ALPHA RADIO PRODUCTS ALPHA 87A - Tentec
ALPHA RADIO PRODUCTSALPHA 87AOperating ManualDISCLAIMERInformation in this document is subject to change withoutnotice. Information provided by Alpha Radio Products Inc. is believed to be correct and reliable. However, noresponsibility is assumed by Alpha Radio Products, LLC.,unless otherwise expressly taken. Companies, names, anddata used as examples are fictitious, unless otherwise noted.No part of this document may be reproduced or transmittedin any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, ormechanical, for any purpose without the express permissionof Alpha Radio Products, Inc. Alpha Radio Products, Inc.may have patents or pending patents, trademarks,copyrights, or other property rights covering the subjectmatter in this document. The furnishings of this documentdoes not give you license to these patents, trademarks,copyrights, or other intellectual property, except as expresslywritten in any license agreement formAlpha Radio Products6185 Arapahoe Road Boulder, CO 80303Phone 303.473.9232 Fax 303.473.9660Read this entire manual and all other publications pertainingto the work to be performed before you install, operate, ormaintain this equipment. Practice all product safetyinstructions and precautions. Alpha Radio Products, LLC.provides information on its products and associated hazards,but it assumes no responsibility for the after-sale operation ofthe equipment or the safety practices of the Owner or User.See Warranty and Notices Appendix. Copyright 2005 by Alpha Radio Products, LLC.All rights reserved.Page iAlpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Table of ContentsIntroduction3Owner Assistance3Equipment Shipped3Protective Functions and “Faults”35Safety: Installation and Operation3Soft Faults35Before Installing Your Alpha 87A4Hard Faults36Before Operating Your Alpha 87A7Fault Codes37Overview of Amplifier Capabilities9RS-232 Serial Communications Link41ALPHA 87A Specifications11Communications Link Set-up42Figures 1-3 Transformer Installation12Serial control lines42Unpacking and Preparing for Operation13Remote Commands44Figure 4 – Inside Top View15Troubleshooting Suggestions47Figure 5 – Front Panel Lowered16Owner Assistance47Figure 6 - Inside Front Panel17Overdrive related faults47Control and Indicator Functions19ALC47Installation21Repeated power-off shutdowns48ALPHAMAXTM Firmware23ALPHA 87A Functional Configuration51AlphaMax Operating Procedures23Principal Functional Components51ALPHAREMOTETM Software25Schematic Description52SAFETY26Schematics Available52AlphaRemote Operating Procedures27Installing the AlphaRemote Software28How to Operate the 87A31Step-by-step Procedure31Pre-Tuning Procedure32Page 2Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Section1IntroductionThe Alpha 87A is a self-contained HF linear amplifier. It provides continuous maximum-legal-poweron all amateur HF bands with self-tune capability.This manual provides all information necessary to install and operate the ALPHA 87A. Schematicdiagrams are available on request, at no charge to owners.Owner AssistanceAssistance is available from Alpha Radio Products at 303.473.9232 x.141, by fax at 303.473.9660,or by email at service@alpharadioproducts.com.Equipment ShippedThe Alpha 87A ships in two heavy-duty cardboard cartons. One carton holds the power transformerand weighs 43 pounds; the second carton contains the amplifier and weighs 42 pounds.Safety: Installation and OperationThe Alpha 87A is designed to meet international safety standards and FCC regulations. However, oneshould always remember that the equipment works with high voltages that are LETHAL!This operating manual holds information, cautions and warnings that must be followed to ensure safeinstallation and operation. Read Section 1 before attempting to unpack or operate the amplifier. Failureto perform procedures properly may result in amplifier damage, fire hazard, or electric shock.Warnings:Never open the amplifier case without unplugging the unit from the wall outlet.Never stick objects into holes in the case.Never touch an antenna during transmission.Page 3Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
