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Acom 04AT Operating Manual

Remote automatic antenna tuner and switch
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Summary of Contents for Acom ACOM 04AT

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    2.5.2 GROUNDING FOR PROTECTION FROM ELECTRIC SHOCK ..........2.5.3 RADIO FREQUENCY GROUNDING OR COUNTERPOISE..........20 CONNECTING RF CABLES – ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ............... 21 GETTING STARTED WITH THE ACOM 04AT ....................21 TURNING ON AND OFF ..............22 INDICATION, CONTROLS AND MENUS ...............24 STARTING UP AND MAIN FUNCTIONS ....
  • Page 3 MEASUREMENTS IN THE TUNER – ATU MEASURE MENU ......................41 MAINTENANCE ........................41 CLEANING ....................41 FUSE REPLACEMENT ......41 ACOM 04AT BLOCK DIAGRAM AND PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION ..45 TROUBLESHOOTING – MONITORING THE ANTENNA-FEEDER PATH STATUS ......................47 SPECIFICATIONS ......................47 PARAMETERS ........................49 FUNCTIONS ................50...

  • Page 4: General

    HF+6m with integrated four way antenna switch model ACOM 04AT. The ACOM 04AT tuner is specifically designed and developed to work exclusively with the ACOM series of transistor amplifiers. It automatically selects one of four available antenna outputs (as assigned in bands by the operator) and matches the impedance of the chosen antenna output by transforming it to 50 Ohm with SWR below 1.5:1 at the...

  • Page 5: User Assistance

    2227 Bozhurishte, Bulgaria. Website: www.acom-bg.com. 1.3. PACKAGE CONTENTS ACOM 04AT tuner, complete with Weather Protection Hood ACOM 04-WP, three sets of installation accessories: ACOM 04-DT (desk), ACOM 04-WM (wall) and ACOM 04- MM (mast), two fuse replacement sets and this Operating Manual will be delivered in as a package.

  • Page 6: Safety Requirements And Definitions

    1.5. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND DEFINITIONS The ACOM 04AT has been designed to comply with the international safety standards and to comply with safety and electromagnetic compatibility regulations of the FCC and European Union.
  • Page 7 This manual contains information, warnings and instructions, related to hazards, that should be followed by the user in order to ensure safe operation and to keep the tuner in a safe working condition at all times. Warnings: The explicit definitions described below apply to this operating manual: WARNING HIGH VOLTAGE - These signs draw attention to procedures, which, if not correctly performed, may result in injury, fire hazard, and electric or lightning shock.

  • Page 8: Lightning Protection When The Tuner Is Installed In A Building

    outdoor antenna/s, in order to ensure that your installation complies with all applicable requirements. The applicable standards and local regulations shall prevail if there is a difference in the requirements, and if they contain more or stricter requirements than the minimum for installation stated in Appendix 1.

  • Page 9: Lightning Protection When The Tuner Is Installed Outdoors

    1.5.2 Lightning protection when the tuner is installed outdoors WARNING HIGH VOLTAGE For details about lightning protection see Appendix 1 at the end of this manual. When installed on a roof or in the field, the tuner and antennas, if not provided with a separate lightning protection, should be within the protection range of an existing light- ning protection system.

  • Page 10: Electric Safety Precautions

    Section 2, TUNER INSTALLATION, in this Oper- ating Manual. Should you have any doubts related to in- stallation, your safety during operation or tuner reliability, please contact your local ACOM dealer first. See S. 1.2 for ACOM contact information. 2. TUNER INSTALLATION The tuner can be installed at a fixed site (in a room), under a shelter or outdoors –...
  • Page 11 Your new ACOM 04AT will be shipped with the protective cover mounted. Regardless of which mounting option will be chosen (desk, wall or mast), in order to mount the selected bracket, the weather protection cover must be removed (Fig. 2-1).

