Page 3
Compliance Barrett 4000 series transceivers have been designed to comply to the following communications standards: • Australian / New Zealand Standard • MF and HF Radio Communications. Equipment in the land mobile service utilising single sideband suppressed car- rier emission: •...
Page 4
Safe working distance can be reduced with normal voice communication. For IC and FCC compliance, when the PRC-4090 transceiver is used at a power level of 150 watts PEP and a 13 dBi gain antenna, the antenna(s) used with this...
Page 5
Antenna type Gain Minimum safe sepa- Typical (dBi) ration distance (m) Environ- ment Magnetic Loop Vehicle Multi-Wire Broadband Fixed Log-Period Fixed The above antennas are identified for reference only. It is important that the installer and operator maintain a minimum safe separation distance with the actual antenna used in the installation and to insure, in a vehicular environ- ment, that the transmitter is only used when persons outside the vehicle are at least the recommended lateral distance away.
Page 11
Control Handset Mounting ............... 113 Battery Pack ..................114 Tactical Antenna Options ..............119 Tactical Broadband Dipole Antenna (2090-02-03) ......124 Tactical Tuned Wire Dipole Antenna (2090-02-01) ......127 Mobile Installations ...................130 PRC-4090 System Docking Station – Rear ......... 131...
Page 12
Assembly ................... 132 SDS Feet Configurations ..............133 Handset Docking Station Configurations .......... 134 Complete Mobile Assembly ............... 135 2019 Automatic Tuning Mobile HF Antenna ........140 2018 Mobile Magnetic Loop Antenna ..........151 Base Station Installations ................153 Assembly ................... 154 Cooling Fan ..................156 Installing the Cooling Fan ..............
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INTRODUCTION Introduction The Barrett PRC-4090 Tactical Transceiver is an SDR based HF SSB transceiver with a frequency range of 1.5 to 30 MHz in transmit and 250kHz -30MHz. The Barrett PRC-4090 is designed using the latest technology enabling a physically small package with a full feature complement.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INTRODUCTION Important Disclosure Please note that this manual describes all the features of the PRC-4090 HF SDR Transceiver and that some variants of the PRC-4090 may not have all the features installed. Illustrations may show accessories, optional equipment or other features which are not part of the standard specifica- tion and are not available in individual countries.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INTRODUCTION Terms & Abbreviations Term / Definition Abbreviation Automatic Link Establishment Amplitude Modulation ARINC A set of standards as established by Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC). Call History A list containing details of the last thirty calls received.
Page 17
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INTRODUCTION Term / Definition Abbreviation Push to talk Receive Only A channel that receives calls but does not transmit calls. Channel Revertive Tone / An acknowledgment signal automatically transmitted Signal from a station receiving a Selcall.
Page 21
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INTRODUCTION Base Station Configuration (front) 9 10 EMERG. PRC-4090 Transceiver (P/N 4090-00-01) PRC-4090 System Docking Station (P/N 4090-05-00) PRC-4022 Power Supply (P/N 4090-06-01) Earth stud Whip antenna connection 50 Ohm antenna connection LED status indicator...
Page 22
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INTRODUCTION Base Station Configuration (rear)
Page 23
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INTRODUCTION PRC-4090 Transceiver (P/N 4090-00-01) PRC-4090 System Docking Station (P/N 4090-05-00) PRC-4022 Power Supply (P/N 4090-06-01) Ground Coaxial connection (RF out) Aux. PRC-4090 Control Handset connector Ethernet connection DC in (+11 V to +28 V DC) DC out (24 V DC) Auxiliary out (13.8 V DC)
Page 25
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INTRODUCTION Control Handset (Rear) Hot-shoe connection to cradle and USB interface unit PTT Button...
Page 26
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INTRODUCTION Cradle and Handset Docking Station (rear) External speaker (3W, 8 Ohm) External Speaker connection USB connection for WiFi adaptor or programming H-250 handset connection H-250 Handset Control Handset Docking Station (P/N 4090-05-03)
Page 27
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INTRODUCTION Auxiliary Cables Hotshoe cable (unterminated) (P/N 4090-01-34) Hotshoe adapter cable to USB male (P/N 4090-01-32) Hotshoe adapter cable to GPS (P/N 4090-01-31) GPS adaptor (P/N 2090-01-24)
BASIC OPERATION This chapter contains the following sections: • Starting the Transceiver • Display • Antenna Type • Channel Selection • Receiving and Transmitting -Voice Call • Making an Emergency Call...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC OPERATION Starting the Transceiver Ensure the transceiver is attached to a power source appropriate for your sit- uation. Turn the switch from the off position to the on position. Reverse the procedure to power off.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC OPERATION Display Tune Status Modulation Mode Date and Time Receive/transmit status Receive Strength/Transmit ALE Status Power Indicator Digital Voice/Secure Digital Swipe Menu Access Voice Status Indicators Channel Label (see page 20) Operation icons (see page...
Page 32
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC OPERATION Status Indicators Access Point WiFi Client USB Storage Low Voltage Missed Call Ethernet Screen Lock Busy Networked RS232 Battery charge A number on the WiFi Client icon or the Networked RS232 icon indicates the number of connections currently made to that device.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC OPERATION Swipe Menu To access this menu, either swipe horizontally across the screen from the left edge to drag open the swipe menu or press and hold the right arrow key. The icons (other than Settings) appear green when enabled and white if disabled.
Page 34
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC OPERATION Swipe Menu Modem Select - Tap to enable internal modem for data use Stealth Mode - When active, all lights and sounds are disabled. Status Information - Displays IDs and mechanical information...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC OPERATION Status Info The Status Info menu displays important information about the transceiver and the network. It can be accessed from the Swipe Menu. It displays the following: Power: Receive and transmit voltage use, transceiver internal temperature and cur- rent draw.