CAUTION – READ THE MANUAL CAREFULLY BEFORE INSTALLINGYOUR 87A.The ALPHA 87A is extremely easy to install and operate, but failure to carry out eachprocedure exactly as described in the manual is likely to lead to amplifier damage, which isnot covered under warranty. Damage to other station equipment may also result.Before Installing Your Alpha 87A1. Be careful not to twist or warp the chassiswhen handling the amplifier with its coverremoved. Never lift the chassis by acorner, especially when the transformeris in place. Never apply AC powerwithout the transformer properly and fullyinstalled.6. Solidly bond all station equipmentchassis together. Heavy braid, such asthe outer conductor of RG-8/U coaxialcable, is recommended for the purpose.This is important for personal andequipment safety as well as to avoid RFfeedback.2. When installing or removing thetransformer, move carefully and followthe instructions in this manual exactly.Insure that all connectors are properlymated and fully seated. Don’t forcethem! Tuck the lifting handle out of theway so the interlock can close.7. Never install cover screws longer than¼”. Longer screws may penetrateinternal boards or wiring and causesevere damage. Make sure each screwhole in the cover is aligned with itscorresponding captive nut in the chassisbefore inserting screws.3. Insure that both tubes are solidly seatedin their sockets with the red siliconerubber chimneys firmly seated againstthe chassis.4. Connect the green conductor in theAlpha 87A power cord only to the powersource neutral or ground. Connectingthe green wire to a “hot” line is almostcertain to cause immediate damage.Triple checks your wiring before pluggingin!5. Make sure the primary power tap isconnected to the tap closest to youractual AC voltage. See manual section4.Page 4Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Station Engineering ConsiderationsThe 87A is capable of dramatically improving the performance of your amateur station. It is important thatyou observe good engineering practices to achieve all the benefits of such a station in a safe and reliablemanner. This section gives a few hints for important things to look for, but it is recommended that the useralso consult a good source of general information such as “The Radio Amateur’s Handbook” by the ARRL,especially if this is the first high-power amplifier you have used.AC power Source If you do not have a 220V acoutlet in your shack, you will need to get a licensedelectrical contractor to install one. A minimum of a20-amp capacity is required. Select a location forthe outlet as close as possible to where you expectto operate the 87A. If you are not sure, orcontemplate moving the amplifier, it may becheaper to get a second outlet installed at thesame time. Ask your contractor for two or threematching plugs while he is there, as there areseveral styles of connector available. Ask thecontractor to measure the voltage and record it, soyou can set the line voltage tap on the 87Aappropriately. If he can, ask him to tell you the linevoltage with a 10 amp current draw, and use thisvalue for setting the transformer tap.Antenna Many antennas that are suitable forgeneral use are unsuited for operation with a full1500 watts of power. At this power level in a 50ohm circuit, the RMS current is 5.5 amps and thepeak RF voltage is 387 volts. With a 2:1 SWR,these values double: 11 amps and 775 volts. Thevoltage and current at various points in or on yourantenna can actually be many times these values.On a simple dipole with sharp wire ends, corona(localized ionization) can easily occur. Corona can(and has!) lead to fire in nearby objects. Traps inbeams and verticals can heat up significantlyduring high power operation. Instances of meltingor flashover of traps have occurred in manyinstallations where insufficient thought has beengiven to their ratings. If an antenna has beenup for a long period of time, it may be worthtaking it down for inspection prior to full poweroperation. If any insulators are cracked orshow signs of “tracking”, replace them.Doubling-up on insulators is also easy to do,and may save problems. If there is anychance of people or object coming close tothe antenna, take steps to move it higher, orplace barriers so that this cannot happen.Check the SWR of your antenna. If you havea favorite part of any band you use mostoften, consider adjusting the antenna forminimum SWR in this part of the band.Coax and Connectors The importance of awell-constructed feed line system cannot beoverstated. After all, the purpose of theamplifier is to provide (coax and connectorscontinued) approximately 2 S units (12 dB)of improvement in your radiated signal. All toooften installations are encountered wherecheap/poor/under-rated/oldcoaxandconnectors are probably responsible for one Sunit of degradation. This means you couldhave bought a 375watt amplifier and achievedthe same radiated signal by buying goodquality feed line components! Use the lowestloss 50 ohm coaxial cable you can get yourhands on. Use new, clean connectors Cleanthe connectors after soldering them, andbefore mating them with the amplifier. MakePage 5Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