  • Page 12: Unpacking And Inspection Of Delivered Package

    2.2 POWER SUPPLY VOLTAGE The tuner is powered by direct-current voltage +26VDC +10/-15%, supplied through the coaxial cable from the ACOM amplifier RF output to the RF input of the tuner, la- beled 50 Ohm RF +26VDC POWER & CONTROL.
  • Page 13 Fig. 2-2. Desk installation bracket The desk bracket (2) is secured to the tuner body (1) via 4 flat-head bolts (3) - Fig. 2-2. Be sure to place the provided metal spacer plate (4) between the bracket and the tuner body.

  • Page 14: Installation And Connection For Outdoor Operation

    (6) ANTENNA 1 through 4 on the tuner (Fig. 2-3). Without powering up the amplifier, use a coaxial cable to connect the tuner HF input (7) labeled 50Ohm RF +26 VDC POWER & CONTROL (Fig.2-3) to the ACOM transistor amplifiers output labeled RF OUTPUT.
  • Page 15 At the selected location install an appropriate set of installation accessories (ACOM 04-WM for walls or ACOM 04-MM for masts), as described hereafter. Do not install the protection cover at this point.
  • Page 16 Fig. 2-4. Wall installation bracket The whole assembly (1 & 2) is then secured to a wall with 6 bolts (3) with the weath- er protective cover facing up – figure 2-5. Although the weather protective cover (1) provides the necessary shielding from the elements, whenever it’s possible, the tuner should be mounted under a shed.
  • Page 17 Fig. 2-5. ATU installed on a wall 2.4.2. If the mast mounting option is chosen – figures 2-6 & 2-7 The weather protective cover (1) is removed by unscrewing the five bolts (2). The five cover holding brackets (6) are left in place, attached to the tuner body. Using the provided in the mounting kit four flat-head bolts (4), the mast bracket (3) is secured to the tuner body and then the weather protective cover (1) is secured back in place with the five bolts (2).
  • Page 18 Finally, slip the Weather Protection Cover ACOM 04-WP over the tuner – figures 2-4 to 2-7, (1) - directing it with the protruding part (marked with ACOM) up. Place it over the provided four carrying pins protruding from the tuner chassis. Carefully align the protection hood until the pins fit into the respective holes;...
  • Page 19 CAUTION When mounting in the open, never install the tuner in a slanted position neither with protection hood down, to avoid contaminating the inside of the assembly, and to prevent precipitation from seeping into it. This may cause damage that is not covered by the warranty! WARNING HIGH VOLTAGE For remote / outdoor tuner operation, the grounding termi- nal of the tuner marked GROUND, and the antenna feed-...

  • Page 20: Grounding - Additional Information

    Fig. 2-8. Accessories 2.5 GROUNDING – ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Ground the tuner and install the cables from the antennas and from the tuner obeying safety requirements in S. 1.5. You need to distinguish between different kinds of grounding according to its function! 2.5.1 LIGHTNING PROTECTION GROUNDING See the instructions provided in S.

  • Page 21: Radio Frequency Grounding Or Counterpoise

    2.5.3 RADIO FREQUENCY GROUNDING OR COUNTERPOISE This grounding is used for protection from transmitted/induced RF signals, and pos- sible radio frequency interferences. It will not protect you from a possible lightning strike or currents with mains frequency. These may be e.g. RF counterpoises (radials), which, in particular, could even be isolated from the ground.

  • Page 22: Getting Started With The Acom 04At

    +26VDC Power & Control" in a similar way. If the distance to the radio station exceeds 30m (100ft), we recommend using a RG-213 type, an equivalent or a better cable. Lay out and attach the input cable and fasten the connector ring. 3. GETTING STARTED WITH THE ACOM 04AT CAUTION Never exceed tuner specifications! Do not transmit with a high SWR! 3.1 TURNING ON AND OFF...