Antenna Type Select when... Base Station Base station antennas such as the Barrett 912 series are used. No tuning signals are emitted on channel change. 910 Mobile Ant Using a Barrett 910 automatic tuning mobile antenna 911 Auto Tuner...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC OPERATION Selecting a Channel There are two ways to select a channel on the Barrett PRC-4090 HF SDR Trans- ceiver. From the home screen, press the up (A) or down (B) keys on the keypad.
Use the word ”over” to indicate that you have finished speaking, and then release the PTT (transmit) button. Notes: The Barrett PRC-4090 has a transmit time-out facility. This facility (when pro- • grammed) allows the transmitter to be keyed in transmit mode with the PTT (transmit) switch for a set time period, after which the transceiver switches to receive until the PTT (transmit button) is released and re-keyed.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC OPERATION Making an Emergency Call Note: Emergency Channels must be programmed using the Barrett PRC-4090 HF SDR Programming Software (P/N BCA40001). All Selcall emergency calls are transmitted by simultaneously pulling and twisting the on/ off switch to the Emerg.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC OPERATION Simultaneously pull and twist the on/off switch to Emerg. and release the switch. The RFDS alarm will continue transmitting for ten seconds. To cancel the RFDS alarm, press the PTT button or the button.
SELCALL This chapter contains the following sections: • Overview • Important Selective Calling Information • Summary of Calling Systems • Setting up a Self ID • Setting up Contacts • Making a Selcall • Advanced Selcall...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Overview This chapter covers all types of Selcall available on the Barrett PRC-4090 trans- ceiver. All of these options are not available in all countries and may need to be purchased separately.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Important Selective Calling Information Selcall Self IDs The PRC-4090 transceiver can hold up to 14 different Selcall Self IDs assigned to it. These Selcall IDs can be any combination of four or six digit OEM or INT type ID.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Summary of Calling Systems Call Type International OEM Emergency Call Beacon Call Selcall Telcall ARINC Call Page Call (SMS) GPS Call (Data & Request) Secure Call Status Request Call The three most commonly used calls are Beacon Call, Selcall and Telcall. The other calls are more advanced and can be found in the Advanced Selcall Func- tions section of this chapter on page 47.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Setting up a Self ID From the Settings menu, tap the Selcall icon. Settings Selcall Tap Default Int Selcall ID (4 digits). This will set up a 4 digit ID. Type in a four digit number. This will either be...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Setting up Contacts From the Settings menu, tap the Contacts icon. Settings Contacts To add a new contact tap the + button on the left of screen. The following menu will open: Will not be described in this manual.
Page 47
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL From this menu, enter a name for this con- tact. Both first name and last name do not have to be completed. ID type, refers to the type of ID the trans- ceiver you are inputting has, whether it be 4 digit, 6 digit or ARINC.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Additional Contact Information Searching Contacts The contacts list can be sorted alphabeti- cally by first name using the icon shown on the right, located on the left hand side of the Contacts screen.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Making a Selcall Before making a Selcall, ensure the transceiver is not scanning channels and select a Selcall channel. For more information regarding channel selection and basic voice calls, see Chapter 2 - Basic Operation (page 13).
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Beacon Call Beacon Call allows the operator to determine the signal quality between their station and the station they want to call on a particular channel, but without actually alerting the station they are doing so.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Receiving a Beacon Call When a transceiver receives a beacon request call, it responds by transmitting the Beacon Call revertive tones. No indications occur on the transceiver. Beacon Calls are not saved in the Selcall History.
Page 52
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Receiving a Selcall Note: To receive a Selcall your transceiver must be programmed for Selective Call (Selcall) and where multiple channels are in use the scan function should be acti- vated. When you receive a Selcall, your station...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Telcall Telcall uses the digital Selective Call system to send a telephone number on an HF network. Telcalls are primarily used to send to stations equipped with a tele- phone interconnect unit to initiate phone calls onto the PSTN.
Page 54
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Receiving a Telcall Note: To receive a Telcall your transceiver must be programmed with a Self ID and where multiple channels are in use the scan function should be activated. When you receive a Telcall, your station...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Advanced Call History Advanced Call History is a log of all Selcall, ALE 2G and ALE 3G call types stored in the transceiver handset. The log has the time of transmission, frequency and IDs of the transmitting and receiving transceivers recorded with every entry.
Page 56
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Pressing an arrow reveals fur- ther information about a call including frequency, channel number, as well as to and from addresses. Uncollated Calls Collated Calls Pressing a call bubble within a thread will initiate the return call process to the sender.
Page 57
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Advanced Call History Menu This menu can be accessed by either pressing and holding the Call button for 2 seconds or via the Settings < Call History Menu. Both display the same features and have the same functionality.
Page 58
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Icon Description Call transmitted Call Received Missed Call Missed Call count Call sent and delivered at other station * For 2G and 3G only Call sent but not delivered at receiving station *for 2G and 3G only.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Advanced Selcall Functions The Selcalls and settings in this section are less commonly used than those pre- vious but are useful in all manner of situations. Selcall Settings From the Settings menu, select Selcall to view the Selcall Settings for the transceiver.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Pagecall Pagecall (SMS) allows messages of up to 32 characters in INT format, or 64 characters in OEM format to be sent to or received from other transceivers with Pagecall facilities. Sending a Pagecall...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL The audible alarm will sound for 60 seconds and then time out. To cancel the alarm before the time out period, and to acknowledge the call press the PTT button or tap either (described above).
Page 62
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Wait for the call to be sent and listen for the revertive signal that indicates the call was successful. • If a revertive tone is not heard try another channel and repeat the process.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL GPS Position Use this option to send your GPS position to another station. A GPS receiver must be connected and receiving position information when using the GPS call option. Sending a GPS Pos...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Status Call A Status call allows the operational status parameters of any Barrett transceiver fitted with Selcall to be accessed. This status is sent from the remote transceiver as a Selcall with the status information embedded within the Selcall structure.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL If a reply is not received, either repeat the process or change the channel and repeat. Secure Call The Secure Call option provides the transceiver operator with a secure speech path using an in-band hopping technique. Secure Call is simple to use requiring each radio to be setup with the same four digit “Selcall Secure Call Code”.