sure any excess solder is removed from theconnector, likewise any fragments of braid etc.Never use old coax, which may have had moisturepenetrate under the jacket. Run the coax in straightlines as much as possible. Support it frequentlyusing non-compressive clips so it does not hangand stretch under its own weight. Avoid sharpbends (most manufacturers will specify a minimumbend radius for their product). Make sure thetransition from feed line to antenna is waterproof.Provide for disconnection of the feed line when notin use.Air Flow It is critical that the 87A airflow isunrestricted in any way. Keep the top of theamplifier clear of any restrictions. If you aremounting the amplifier in a console, make sure thatthe exhaust air is properly and fully removed fromthe console. Poorly designed consoles can result inoutlet air being drawn back into the amplifier airintake and recirculated, getting hotter and hotter,resulting in degraded amplifier performance oreven failure. If you are designing your own console,consider putting in additional fans and/or ducting todeal with waste heat. Try to minimize the possibilityof dust or other contamination getting drawn into orfalling on the amplifier.RF Safety The FCC requires users to check theirinstallations for compliance with published valuesfor allowable exposure to RF fields. Thisinformation is available in ARRL publications, FCCPrinted rules, and on the web. Alpha RadioProducts strongly recommends that this be donefor any installation, both fixed and at an expeditionor contest site.If you have any questions regarding engineeringyour 87A into your amateur radio station, do nothesitate to call Alpha Technical Support. Installedper the manufacturers recommendations.Page 6Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
CAUTION – READ THE MANUAL CAREFULLY BEFORE OPERATINGYOUR 87A.The ALPHA 87A is extremely easy to install and operate, but failure to carry outeach procedure exactly as described in the manual is likely to lead to amplifier damage whichis not covered under warranty. Damage to other station equipment also may result.Before Operating Your Alpha 87A1. You must set transceiver power output properly.The Alpha 87A requires about 50 watts drive forfull rated output.Damage caused byoverdriving the ALPHA 87A will not becovered under warranty. Fortunately, mostmodern transceivers maintain quite consistentoutput from band to band and mode-to-mode ifset up properly. We recommend that you onlyrun the Alpha 87A in high voltage mode, runningyour amp in low voltage mode with high platecurrent can damage components.Setting the transceiver POWER or RF PWRcontrol IS NOT SUFFICIENT. Several populartransceivers can generate RF spikes of 200300W or more unless the transceiver internalALC (drive level) is also adjusted carefullyaccording to its manufacturer’s instructions. Thistypically is done with a knob labeled DRIVE (IC781, FT-1000), PROCESSOR OUT (TS-940, TS950) or, on SSB when speech processing is notin use, MIC or MIKE.2. The ALPHA 87A “faults” into STBY or OFFwhen unsafe operating conditions occur. Ifthis happens, record which SEGMENT LEDs areflashing to indicate a BCD fault number, and referto manual section 8.0.3. On any frequency where your antennaVSWR exceeds 1.5:1, it’s important tomanually program the ALPHA 87A for aproper match. See manual sections 7.27.4. Efficiency, linearity, and output oftencan be improved even when VSWR isless than 1.5:1. The 87A does notcontain an antenna tuner. The SWR willneed to be tuned via the antenna or anexternal tuner connected to the output ofthe Alpha 87A.TO SAVE THE DATA TO MEMORYafter manually tuning your ALPHA 87A inany given segment, first press ENTER;then, while the ENTER LED is flashing,press the desired SEGMENT button.4. To operate the ALPHA 87A efficientlyand cleanly at power output muchdifferent from 1.5kW it must be manuallytuned and loaded (i.e. programmed)accordingly or AlphaMax must be turnedon. See Section 7.Page 7Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
