switch in the rear
27. m
28. move the bottom cover the plastic protection and connect following the diagrams below Single phase 3 wire line 210 250 VAC The green yellow wire from AC power cable must be J _ TN connected to the ground wire 2 Brown black The blue and brown wires from the AC power cable be connected to either terminal ibas phase 2 wire line 105 125 VAC The green yellow wire from AC power cable must be m plue white connected to the ground wire a _ gresnhelow green The blue wire from power cable must be connected to the hot live wire The brown wire from AC power cable must be connected to the return wire Pag 14 of 42 ap User s manual 230 VAC brown 3 brown i lt brown white white 1 black E black H blue blue i SY i blue 4 1 KW 50 W TRANSFORMER TRANSFORMER 115 VAC 3 lt brown brown yt brown PW i white gt x white E 4 NY Pa black black 3 ro UE TDT LA i 9 4 Bue To _L LS E blue 3 P s 3 blue m 1 KW 50 W TRANSFORMER TRANSFORMER After checking your wiring re install the plastic protection the bottom cover and make sure that in Fuse 1 there is a 1A fuse and in Fuse 2 there is a 20A fuse included in the packaging Mark the change of voltage on the back panel Pag 15 of 42 EXPERT 1K FA me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 8 TUNER The amplifier has an a
29. nditions frequency antenna and tuner may be controlled from your transceiver It is possible to connect it to every type of device it is extremely user friendly and offers a product which is best in class IMPORTANT Read this instruction manual carefully before attempting to operate the linear amplifier Keep this manual It contains important safety and operating instructions for the SPE EXPERT 1K FA Explicit definitions WORD DEFINITION N Risk of danger of fire or electric shock to persons WARNING Possible damage to the amplifier NOTE Serious problems if not observed Danger of fire or electric shock for the operator or i damage to the equipment WARNING HIGH VOLTAGE DO NOT disconnect an antenna from the amplifier during transmission Electric shock or fire is possible LN WARNING DO NOT modify the internal wiring of the amplifier Any modifications will invalidate the warranty and may reduce the performance of the linear amplifier or damage it A WARNING Before using the linear amplifier compare the value of voltage of the local mains supply network with the value required by the amplifier and set it up correctly A WARNING DO NOT turn ON the linear amplifier unless it has been properly grounded through the green yellow conductor of the mains cord Your dealer will already have provided the correct mains plug for your local electricity network with the earth pin connected to that conductor
30. o have a great deal of information W pep out V pa pa W pep reflected Power gain Temperature SWR Input setting CAT setting Band and other indications including an alarms log Easy to operate Powerful SW gives you a user friendly unit RS 232 port for PC control SW is supplied to remote the linear front panel With a proper protocol it is possible to use this port not only as a remote control but also as a CAT port useful to link the linear with any customer application Easy transportation A sturdy carry bag is supplied for QSY FIELD DAY DX PEDITIONS etc Certifications CE FCC are pending These specifications are subject to change without notice Pag 38 of 42 ape User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 18 TABLE BAND TABLE SUB BAND CENTRAL FREQUENCY SUB BAND 0 1785 1 1795 21805 3 1815 4 1825 5 1835 61 1845 i 71 1855 811865 ji 9 1875 10 1885 11 1895 12 1905 13 1915 14 1925 15 1935 16 1945 17 1955 18 1965 19 1975 20 1985 21 1995 22 2005 23 2015 24 3470 25 3490 26 3510 27 3530 28 3550 29 3570 30 3590 31 3610 32 3630 33 3650 34 3670 35 3690 80m 36 3710 37 3730 38 3750 39 3770 40 3790 41 3810 42 3830 43 3850 44 3870 45 3890 46 3910 47 3930 48
31. panel has to be set first to O and then to the I position NOTE It is possibile to read the alarms file log in the standby state using the DISPLAY key To reset the alarm file log press the TUNE and OPERATE keys together NOTE If the acoustic alarm is very frequent during transmission the possible causes should be investigated Pag 17 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA NOTE Before the temperature limits are reached the output power will change from FULL to HALF automatically so that transmission with the amplifier may continue with reduced power In SSB the use of the compressor only when necessary strongly reduces the increase of the temperature If the temperature is allowed to rise