Page 66
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Sending a Secure Call Select the channel to send the Secure call on (Beacon Call can be used to determine the best channel) Listen for traffic on that channel. If traffic is not heard, continue.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Hangup Call When a call to a telephone interconnect base station has completed or a secure call link is complete, the operator should ‘hang-up’ by sending a hang-up call. Sending a Hangup Call...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Selcall Networks The Selcall Nework screen is a list of the transceiver’s 4 and 6 digit IDs on vari- ous HF networks. These are programmable and up to 5 networks can be stored on the transceiver.
Page 69
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - SELCALL Editing an Existing Selcall Network To edit a Selcall Network, select the desired net- work and either tap the network or press from the keypad. The Selcall Network screen displays. Edit the details as described above (for Add a Selcall Network).
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC SETTINGS System Information Select System Info from the Set- tings menu to display the System Information screen. Settings System Info Head Device ID This displays the name of the control head. This name is used to differenti- ate between primary and secondary heads.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC SETTINGS Transceiver Options This menu displays the active and inactive options on your transceiver. To activate an inactive option, please contact Support at Barrett Commu- nications at: support@barrettcommunications. com.au. Configuration Pack Information This menu offers easy identification of the transceiver’s current pack and when it was last...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC SETTINGS General Settings Select General from the Settings menu to display the General Con- figurations screen. A list of items that may be config- Settings General ured is displayed. To reveal more...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC SETTINGS Audio Settings Tap Audio from the Settings screen to display the Audio screen. A list of items that may be configured is displayed. Settings Audio A brief description of each of the items is described beneath the items.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - BASIC SETTINGS Display Settings Tap Display from the Settings screen to display the Display screen. A list of items that may be configured is displayed. Settings Display A brief description of each of the items is described beneath the items.
USB socket (see page 73) By using the Barrett Programming Software (P/N BCA40001). This option is not available in all countries. Please check with your Barrett dealer for your location. For more information on using the Barrett Programming Soft- ware, please refer to the PRC-4090 SDR Programming Manual (P/N BCM- PRC-40903).
Page 79
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - PROGRAMMING Adding a new channel To add a channel, tap to display the Add Channel screen. Number designated for the channel. Usually the next available number. Name designated for this channel. More detail below.
Page 80
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - PROGRAMMING Editing a Channel To edit a channel, select the desired channel by using the keys from the Channel screen and either tap the channel or press from the keypad. The Channel Information screen dis- plays.
Page 81
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - PROGRAMMING Editing an Existing Label To edit a channel label from the Channel Labels’ screen, select the label by using the keys and either tap the label or press from the keypad. Use the keyboard to edit the name of the label, then tap to save.
The up and down keys change the value of the highlighted digit. • Tapping the digits Note: The Free Scroll menu can be locked in the PRC-4090 Programming Software and, if locked, will not appear when the frequency is pressed.
Page 83
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - PROGRAMMING Adding a Channel from the Free Scroll screen A channel can be added directly form the Free Scroll screen. When a desirable frequency is found, pressing enter on the front panel will allow the frequency to be added at the next available chan- nel number.
Page 84
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - PROGRAMMING Free Scroll Scanning By holding the Scan icon, the scan settings for Free Scroll can be set. Scan Rate indicates the time spent Scan on each frequency. Scan Step Indicates the interval between frequencies scanned.
Note: a valid USB storage device must be inserted to activate. Exporting Settings to a USB To export the device’s configuration settings, insert a USB storage device into either a PRC-4090 Handset USB Interface (4090-01-27) or the Handset Docking Station (4090-05-03). Tap Settings, then Export.
Page 86
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - PROGRAMMING Importing Settings from a USB With a USB storage device inserted into the USB port, tap Settings, then Import. If the correct files are on the USB, Import/Update Settings the transceiver will recognise them and initiate the Choose Action screen.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION ARINC Call An ARINC call functions in much the same way as a Selcall. It is a hailing or alert system used exclusively to alert aircraft. An ARINC ID is a sequence of two sets of 2 let- ters.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Audio - Advanced From the Settings menu, select Audio. For information on Beep Level, Alarm Audio Level and Ring tones, see Basic Settings page 59. Settings Audio Rx Configuration This option sets whether the transceiver receives audio via the antenna or from the Line.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Line Audio This option sets the muting condition of the 600 ohm balanced audio line out- put on the rear auxiliary connector. The line output can be set to Unmuted or Follows Mute. When set to Follows Mute, the line output is muted in the same manner as the speaker output and follows the mute condition currently in use.
For information on other call types please refer to Chapter 3 - Selcall, page 29. All call, Group call and Sub-group call must be enabled in the Barrett PRC-4090 HF SDR Programming Software (P/N BCA40001). Sending a Group Call It is recommended that transceivers should be programmed with a selcall ID ending in “0”...
Voice allows users to encrypt their communications over HF therefore pro- viding a secure HF network. Both Digital Voice and Secure Digital Voice capability can be utilised in Barrett 4000 and 2000 series HF Transceivers using Barrett digital voice modules which...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Export The export function of the PRC-4090 is predominantly used for diagnostic purposes and diagnostic and log files can be exported and sent to Barrett Communications. Settings Export The Android version of the Barrett...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Frequency Hopping This option requires an Export Permit. Frequency hopping can be used to limit performance degradation due to inter- ference and to reduce the likelihood of interception. Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) is a method of transmitting radio signals by rapidly switching a carrier among many frequency channels.