5. Induced energy from nearby electricalstorms or other power transients maydamage components. Such damage is notcovered under warranty. It is important touse a good lightning arrestor, and it is goodpractice to disconnect and ground antennafeed lines, and to disconnect A-C power,when the equipment is not in use.6. Never use an automatic antenna tuner into orthrough the Alpha 87A. This will causedamage to the input wattmeter & input relay.Page 8Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Section2Overview of AmplifierCapabilitiesIt is extremely important to thoroughly review the Installation and Operation sections of this manualbefore attempting to use the ALPHA 87A. Failure to do so could result in serious damage not coveredunder warranty.Continuous RF Output. The Alpha 87Ais capable of 1.5kW continuous RFoutput on all commonly used modes andon any authorized amateur frequencyfrom 1.8 to 29.7 MHz. Band changeand tune-up are microprocessorcontrolled and no special cables oradapters are required.Compatibility with popular amateurtransceiver and exciters. The Alpha 87Arequires approximately 50-55 watts peakRF drive for 1.5kW output. No userprogramming or adjustments arenecessary for maximum-legal-poweramateur operation into load VSWRs ashigh as 1.5:1. However, the amplifiermay easily be user-programmed tooptimize operation with VSWRs up to2:1, on non-amateur frequencies, andat various power levels.Capable of full CW break-in (QSK) andall digital modes when used with anyappropriate transceiver. All front panelfunctions plus numerous otherdiagnostic and control functions areaccessibleviaitscommunications port.RS-232Protective functions built in.Themicroprocessor-based control systemincorporates protective functions thatminimize the probability of accidentaldamage to the amplifier or its powertubes. In most cases, when one of theprotective functions is “tripped,” frontpanel LED indicators display a faultcode, which indicates the nature ofthe problem, (e.g. excessive grid orplate current, load VSWR, etc.)AlphaMax firmware comes with addedfeatures to readjust output network, trimtune-up time, and re-adjust loading toprevent distortion due to overdrive.AlphaRemote software lets you to controlall functions of your Alpha 87A from acompact toolbar on your Windowsdesktop.Optional auxiliary cooling fan available.We recommend using the externalPage 9Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
auxiliary fan for extended RTTY or other“locked key” service. This is availableseparately from Alpha Radio Products.Capable of no more than 150 watts into a50dB load in bypass mode.Page 10Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Section3ALPHA 87A SpecificationsNOTE:FCC rules do not permit new amateur amplifiers to be operable on 24-30 MHz as deliveredwithin the US and possessions. Owners who send Alpha Technical Support a photocopy oftheir authorizing amateur license will promptly be provided information on “unlocking” 12 and10 meter coverage.Band Change & Tuning: Automatic undermicroprocessor control; average time required forcomplete band change and tune-up, 1 second.No special cables or connections required.Frequency Coverage: All amateur bands 1.8-29.7MHz* plus most non-amateur frequencies 6.0-19.0MHz and 20-30 MHz.Power Output: 1500 watts PEP, keyed CW, orcontinuous carrier, no time limit. Auxiliary coolingfan (optional) recommended for very high dutycycle continuous operation i.e. contesting & RTTY.Drive Power: Typically 50 to 55 watts for full ratedoutput.Input VSWR: 1.5:1 within amateur bands; 2:1elsewhere.Tube Complement: Two Eimac 3CX800A7triodes in grounded grid.T/R System: Heavy-duty PIN diode switch capableof feed through and hot switching of 150W exciterpower.Switching time approximately 1ms.Enclosed mechanical bypass relay.ALC:Grid-current-derived, -10V maximum,adjustable gain.Harmonic Output: Better than 50 dB below ratedoutput.Intermodualtion: Better than 35 dB below ratedoutput.Fault Protection: Plate current, grid current, loadVSWR, T/R sequencing, gain (i.e., severe mistuneor RF arc), overdrive, open heater, overtemperature, others.Displays: LED bar graphs for peak Pout, Prefl & Ig,and switched bar graph for Ip, HV, and Tuneindicator.Cooling: Full cabinet ducted air, rear intake/topexhaust. Floating blower mount for quietestoperation.Primary Power: 190-250V (200, 220, 240Vnominal taps), 50-60 Hz, single phase; fused 20A.Size & Weight: 17.3” W x 7”H x 16.5” D (439 x178 x 419 mm) excluding controls, feet, andconnectors. 