further then a SERIOUS alarm will eventually be activated NOTE During a SERIOUS alarm there is an acoustic alarm for 30 sec Pressing the DISPLAY key the system changes to STANDBY state immediately Pag 18 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 10 PROGRAMMING The three SET 4A and gt V keys underlined with an orange line permit programing the amplifier and they can used in the following way SET Use it to open the menu page to validate the choices and to exit from the menu page lt A gt V Use these to select the options A green led illuminates during the programming process To program the system is very easy You will find your programming choices confirmed by the items shown at
32. plication NOTE SPE doesn t take any responsibility for these applications Pag 35 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 16 MAINTENANCE The Expert 1K FA linear amplifier doesn t need internal maintenance because it has a cover without ventilation holes No tube type EHT is used so the high voltages present in tube amplifiers which sometimes attract dirt are not present The user has only to periodically check the cleaning of the air filter on the front panel The frequency of such operation depends how dusty the amplifier location is and how much it is used We recommend monthly cleaning of the filter To clean the filter a Remove the front grid b Remove the filter and clean it with care C Reassemble the filter and the grid after having carefullly cleaned the mechanical structure that includes them NOTE Check the filter if an unexpected rise of temperature is noticed NOTE Never operate without the filter as dust could be deposited on the surface of the heatsink limiting its ability to cool NOTE To allow the most efficient heat dissipation large copper parts have been used Pag 36 of 42 e User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 17 CHARACTERISTICS SPECIFICATIONS The smallest in the world Built in Power supply and Automatic Antenna Tuner Dimension w 28 h 14 d 32 cm connectors included Weight approx 20 Kg 18 5 Kg typ The most technologically advanced in the world Two CPUs are used one
33. r Yaesu Bit D of Band Data digital switch of band for Yaesu Applying a voltage from 9 to 15 Vcc turns the amplifier ON Using the above information an appropriate cable for your transceiver s may be constructed or you might wish to order a correctly made up cable when you order your amplifier from your local dealer The amplifier connector is included with the amplifier and the transceiver connector called Radio in the next diagram is usually supplied with the transceiver For connections to the Radio connector refer to the transceiver operating manual 12 2 SPE In the case of SPE transceivers it isn t necessary to make a cable because it is supplied with the transceiver Pag 25 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA 12 3 ICOM CAT CIV Interface 9 20 _ 100 BATIE RADIO CONNECTOR 116 Te GND 12 55 13 6 14 7 S RT 45 CAT DB15 PLUG STEREO Lui 8 10 RX TTL gt i Pin 4 GND 5 DB15M This interface is standard for all the Icom models equipped with CAT the cable always terminates to a 3 5 mm plug BAND CONTROL VOLTAGE Interface BAND CONTROL VOLTAGE 20 BAND CONTROL VOLTAGE 100 3 10 4 GND GND 12 si RADIO CONNECTOR 13 60 14 T 15 8 DB15 M This interface is standard for all the Icom models not equipped with CAT The change of a voltage determines the change of band Pag 26 of 42 ape User s manual EXPERT 1K
34. ransmitted power by slightly reducing the drive power than to over drive the amplifier and have a poor quality transmission During transmission check the parameters on the display always because SPE has selected designed and adjusted them with care SPE recommends using the ALC link that the transceiver should be set to its maximum drive power To reduce the amplifier output if required it is then necessary only to set the amplifier to HALF power state rather than changing the transceiver drive power Of course you may also regulate continuously the amplifier output power by changing the level of drive power from your transceiver If less output power than 500 Watts is desired it is preferable for best efficiency to start to reduce drive from the HALF power state Pag 23 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA SETTING DRIVE LEVELS a SSB Regulate the MIC GAIN of the transceiver until speaking normally into the microphone the signal peaks on the display don t quite reach the maximum rated output power Monitoring the transmission is a good way of checking your settings If there is however some distortion decrease the mic gain or decrease the power of the transceiver until a small reduction of the output power of the amplifier is seen b CW In key down you get the maximum output power automatically Check the PW REV If it shows more than 120 140 Watts decrease the power of the transceiver until that value