  • Page 23: Indication, Controls And Menus

    The tuner is turned on together with the amplifier. Connect the power cable of the amplifier to the wall mains socket and turn it on from the front panel. To access and operate the menus related to the tuner, you should explicitly specify that it has been installed.
  • Page 24 operator (up to four degrees of selectivity). The antenna names after the number may also be edited (see S. 6.1). When a tuner is assigned (S. 4.2): The information area above the buttons is reserved for messages concerning the tuner. The BAND buttons (up and down) become SEGMENT.

  • Page 25: Starting Up And Main Functions

    When the tuner reverts from BYPASS mode, it responds to the actual frequency and antenna at the time of return. If there is a memorized setting for the current frequency segment and antenna stored in the tuner memory, it is executed and the segment range is displayed again, with the numerical values of the boundaries for the frequency segment.
  • Page 26 required in a band, so that a sufficient degree of matching is retained within any partic- ular frequency segment. Accordingly, the tuning settings made and stored in the tuner memory will be usable in a specific frequency segment, narrower or wider, depending on the nature of the antenna used to do the settings.

  • Page 27: Sharp

    number, i.e. each output can be declared for each type, regardless of the other ones. Unless the operator changes it, REGULAR (normal) type is set by default for all four antenna outputs. 4.1.1 SHARP For moderately reduced dimensions, such as 20-25m vertical for operation at 160m, you may select SHARP (narrow or small-band, with sharp tuning).

  • Page 28: Tuning Modes: Full, Quick And Bypass

    4.3 TUNING MODES: FULL, QUICK AND BYPASS The tuner can operate in two main modes of tuning: full and quick. In addition, the tuner can be switched to BYPASS mode, without tuning. This is a non-basic mode, but it can be useful.

  • Page 29: Operation In Bypass Mode

    Organization and use of the tuning settings memory We recommend preparing custom tuning settings for the frequencies and antennas that will be used most frequently. They will be automatically stored in the tuner memo- ry, and automatically retrieved when a frequency and/or antenna is changed. The tuner memory is divided into four large groups –...

  • Page 30: Changing Frequencies And Antennas

    the antenna assignments by bands or as a manual switch, if more than one antenna is assigned per band. The tuner stays in BYPASS state until reactivated by pressing and holding the TUNE button again (1s – Use ATU). Regardless of whether or not a frequency and/or an- tenna were changed in the meantime, a new quick tuning is completed from the tuner memory for the current antenna and frequency in use.

  • Page 31: Basic Full Tuning Cycle

    RFimpedance, presented to the selected antenna output. This is typically done with a residual SWR allowance under 1.3:1 in the ACOM 04AT. A full tuning cycle is the seek and find process for a combination of tuner relays that leads to this impedance match- ing condition.

  • Page 32: Operator Actions For A Full Tuning Cycle

    pedance, transformed by the matching circuit (L-network), to the goal (50 Ohm). This process is complete when the impedance is close to 50 Ohm with a tolerance less than SWR of 1.3:1, or if the possible steps of the algorithm are exhausted. This way, at the end of the matching cycle, the necessary combination of relays to achieve the matching of the connected antenna impedance to 50 Ohm is found.

  • Page 33: Advanced Functions And Options Of The Tuner

    Transmit a short pulse so that the amplifier can measure the new frequency, au- tomatically select its new frequency band and, possibly, a new antenna as per the assignment in the ANTENNA ASSIGNMENTS menu (S. 6.1). Change immediately the antenna, if another antenna is required (if there is more than one antenna assigned for the selected band in the ANTENNA ASSIGNMENTS menu (S.

  • Page 34: Antenna Assignments By Bands

    6.1.1. ANTENNA ASSIGNMENTS BY BANDS Using the ITEM and ITEM buttons, the cursor is moved within the band columns from 160m to 6m. When an antenna will be used in a particular range, the cursor should be positioned in the respective column. Then, after pressing the EDIT button, a tick mark will appear in the respective cell, indicating that the antenna is assigned to this range.