75 lb. (34kg) net.Note: Alpha Radio Products reserves the right tochange design and/or specifications without priornotice or obligation.Page 11Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Figures 1-3 TransformerInstallationPage 12Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Section4Unpacking and Preparing forOperation(Refer to Figures. 1-5, pages 6, 8, 9)4.1 Carefully unpack amplifier andtransformer.Inspect both for physicaldamage. Save all packing material for futureuse.tap (200, 220, or 240V) closest to yournominal AC line voltage. (Amplifiers for USdistribution destinations normally are shippedconnected for 240V input.)4.2 Remove cover by removing all screwsexcept the two located in the perforated tubeexhaust areas. Inspect carefully for shippingdamage. Check all connectors for properseating. If damage is discovered, call AlphaTechnical Support immediately.4.3 Remove blower motor shipping hardwarefrom rear chassis wall. Save the two 10-32bolts, fiber washers, and rubber shim; reinstallthis hardware whenever the chassis istransported. NOTE: For heavy-duty use or50 Hz operation, the optional auxiliary fanmust be installed.4.4 Connect the proper internal line voltagetap. The ALPHA 87A may be operated fromany AC power source of 190-250V, 50-60 Hz,20-ampere capacity. It is advisable to checkthe actual voltage at the connector you aregoing to use for the Alpha 87A. Use anaccurate meter such as a DMM set to ACvolts.A 4-terminal barrier strip for tapselection is located atop the AC module to theleft of the transformer, approximately wherethe arrow points in fig. 1A. DO NOT MOVEthe wire connected to the terminal markedPRI! If necessary, move the other wire to the4.5 Install Transformer. Position amplifier flaton a table with the right side of the chassisfacing forward. Install the transformer perFigures 1 through 3, using its wire handle.Use care not to damage wiring orPage 13Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
components. You may wish to have a helpersteady the chassis during the following twosteps. (Bolts must be installed for safeoperation!)Align the transformer captive nuts withcorresponding chassis holes. Taking care notto torque or twist the chassis, carefully extendit over the edge of the table just far enough toloosely screw in the two outside transformermounting bolts (1/4-20 hex head with flatwashers, supplied).Do not stand the amplifier on edge or move itfurther over the table edge. Instead, rotate itso as to install the bolts. Now center thetransformer as much as possible so that bothsides are well clear of metalwork. Movechassis as above while tightening all 4 bolts.Inspect the connectors on the transformer tobe sure there is nothing blocking theconnector holes, such as pieces of shippingmaterials.One of the transformer’sconnectors plugs into the AC power modulenear the top/rear of the chassis centerpartition, on the power supply side. Anotherconnector plugs into the low voltage powersupply board, which is immediately in front ofthe transformer near the chassis floor.A third (HVAC) connector plugs into the HVboard in front of the transformer and up high.(See Fig. 3 and views A-A and B-B). Makecertain the connectors are properly mated andseated, but don’t force them; they mate andlatch easily.4.6 Insure that both tubes are fully seated intheir sockets with their red rubber chimneysfirmly contacting the chassis.4.7 Make sure the HV crowbar workssmoothly.4.8 Replace the cover and carefullyreinstall all screws. Be careful not to forceor cross thread the screws. Never usescrews longer than ¼”! (Screws supplied are¼”).Do not attempt to operate the amplifier withthe cover removed. This could causedamage to the Alpha 87A or you.Page 14Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Figure 4 – Inside Top ViewPage 15Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Figure 5 – Front PanelLoweredPage 16Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Figure 6 - Inside FrontPanelPage 17Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Figure 