35. t 1 Complete and send to SPE not over 30 days from the date of purchase the warranty registration card 2 Notify SPE or its nearest authorized service facility immediately the defect discovered sending a The model and the serial number of the amplifier b The identity of the seller and the date of purchase The description of the defect The warranty does not apply to any defect that SPE determines is due to a Improper maintenance or repair by persons not authorised by SPE to carry out such work including the installation of parts or accessories that do not conform to the quality and specifications of the original parts b Misuse abuse neglet or improper installation C Carelessness accidental or intentional damage SPE warranties aforesaid items only and the purchser shall have no remedy and no claim for incidental or consequential damages Particular agreements between retailer and purchaser or particular obligations imposed in other countries are matters for the local retailer and not for SPE SPE recommends you record this information Model of the amplifier Serial number Date of purchse Name and address of the retailer Date of mailing of the Warranty Card Pag 40 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA Notes Pag 41 of 42 SPE s r Via di Monteverde 33 00152 Rome Italy Tel 390658209429 Fax 390658209647 E mail info linear amplifier com Website http www linear amplifier co
36. tenna Press SET and open the ANTENNA menu page Assign an appropriate antenna for the band concerned If you don t have an antenna for a band input NONE When all the antennas are programmed exit and go back to STANDBY To verify the correctness of the programming press the ANT key the band antenna programmed will be shown b Set CAT Press SET and enter the CAT menu page Select the transceiver brand and progress with programming according to the type of connection between the amplifier and the transceiver read the CAT CONNECTIONS chapter of this manual At the end of programming exit and go back in STANDBY To verify the correctness of programming press the CAT key and all the data stored will appear on the display To verify the correct CAT operation press SET and select MANUAL TUNE While changing your transceiver VFO you should see the amplifier frequency display follow Then return to STANDBY Pag 22 of 42 me User s manual EXPERT 1K FA In the same way if BAND CONTROL VOLTAGE or BAND DATA are connected check that the amplifier follows band changes at the transceiver If it does not verify that your programming or your link has been done correctly d Use of Automatic Tuner To complete the programming it is necessary to match the antennas to the amplifier by operating TUNE read the TUNER chapter of this manual We recommend you to select each band wit
37. utomatic tuner that handles load mismatches up to 3 1 VSWR 2 5 1 for 50 MHz The circuit used is a PI L network with excellent harmonic suppression The amplifier contains a look up table with all the permitted bands For tuner management antenna data and other working data are stored Every band has a sub band set and for each of those data related to the antenna and auto ATU tuning is stored The CAT and the frequency counter detect the operating frequency and the correct sub band Thanks to the stored data the tuner and the antenna are automatically set correctly For every input there is a different table If two exciters are connected at the same time each exciter can have different configurations It is possible to use the two different tables when the amplifier operates at two different locations In fact it is possible to use the INPUT 1 at one and INPUT 2 on the other In this way repeated reprogrammings are not needed In the US version operation on the 12 m and 10 m bands has been inhibited following FCC regulations Authorized 12 10m operation of the amplifier by licensed radio amateurs will be enabled by the dealer there in accordance with current rules The auto tuner and antenna selection via the amplifier are still enabled even in 12 10m inhibited units All auto tuner functions remain on standby whilst using the transceiver only Setting of the match data to write in the tables is performed automatically by pressin
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