  • Page 35: Maintenance Functions - Atu Service Menu

    all printable characters of the basic ASCII table to appear (there is a REPEAT function – just hold the button). The antenna name content or meaning does not affect the op- eration of the tuner or amplifier. 6.2 MAINTENANCE FUNCTIONS – ATU SERVICE MENU In the MAIN menu you can select the row ATU SERVICE using the ITEM or ITEM buttons, and activate selected function with the SELECT...
  • Page 36 (RS232) port to a computer. Please use the “ACOM Terminal S” software, distributed by ACOM free of charge, for the dump. Downloaded backup files can be stored and used later to restore tuning settings and antenna assignments / names you made for various antenna configurations (S.
  • Page 37 SELECT button to confirm the selection. f) A new DOWNLOAD window will open in “ACOM Terminal S”. In it click on the BROWSE button and select location and name for saving the newly generated dump file on your computer.
  • Page 38 SELECT button to confirm the selection. f) A new UPLOAD window will open in “ACOM Terminal S”. In it, click on the BROWSE button and from the drop-down menu in the bottom right corner select location and name of an existing backup file “.bkp” on your computer. After locating the required file, the OPEN button is pressed.

  • Page 39: Overview Of Tuning Settings And Resources Used

    Resource used (in percentage of maximum inductors and capacitors usable for the respective frequency) Tuning age in hours (”- - - -” means “no tuning”) ACOM 04AT uses an L-shape matching network configuration. The abbreviations used below mean: CT is the capacitor connected in parallel to the transmitter (tuner input);...

  • Page 40: Measurements In The Tuner - Atu Measure Menu

    The percentages for CT, L and CA show what part of the coil and capacitor resource was used for this frequency to achieve the tune. The resource is the maximum useful inductance L and capacitance C depending on the frequency. If CT is not zero, then CA is zero and the configuration of the matching network is “L”...
  • Page 41 ANTENNA VOLTAGE: ...V (rms) ANTENNA CURRENT: ...A (rms) ANTENNA FORWARD POWER: ...W ANTENNA REFLECTED POWER: ...W ANTENNA SWR: ... ATU PS VOLTAGE: ...VDC ATU TEMPERATURE … ATU WORKING HOURS ... The measurements can be performed in STBY mode or OPER mode. The operator should manually start and stop RF power to the tuner when performing these measure- ments.

  • Page 42: Maintenance

    – call your dealer or the manufacturer directly (See S. 1-2). 7.3 ACOM 04AT BLOCK DIAGRAM AND PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION The block diagram can be seen in Fig. 7-1. The ACOM 04AT tuner consists of the fol- lowing main assemblies: Input switch board;...
  • Page 43 Input sensor board (located on the Capacitors board); Inductors board; Capacitors board; Output sensor and antenna switch board; Control board (includes modem, four service LEDs and two buttons). The matching RF circuit is an L-shape matching network configuration and is com- prised of the Capacitors board and Inductors board.
  • Page 44 case, the KS2 relay on the Capacitors board is used to connect the input sensor output to the input of the matching circuit (L-network), so that the sensor measures the anten- na impedance, transformed by the matching circuit. In tuning mode, the input RF power is fed through the 27 Ohm/100W resistor and primary windings of two current transformers, TA1 and TA2, to two branches - one to the input of the matching circuit and another to a reference resistor 50 Ohm/15W, which is compared to the input impedance of the L-network, thus forming a RF...
  • Page 45 MOSFET for a short time, and in a few milliseconds reads out the status of the sensors, then it blocks the power to the relays by saturating MOSFET again, and in this manner switches the relays synchronously with the power and keeps the contacts safely clean (S 5.1). Fig. 7-1 ACOM 04AT Block Diagram...