7 - Rear PanelPage 18Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Section5Control and IndicatorFunctions5.1 RF OUTPUT, GRID CURRENT andREFLECTED POWER bargraphs are peakreading and generally self-explanatory.Example: 1.5 kW output (forward power intoa 50 ohm load) is indicated when all greenLED segments to the left of the 1.5 (kW) labelare fully lighted and the first red LED segmentis barely illuminated. The primary calibrationpoint for RF OUTPUT is at 1.5 kW on 14MHz. Accuracy of the meter is approximately10%.5.2 TUNE/IP/HV “multimeter”: The functionof this indicator is selected by buttons at itsright. It is a moving-dot display. HV (platevoltage) is read on the 0-3 kV top scale and Ip(plate current) on the 0-1.5 A bottom scale.The TUNE meter function permits fast andsafe manual tuning and loading of theamplifier at reduced power (Sec. 7.3)87A automatically switches bands and tunesup, if necessary, upon application of RF drive.BAND and SEGMENT buttons may, however,be used before applying drive to avoid thebrief amplifier bypass, which occurs duringautomatic band change with drive applied.When a new BAND is selected manually, theamplifier automatically selects the segmentlast used on that band unless a differentSEGMENT button is pushed. To protectagainst improper tuning, the ALPHA 87Aautomatically overrides any improper manualband or segment selection upon application ofdrive.The SEGMENT buttons and the row ofbuttons below them also are used in fieldprogramming of the ALPHA 87A asdescribed later.5.3 BAND and SEGMENT buttons: Eachband (tuning range) is represented by abutton with indicator LED on the upper leftfront panel. On each band, five memorychannels, or segments, are provided forfactory programmed tuning data and five foruser (field) programmed data. On the frontpanel, five SEGMENT buttons with LEDindicators correspond to these bandsegments as detailed below.Each BAND button is labeled with the nominal(MHz) frequency of the principal amateurband covered within its tuning range.Labeling below each SEGMENT buttonindicates its factory programmed frequencycoverage relative to the frequency in MHzshown below the BAND button. As may bededuced, on all bands except 1.8 and 28 MHzsegment center frequencies are factory turnedat 100 kHz spacing; 1.8 MHz segments arespaced 40 kHz, 28MHz segments 400 kHz.BAND or SEGMENT buttons are not usedduring routine operation because the ALPHA5.5 Factory Programming: Each segment isfactory (default) programmed so that thePage 19Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
ALPHA 87A will deliver 1.5 kW output (into a50-ohm load of VSWR of 1.5:1) efficientlyacross the frequency range indicated underthat SEGMENT button.Example: Using default (factory) tuning withthe “14” (BAND, MHz) button and the number3 SEGMENT button illuminated, ALPHA 87Atuning is centered at 14.250 MHz for optimumperformance from approximately 14.2 to 14.3MHz. Panel labeling shows the nominaledges of factory segments in the 1.8 and 28MHz bands. Actual segment coveragesoverlap somewhat to prevent “hunting”.KEY OUT – Provides a pull-down to ground(through 47 ohm resistor) which follows theline connected to the RELAY jack when theamplifier is ON and in OPERATE condition.When the 87A is in STANDBY or OFF, KEYOUT is directly connected to the RELAY jackby a closed relay contact I the amplifier.Useful for special T/R hook-ups whenamplifier is used with exciters having poor T/Rsequencing. Contact Alpha Power CustomerSupport for specific advice.J1-RS-232 communications link; see Section9.Figure 7 Rear Panel Connections5.6 User Programming, TUNE & LOADbuttons: The ALPHA 87A may be user-tunedat any five different center frequencies in eachband; the five SEGMENT buttons may beassigned to these frequencies in any desiredorder, as explained in Section 7.2. The TUNEand LOAD buttons are used during userprogramming.Each segment is identified in memory by itscenter frequency and nominal width. Duringautomatic segment selection the amplifierseeks first the nearest user segment centeredwithin 50 kHz of the drive frequency (10M, 200 kHz) then such a factory segment. Ifneither exists it selects the nearest segment.5.7 DEFAULT button: May be used tooverride automatically selected user tuneupdata for a segment and instead “default” tofactory data.5.8 ENTER button: Used in conjunction withSEGMENT