(DES56 encryption does not require export approval). Preamble Time Length of preamble transmitted at the start of the GPS Push call. Note: Read Only items are set in the Barrett 4000 Series HF Programming Software. See the appropriate manual for more information.
RS232 Connection This selects whether the RS232 connection is made via a direct connection to the top hotshoe auxiliary connector on the PRC-4090 or via a network (WiFi or Ethernet - please see 4000 Series IP Connectivity/Networking Guide [P/N BCM40507]).
Select either: 9600 or 115200. External Alarm Type (Not applicable to the PRC-4090) This sets the action of the external alarm out- put when a Selcall is received by the transceiver. It can be set to either a pulse output (for use with a horn) where the output is activated 15 seconds on, 15 seconds off;...
Page 98
Using a Barrett 910 automatic tuning mobile antenna 911 Auto Tuner Using a Barrett 911 automatic tuner 2019 Mobile Ant Using a Barrett 2019 automatic tuning mobile HF antenna 2018 Loop Ant Using the 2018 Mobile magnetic loop HF antenna...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Modes The current mode of transmission is displayed in the lower left hand corner (green background). The example opposite shows the transceiver in USB mode. Pressing and holding the mode will allow an oper-...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Mute The mute function suppresses the chan- nel noise heard by the operator. It is designed to open (allow noise) when the transceiver detects audio, a large enough signal or a call (depending on the mute Mute type selected).
Page 101
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Each mute type has two primary Audio Call mute states: Enabled or Disabled. Mute Mute Mute However, the Enabled state can be Enabled either open or closed. Each of these states is further described below.
Settings Network The PRC-4090 HF SDR Transceiver has the ability to interface with IP networks, allowing mobile cellular handsets, tablets and desktop PCs to connect directly to the transceiver via Ethernet or WiFi with the use of specialised adapters. For more information, see the Barrett IP Connectivity and Networking Guide (P/N BCMPRC-40907).
Page 103
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION The diagram below shows the possible connections between the above PRC- 4090 Control Handset and an IP network. PRC-4090 Control Handset (P/N 4090-01-09) PRC-4090 Handset USB Interface (4090-01-27) WiFi Adaptor (P/N BCO40508)
Page 104
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION The below diagram shows the network connection from a Barrett PRC-4090 HF SDR Transceiver in Mobile configura tion (P/N 4091-00-10). Barrett PRC-4090 HF SDR Transceiver in Mobile configura- tion (P/N 4091-00-10)
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Noise Reduction (NR) Selecting NR from the handset allows the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) noise reduction depth to be adjusted to suit the operator’s requirements. Tap NR from the Home screen to cycle through the options: Off, Low, Medium, or High.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION RF Settings Tap RF from the Settings menu to access the RF menu. A list of items that may be config- ured displays. Settings A brief description of each of the items is described beneath the items.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Tx Timeout When this feature is enabled, the transceiver will stop transmitting if the PTT button is held on for more than the allowed time limit eg. if the handset is accidentally wedged under a seat.
A list of the available ALE 2G Preset Maps when ALE 2G is enabled (See Barrett ALE 2G and 3G User Guide (P/N BCM40524)). • A list of the ALE 3G Pool entries (See Barrett ALE 2G and 3G User Guide (P/N BCM40524)).
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Scan Settings To display the Scan Settings, select Scan from the Settings Menu. Tap Scan from the Settings screen to display the Scan screen. Settings Scan A list of items that may be config- ured is displayed.
Page 110
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Tap Table Selection from the Scan screen to display the Table Selection screen. To reveal more items, either swipe up on the touch screen or press Each entry shows the name of the table and the respective number of channels.
Page 111
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Scan Table Channels Tap the checkboxes adjacent to the channels you wish to choose and then tap After configuring the above items, tap to add the table. A confirmation message displays.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Secure Display Mode This mode stops the channel frequency being shown on the front panel. Channel frequencies are uneditable, as are labels. The pack and diagnostic information becomes irretrievable and cannot be exported.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Security Settings This section is used to configure the security settings for the transceiver. Tap Security from the Settings menu to access the Security menu. A list of items that may be config- ured is displayed.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Use OEM Selcall Privacy Key This setting indicates whether the OEM Selcall Privacy Key is active. OEM Selcall Privacy Key Turning this on allows data type Selcalls (Pagecall, GPS, Status, Telcall) on OEM channels to be encrypted with DES-56 encryption.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Secure Digital Voice/Data Key The Secure Digital Voice and Data Key is used for secure digital voice and 3G Data calls. Keys need to be entered into the transceiver’s SDV module using the Barrett Communications Key Management Software.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Enable Power On PIN Selecting this menu option allows a user to manually change whether the trans- ceiver asks for a password upon start-up. This password is set using the Barrett 4000 Series Programming Software. Transceiver Lock The Transceiver Lock function locks a remote transceiver via Selcall and uses the remote transceiver’s pre-set Transceiver Lock/OTAZ PIN.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Stealth Mode Stealth mode operates as a quiet or silent mode of oper- ation. When active, all trans- ceiver noises are muted, key lights are disabled and the backlight is set to the lowest setting.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Theme Schedule The Theme Schedule allows the automatic transition between display themes. This change of themes can be of use for chang- ing, for instance, between a daytime theme and a night- time theme.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Tuning When tuning, the transceiver will trans- mit, at the power level selected, a carrier on the channel selected, at 1.6 kHz above the Suppressed Carrier Frequency (SCF) (displayed frequency) of that channel.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - ADVANCED OPERATION Zeroise A Zerosie of the transceiver can be per- formed in two ways: • A fast emergency zeroise can be per- formed by pulling and turning the on/ off switch to the Z position. A ten sec-...