  • Page 46: Troubleshooting - Monitoring The Antenna-Feeder Path Status

    After each relay switchover cycle, the control board applies RF power to update sensor measurements and read their new state. This is done by the *RFON signal and only lasts a few milliseconds (until the sensor readings are stabilized); then the control an- alyzes again the information read by the input sensor –...
  • Page 47 be poor (if the tuner cannot be tuned to this frequency, use BYPASS mode). If you measure a good instead of poor SWR at the antenna output, this indicates high losses in the feeder from the antenna output to the antenna or in the antenna itself. If SWR in the ATU MEASURE menu is really poor (as it was earlier), go to the tun- er’s BYPASS mode and measure the SWR at the input of the coaxial cable in the radio station: if it is also poor and if the SWR to the amplifier becomes good after a...

  • Page 48: Specifications

    8. SPECIFICATIONS 8.1 PARAMETERS 8.1.1 OPERATING FREQUENCY RANGE Continuous from 1.8 to 30 and from 50 to 54MHz, extensions and changes on re- quest. 8.1.2 MINIMUM RANGE OF THE MATCHED IMPEDANCES (AT EACH OF THE FOUR ANTENNA OUTPUTS) All impedances with SWR from 1:1 to 3:1 towards 50 Ohm, any phase angle, unbal- anced input and output.
  • Page 49 8.1.7 INPUT SIGNAL NEEDED TO PREPARE USER TUNING SETTINGS Non-modulated carrier power 25W +3/-3dB (12.5 to 50W). 8.1.8 POWER SUPPLY +26VDC +10/-15%, consumption of 25W at most; supplied by an amplifier of the ACOM transistor series over the input RF coaxial cable. 8.1.9 REMOTE CONTROL...

  • Page 50: Functions

    8.2. FUNCTIONS 8.2.1 PROCESS OF MATCHING OF ANTENNA IMPEDANCE Fully automated. 8.2.2 MODES OF TUNING Two modes: full (basic cycle of user tuning) and quick (restoring preset full tune set- tings from the non-volatile memory). 8.2.3 MEMORY FOR THE USER TUNE SETTINGS Integrated non-volatile memory, separate for all four antenna-selectivity types and out- puts.

  • Page 51: Storage And Transportation

    A single cable is required from the radio station to the tuner. Along with the RF power, the coaxial cable from the ACOM amplifier to the tuner combines also the DC power supply of +26VDC and the 60 kHz FSK data for bidirectional control. Note the type and maximum cable length as per S.
  • Page 52 8.3.2 STORAGE ENVIRONMENT temperature range: from -40 to +70 C (-40…158 relative humidity: up to 75% at +35 C (95 8.3.3 TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENT All kinds of transportation, including a baggage compartment of an airplane, up to 12,000m (40,000 feet) altitude are acceptable. 8.3.4 RETURNING TO THE SERVICE PROVIDER NOTE When tuner transportation is required, please use the orig-...

  • Page 53: Appendix 1 Lightning Protection

    APPENDIX 1 LIGHTNING PROTECTION Never underestimate the danger of lightning! Lightning may create dangerous cur- rent and voltage surges in antennas, antenna feeders, and the equipment connected to them, measured in tens and hundreds of thousands of Amperes and Volts, with steep (fast) rises (a few milliseconds) and a huge quantity of energy dispersed momentarily, comparable to e.g.
  • Page 54 E.g., a tree with a diameter of 30 cm or more can be split, exploded, broken or set on fire by a branch of the main channel of the lightning, while a standard metal lightning rod, taking the main strike of the lightning, survives, although it is much thinner than the tree.
  • Page 55 counterpoises or buried underground, if the antennas are designed this way. To avoid damage or destruction by lightning, the antenna isolators, and the isolators sectioning the antenna and mast bracings into smaller lengths, should be bypassed by pulse overvoltage limiters (lightning surge arrestors). The limiter closest to the ground should be grounded to the main grounding plate, and if the distance is too great, to an individual low-impedance grounding system for lightning protection.

  • Page 56: Disclaimer

    9. DISCLAIMER All specifications and description of the ACOM 04AT tuner are based on the newest information made available by the time of printing of this document. As we always strive to constantly improve and update our products, ALL PRODUCT SPECIFICA-...

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