buttons to memorize user-tuningdata. (See Section 7.)5.9 Special rear-panel connections: (Seefigure 7, opposite)ALC & ALC Adjust – See sections 7.1 & 10.2.IG & PFWD – Provide d-c signal outputsproportional to grid current and power output,respectively.Page 20Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Section6Installation(Refer to Fig. 7, page 20)6.1 Coaxial Cable Types & ConnectorsConnect the transceiver RF output to theALPHA 87A RF INPUT with 50 ohm coaxialcable – RG-58C/U or equivalent. A 6 ft. cableis supplied for this purpose.Coaxial cable from the Alpha 87A RFOUTPUT to antenna should be RG-8A/U,RG-213/U, or equivalent high quality type witha PL-259 UHF-type plug on the amplifier end.RG8X cable is not recommended.6.2 T/R Control CableThe 87A has a full break-in PIN diode QSKsystem requiring only the normalinterconnection when used with a modernQSK transceiver. The Alpha 87A requires acontact closure (short circuit) on transmit fromits RELAY jack center pin to chassis. Thisfunction is supplied by the transceiver, usuallyfrom a dedicated relay that is open in receiveand closed in transmit. Shielded wire shouldbe used for the T/R control cable. The Alpha87A end must be fitted with a common phono(RCA-type) plug and the other end with aconnector suitable for the transceiver. Seetransceivermanualfortransceiverconnections. The voltage at the relay jack is5V at 1mA; this is acceptable for most moderntransceivers.The T/R relay contact must close beforeapplication of RF drive. 87A protectioncircuitry prevents “hot-switching” with RF driveapplied. Modern transceivers have the propertime delay between key-up and the start of thetransmitted signal to allow the Alpha 87A tofollow the CW keying. If a T/R timing problemis suspected, connect the CW keyer to theRELAY jack on the 87A, and connect a cablefrom KEY OUT on the 87A to the keying inputof the transmitter.6.3 AntennaConnect a nominal 50 ohm antenna of VSWR 2:1 at the frequency to be used to the 87ARF OUTPUT jack.6.4 Ground WireConnect a heavy copper strap or braid fromthe #10 ground stud & wing nut on the rearpanel of the 87A to the chassis of thetransceiver and other station equipment, andto the main station RF ground.6.5 Green WireConnect to A-C power consistent with tapselected. CAUTION: Be sure the 87Agreen wire connects to A-C ground orneutral.Page 21Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Page 22Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0
Section7ALPHAMAXTMFirmwareAlphaMax is new firmware designed to addnew features to the Alpha 87A. All amplifiersshipped after October 1999 have AlphMaxalready installed. If you have a amplifier thatwas shipped from the factory prior to October1999, the installation of new chips on the 87Acontroller board is required. The chips to bereplaced are in sockets, but if you are notcompletely comfortable with opening your 87Aand installing new chips, then please call AlphaCustomer Support for telephone support or fora Return Authorization. Alpha CustomerSupport will install and test the new firmware atno charge other than the 2-way shippingcharges.As you transmit, AlphaMax automatically readjusts your 87A’s output network to delivermaximum power output (within maximumcapabilities of the ALPHA 87A) and linearity forthe specific antenna and frequency actually inuse.AlphaMax even prevents distortion due tooverdrive. If peak RF input to your 87A changessignificantly,* AlphaMax detects the onset ofnon-linearity. It quickly re-adjusts loading andtuning to avert flattopping and splatter - whilemaximizing power output. No other amplifier,vacuum tube or solid state, can doAlphaMax OperatingProceduresFunction:The AlphaMax firmware upgrade enables theAlpha 87A to automatically optimize itself forchanges in drive level, or antenna impedance.This allows the amplifier to re-tune as theoperating frequency is changed and allowsthe amplifier to re-tune if different antennasare selected. This dynamic adjustment of thetune and load controls helps to provideoptimum tuning of the 87A to im
Alpha 87A User Manual Rev 2.0 1Section Introduction The Alpha 87A is a self-contained HF linear amplifier. It provides continuous maximum-legal-power on all amateur HF bands with self-tune capability. This manual provides all information necessary to install and operate the ALPHA 87A. Schematic
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