INSTALLATION This chapter contains the following sections: • Introduction • Mobile Installations • Base Station Installations • Marine installations...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Introduction This section provides instructions for the installation of land based HF communi- cation equipment. Most of the installation work can be performed by non-tech- nical personnel if they carefully follow the instructions given in this manual.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Installing a Secondary Control Handset The PRC-4090 can support a secondary control handset when paired with a PRC-4090 System Docking Station. This secondary handset can be purchased on its own from Barrett Communications and controls the transceiver in the same manner as the primary.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Manpack Installations When combined with a battery pack, the PRC-4090 easily adapts to suit man- pack configurations. The Control Handset can be easily mounted to molle or webbing with a molle attachment.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Control Handset Mounting PRC-4090 Control Handset can easily be mounted to webbing or molle using the PRC-4090 Molle Attachment (P/N 4090-05-02). The transceiver can be stored screen facing out- wards or reversed so that the screen is protected.
Battery Pack The Barrett PRC-4090 Transceiver can be powered in multiple ways. For man- pack use, it has been designed to use the Barrett PRC-4090 16Ah Battery pack or external military battery. The PRC-4090 Battery Pack has an in-built charger/ battery management system.
Page 127
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION AC/DC Input Universal Power Adaptor Unit P/N 2090-03-01 For operation from a mains voltage between 100-254 V AC sources:...
Page 128
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Tactical Solar Panel P/N 2090-03-02 or 03...
Page 129
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Military battery The PRC-4090 can interface with off-the-shelf Military standard batteries such as BB series batteries. To interface with such batteries, the adaptor and interface cable are required. Battery Charge Indicator of the 4090...
Page 130
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION The e-ink display of the PRC-4090 Battery Pack displays five dots indicating battery charge levels: Zero dots <5% Solid 1 black dots 5%-20% Solid 2 black dots 20%-40% Solid 3 black dots...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Tactical Antenna Options The PRC-4090 manpack can be used with the 10 metre throw over long-wire provided or the optional 3 metre collapsible whip. Note: Either the whip or the long-wire can be used but not both together.
Page 132
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Throw Over Long-wire Antenna (P/N 4090-02-06) The long-wire antenna should be unfurled and the end away from the man- pack Transceiver should be attached to any structure available and as high as possible.
Page 133
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION DIRECTION OF 45° RECEIVING STATION DIRECTION OF RECEIVING STATION Antenna Earth (ground) PRC-4090 Transceiver (P/N 4090-00-01)
Page 134
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION DIRECTION OF RECEIVING STATION AT RIGHT ANGLES TO ANTENNA Antenna Earth (ground) PRC-4090 Transceiver (P/N 4090-00-01)
Page 135
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Single-wire Counterpoise (P/N 4090-02-09) When using either a whip or the long-wire antenna use of the counterpoise supplied is recommended for better efficiency. This is connected to the PRC- 4090 via the ground post.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Tactical Broadband Dipole Antenna (2090-02-03) The Tactical Broadband Dipole Antenna is a dipole antenna with loading to allow broad- band operation. For operation, each side of the antenna is unwound to its full length.
Page 137
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Inverted V The inverted-V has a more omni-directional pattern than the Horizontal Dipole, with lower maximum gain. The ends of the antenna should be at least 0.5 m above ground. Suitable mainly for NVIS and medium distance.
Page 138
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Inverted U The inverted U has a radiation pattern between that of horizontal dipole and inverted V. For optimum performance, the radiating elements should be fully unwound, and should not touch the ground. Suitable for NVIS to medium dis- tance.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Tactical Tuned Wire Dipole Antenna (2090-02-01) The Tactical Tuned Dipole Antenna is a tuned antenna with frequency labels to indicate tuned lengths. For operation, each side of the antenna is unwound to the tuned length for the frequency required.
Page 140
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Inverted V The inverted-V has a more omni-directional pattern than the Horizontal Dipole, with lower maximum gain. The ends of the antenna should be at least 1 m above ground. Suitable mainly for NVIS and medium distance.
Page 141
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Single Ended For rapid deployment, with reduced but still acceptable efficiency, the antenna can be operated single ended. In this configuration, one side of the antenna (labelled “antenna”) is unwound to the desired frequency and tied to an ele- vated structure.
Mobile Installations When combined with a PRC-4090 System Docking Station and Anti-vibration Plate, the PRC-4090 is easily adapted to suit mobile installations. While in this configuration, the PRC-4090 retains its ability to interface with the full range of Barrett peripherals including the 2019 Automatic Tuning Mobile HF Antenna...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Assembly Place the SDS on top of the Anti-Vibration Plate, ensuring that the feet and capstans are correctly aligned and drop into the keyway slots. Push the SDS towards the rear of the anti-vibration plate, as shown below, so that the capstans and SDS click into place.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION SDS Feet Configurations The feet attached to the bottom of the SDS can be configured to suit the anti-vi- bration plate and the PRC-4022 Power Supply. The below images show the appropriate feet positions for each configuration.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Handset Docking Station Configurations The Handset Docking Station can be configured for either portrait or landscape use of the Control Handset. The exploded diagrams below show each of these configurations. Portrait Configuration...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Complete Mobile Assembly EMERG. PRC-4090 Control Handset (P/N 4090-01-09) and Control Handset Docking Station (P/N 4090-05-03) H250 Tactical Handset (P/N 4090-01-14) PRC-4090 Handset Cradle (P/N 4090-05-01) Ext. Speaker (P/N 4090-01-33) PRC-4090 HF SDR Transceiver (P/N 4090-00-01)
Page 148
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Transceiver Mounting The following points must be considered when mounting the transceiver. Safety It is essential that the transceiver be mounted in a place where it cannot cause injury to the occupants of the vehicle in the event of a motor vehicle accident.
Page 149
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Air Circulation The PRC-4090 relies on air flow around cooling fins to dissipate heat generated by the transmitter. The mounting position must allow free airflow around these fins. Obstruction The installation of a transceiver into a vehicle should not inhibit the normal use of the vehicle.
Page 150
Please note that this is not unique to the Barrett PRC-4090 transceiver as all transceiver makes will suffer similarly from the effects of this noise under these conditions.
Page 151
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION General Noise Suppression Tips When searching for sources of noise, some of their characteristics can be help- ful in identification: • Petrol engine ignition noise and contact breaker noise is a sharp staccato ‘plop’...
2019 Automatic Tuning Mobile HF Antenna (Barrett P/N BC201900) The Barrett 2019 automatic tuning mobile HF antenna plugs directly into the rear of a PRC-4090 System Docking Station using the cables supplied. Optional PRC-4090 Control Handset Extender Cable - 6.0 metres 4090-01-13) Important: PRC-4090 transceivers must have the 2019 antenna option set during programming.
Page 153
Mounting Plate (P/N 4090-05-07) PRC-4090 Control Handset (P/N 4090-01-09) and Control Handset Docking Station (P/N 4090-05-03) Barrett 2019 MIL-SPEC ATU HF mobile antenna - NATO green (P/N 2019-00-10) Ground (earth) Interface cable 6 m - integral coaxial/control with connectors to suit...
Page 154
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Mounting the Barrett 2019 Automatic Tuning Mobile HF Antenna The Barrett 2019 antenna should be mounted in positions similar to those illus- trated in the diagrams on the following pages. Select a position free from exces- sive vibration.
Page 155
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Important: Considerations on the overall height of the 2019 antenna once fitted should also be considered. ABSOLUTE MINIMUM CLEARANCE TOP VIEW REAR OF VEHICLE 160mm...
Page 156
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Important: Please note that the mounting of a 2019 antenna on the front of a vehi- cle may be considered illegal in some areas / countries. Please check with your local transport / vehicle authori- ty prior to installation on the front of your vehicle.
Page 157
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Grounding (Earthing) the Antenna Notes: Connect an ground (earth) strap to the base of the antenna Grind away any paint or coating at the grounding (earthing) point on the chassis to expose the bare metal...
Page 158
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Antenna Assembly Mounting the Base Spring The base spring should only ever be hand tightened, if a tool is used it may damage the spring base. Mounting the Whip Sections To mount the whip sec-...
Page 159
(page 24). For possible causes check that all cables are properly con- nected, the earth cable from the base of the Barrett 2019 antenna has a good connection to the vehicle body (not chassis or battery), the whip fitted is not faulty or incorrect and move the vehicle if the Barrett 2019 antenna is close to any metal fences, buildings etc.
Page 160
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION NVIS Kit for 2019 antenna - P/N BCA201910 The Barrett Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) antenna whip is designed to enhance the short range communications efficiency of the Barrett 2019 Automatic Tuning Mobile HF Antenna.
Page 161
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION The NVIS kit can be installed as follows: Remove the existing 2019 antenna whip, leaving the spring in place. Unscrew the lowest hex grub screw on the 2019 antenna end of the whip so that the hex fastener with recessed shaft can be removed.
Page 162
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Figure 2 Adjustable roof mount fitting showing locating pin and locating holes. Figure 3 NVIS Kit Magnetic Mounting Base (optional) P/N BCA201911. Base shown here with roof mount fitting attached. Figure 4 NVIS Kit Gutter Mount Bracket (optional)
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION 2018 Mobile Magnetic Loop Antenna The roof rack has been designed by Barrett Communications Pty. Ltd. as an integral part of the antenna system. The ground (earth) plate is a heavy-duty aluminium mesh floor, welded to an enclosing frame which maximises current in the radiating loop.
Page 164
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Connection Details for a PRC-4090 Transceiver with Mobile Pack and a 2018 Mobile Magnetic Loop Antenna Barrett PRC-4090 HF SDR Transceiver (P/N 4090-00-01) Barrett PRC-4090 System Docking Station (P/N 4090-05-00) Anti-Vibration Mounting Plate (P/N 4090-05-07)
Base Station Installations The PRC-4090 base station setup combines the PRC-4090 HF SDR Transceiver with the Sytem Docking Station and the PRC-4022 AC Power supply. This setup can be combined with other Barrett products to provide a situation specific HF communications solution.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Assembly Before starting, ensure that the lock clamps are released and in a horizon- tal position. Place the SDS on top of the PRC-4022, ensuring that the four capstans are correctly aligned and drop into the keyway slots.
Page 167
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION With the side latches folded outwards, place the PRC-4090 transceiver on top of the SDS so that the locating feet meet their corresponding holes. Fold the side latches back into position and turn the fasteners to secure.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Cooling Fan The cooling fan is an optional extra which may be added to the PRC-4090 trans- ceiver for situations where high volumes of data or Digital Voice transmissions may cause the transceiver’s internal temperature to rise above 65 The cooling fan requires no user input as it is temperature controlled by soft- ware, automatically activating when necessary.
Page 170
PRC-4090 Control Handset (P/N 4090-01-09) and Control Handset Docking Station (P/N 4090-05-03) IP Network connection via RJ45 cable Coaxial cable Antenna Power cable from Barrett PRC-4090 SDS to PRC-4022 Power Supply (P/N 4090-03-02) IEC mains cord (P/N SA-00020) Circuit Breaker 12 V (or 24 V) DC Battery...
The transceiver should be placed so that the operator is comfortable and any required facilities are easily accessible. Air Circulation The PRC-4090 relies on air flow around cooling fins to dissipate heat generated by the transmitter. The mounting position must allow free air flow around these fins.
Page 172
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Power Supply When 24 V DC is supplied to the PRC-4090 transceiver, the PEP Voice output power will achieve 150 W. This is only available with the PRC-4090 Sytem Dock- ing Station.
Incorrect antenna installations will yield poor system performance and are often the cause of complaints of poor transceiver performance. A range of antennas is available from Barrett to suit most small fixed stations. Detailed instructions are included with each antenna.
Page 174
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION The Barrett 912 antenna can be mounted either in a horizontal or inverted ‘V’ configuration as illustrated in the following diagrams. In the horizontal con- figuration, the major radiation direction is broadside to the antenna. When mounted in the inverted ‘V’...
912 Multi-wire broadband dipole antenna - 1Kw (27M/54M) (P/N BC91203/BC91207) 4017 Automatic Tuning Horizontal Dipole Antenna The Barrett 4017 Automatic Tuning Horizontal Dipole Antenna is designed for conditions where area is limited but a high performance base station antenna is still required. It consists of composite radiation elements driven by an auto- matic antenna tuner to allow operation from 3 to 30 MHz.
Page 176
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Connection Details for a PRC-4090 Transceiver and 4017 Automatic Tuning Horizontal Dipole Antenna +12 V DC Barrett PRC-4090 HF SDR Transceiver (P/N 4090-00-01) and System Docking Station (P/N 4090-05-00) PRC-4022 AC Power Supply (P/N 4090-06-01)
Page 177
IP Network via RJ45 cable IEC Mains cable (P/N SA-00020) In-line Fuse Power cable from Barrett PRC-4090 SDS to PRC-4022 Power Supply (P/N 4090-03-02) 12 V (or 24 V) DC Battery 3 metre battery back-up cable for PRC-4022 Power Supply (P/N 4090-...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION 4011 Automatic Antenna Tuner for Base Station Installations Antennas such as long-wires, vertical whips and loop configurations require an Antenna Tuning Unit to operate correctly. Housed in a fully weatherproof enclosure, the 4011 will tune long wire anten- nas effectively up to a length of 10 metres and wire loop antennas or whip antennas over a frequency range of 2 to 30 MHz.
Page 179
Frequently the ground (earth) conductivity will not be sufficient to provide a satisfactory ground (earth) for the Barrett 4011 tuner. This will almost certainly be the case in well drained sandy soils or on rock. In these cases, a counterpoise must be used as a ground (earth) system.
Page 180
A directional watt-meter may be inserted in the coaxial transmission line between the transceiver and the tuner, although the inter- nal metering of the Barrett PRC-4090 Transceiver is accurate. The tune mode on the transceiver is then energised. Upon application of RF energy, the tuner should start to tune, indicated by the ‘clattering’...
Page 181
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Connection Details for a PRC-4090 Transceiver and 4011 Automatic Antenna Tuner in a Base Station Configuration +12 V DC...
Page 182
Barrett 4011 Automatic Antenna Tuner (P/N 4011-00-01) Antenna Coaxial / Control Cable (P/N 4019-00-02) IP Network Connection via RJ45 cable Power cable from Barrett PRC-4090 SDS to PRC-4022 Power Supply (P/N 4090-03-02) IEC mains cord (P/N SA-00020) 12 V (or 24 V) DC Battery...
Page 183
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Connection Details for a PRC-4090 and a Military Whip Installation +12 V DC...
Page 184
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Barrett PRC-4090 HF SDR Transceiver (P/N 4090-00-01) Barrett PRC-4090 System Docking Station (P/N 4090-05-00) and Anti-Vibration Mount (P/N 4090-05-07) PRC-4090 Control Handset (P/N 4090-01-09) and Control Handset Docking Station (P/N 4090-05-03) Barrett 4011 Automatic Antenna Tuner (P/N 4011-00-01)
Page 185
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Tactical Broadband Dipole Antenna (2090-02-03) The Tactical Broadband Dipole Antenna is a dipole antenna with loading to allow broadband operation. For operation, each side of the antenna is unwound to its full length. Throwing cords are pro-...
Page 186
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Inverted V The inverted-V has a more omni-directional pattern than the Horizontal Dipole, with lower maximum gain. The ends of the antenna should be at least 0.5 m above ground. Suitable mainly for NVIS and medium distance.
Page 187
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Inverted U The inverted U has a radiation pattern between that of horizontal dipole and inverted V. For optimum performance, the radiating elements should be fully unwound, and should not touch the ground. Suitable for NVIS to medium dis- tance.
Page 188
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Tactical Tuned Wire Dipole Antenna (2090-02-01) The Tactical Tuned Dipole Antenna is a tuned antenna with frequency labels to indicate tuned lengths. For operation, each side of the antenna is unwound to the tuned length for the frequency required.
Page 189
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Inverted V The inverted-V has a more omni-directional pattern than the Horizontal Dipole, with lower maximum gain. The ends of the antenna should be at least 1 m above ground. Suitable mainly for NVIS and medium distance.
Page 190
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Single Ended For rapid deployment, with reduced but still acceptable efficiency, the antenna can be operated single ended. In this configuration, one side of the antenna (labelled “antenna”) is unwound to the desired frequency and tied to an ele- vated structure.
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Marine Installations The Barrett 911 automatic antenna tuner is designed for use in land base station and maritime HF services. Primarily designed for operation with end-fed unbal- anced antennas such as whips and long wires, the tuner is built in a waterproof impact resistant, moulded ABS plastic enclosure.
Page 192
A directional watt-meter may be inserted in the coaxial transmission line between the transceiver and the tuner, if desired, although the internal tuner of the PRC-4090 transceiver is accurate. The tune mode on the transceiver is then activated (see page 107). Upon application of RF energy, the tuner should start to tune, indicated by the ‘clattering’...
Page 193
(earth) connections. Note: When received, the Barrett 911 automatic antenna tuner memory system will usually not have any pre-stored tuning information appropriate to your installation.
Page 194
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - INSTALLATION Connection Details For a PRC-4090 Transceiver and 4015 Auto- matic Antenna Tuner in a Marine Installation +12 V DC...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES Appendix 1 - Specifications General Standards Designed to meet or exceed: FCC - Part 87 and Part 90 Industry Canada (IC) RSS-125 Issue 2 Australian/ New Zealand standard - AS/NZS 4770:2000 - AS/NZS 4582:1999...
Page 198
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES Frequency Barrett HF Frequency Hopping algorithms - 25 or 5 hops hopping per second with External Synchronisation Unit (ESU) sup- plied when the option is fitted. Improved internal clock to maintain clock synch without GPS signal for extended...
Page 199
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES Operating Voltage +11 V to +28 V DC operation Range Over Voltage Pro- Up to 35V tection Reverse Voltage Built in Protection Weight 3.10 kg (transceiver only) Width 241 mm (transceiver only) Depth...
Page 200
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES Transmitter Power Output SDS configuration: 150W, 125W, 30W, 10W PEP ± 1.5dB (2 tone or voice) Manpack configuration: 30W, 10W PEP ± 1.5dB (2 tone or voice) Duty cycle 100% 2 tone input with fan option (-30°C to +50°C...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES Appendix 2 - Connectors Transceiver EMERG. 1. Auxilliary Connector PIN Signal CW Key 1 Pulse per Second GPS data NMEA format +5V Out 13V8 Out Scan Stop Balanced Audio Out Positive Balanced Audio Out Negative...
Page 202
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES PIN Signal Mute State USB Data Positive USB Data Negative +5 USB Auxilliary PTT Auxilliary Digital In 2. Control Handset Connector PIN Signal Ground Handset Voltage CAN Bus positive CAN Bus Negative...
Page 203
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES PIN Signal Ethernet RX Data negative Handset GPS 1 Pulse per Second Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved Reserved 3. H-250 Handset Connector PIN Signal H250 Handset Ground H250 Speaker output H250 PTT H250 Microphone...
Page 204
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES 4. Power Connector PIN Signal Input Voltage Input Voltage Input Voltage RS232 Transmit Input Voltage RS232 Receive Ground Ground Ground Ground...
Page 205
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES 5. SDS Connector PIN Signal Handset Voltage Handset GPS 1 Pulse per Second CAN Bus positive CAN Bus Negative External GPS 1 Pulse per Second Reserved Handset Audio Negative Handset Audio Positive Ground...
Page 206
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES PIN Signal Ethernet TX Data positive Ethernet TX Data negative Ethernet RX Data positive Ethernet RX Data negative...
Page 207
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES Battery Pack 1. Power Connector PIN Signal Input Voltage Input Voltage Input Voltage Battery communication Transmit Input Voltage Battery communication Clock Ground Ground Ground Ground...
Page 208
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES 2. DC In PIN Description DC Positive DC Positive DC Negative DC Negative...
Page 209
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES System Docking Station (SDS) 1. Power Connector PIN Signal Input Voltage Input Voltage Input Voltage RS232 Transmit Input Voltage RS232 Receive Ground Ground Ground Ground...
Page 210
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES 2. SDS Connector PIN Signal Handset Voltage Handset GPS 1 Pulse per Second CAN Bus positive CAN Bus Negative External GPS 1 Pulse per Second Reserved Handset Audio Negative Handset Audio Positive...
Page 211
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES PIN Signal Ethernet TX Data positive Ethernet TX Data negative Ethernet RX Data positive Ethernet RX Data negative 3. ATU Connector PIN Signal Ground Recieve Data line 1 pulse per second ATU Scan Line...
Page 212
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES 4. Control Handset Connector PIN Signal Ground Handset Voltage CAN Bus positive CAN Bus Negative Handset Audio Positive Handset Audio Negative Ethernet TX Data positive Ethernet TX Data negative Ethernet RX Data positive...
Page 213
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES 5. DC Input Connector PIN Signal Input Voltage (+11 V to +28 V DC) Ground...
Page 214
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES Control Handset 1. Handset Auxilliary Connector PIN Signal Reserved Reserved USB Data Positive USB Data Negative +5 USB Reserved Ground Ground Handset Dock detection Speaker Out Negative...
Page 215
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES PIN Signal Speaker Out Positive Dock Speaker Detection H250 Microphone Input H250 PTT H250 Speaker output 2. Control Handset Cable Connector PIN Signal Handset Voltage CAN Bus positive 4050 Detect voltage Handset GPS 1 Pulse per Second...
Page 216
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES PIN Signal Ethernet TX Data negative Ethernet RX Data positive Ethernet RX Data negative Handset Docking Station...
Page 217
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES 1. Cradle Auxilliary Connector PIN Signal Reserved Reserved USB Data Positive USB Data Negative +5 USB Reserved Ground Ground Handset Dock detection Speaker Out Negative Speaker Out Positive Dock Speaker Detection H250 Microphone Input...
Page 218
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES 2. External Speaker Connector PIN Signal Dock Speaker Detection Speaker Out Positive Speaker Out Negative Ground 3. H-250 Handset Connector PIN Signal H250 Handset Ground H250 Speaker output H250 PTT H250 Microphone...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES Appendix 3 - Overview of HF Operation HF (High Frequency) is the radio spectrum with frequencies between 1.5 and 30 MHz. Within this radio spectrum an efficient form of transmitter modulation, SSB (Single Side Band), is used. This, combined with the use of the ionosphere - a layer of ionisation gases that resides between 100 and 700 km above the Earth’s surface, provides efficient, cost effective communications over short,...
Page 220
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES Radio Wave Propagation The following illustrations show the characteristics of ground-wave and sky- wave propagation during day and night time. In each illustration the height of the ionosphere above the ground is shown.
Page 221
Generally speaking the greater the distance over which you want to communi- cate, the higher the frequency you should use. Beacon Call, a Selcall (Selective Call) function built into the Barrett PRC-4090 Transceiver, makes finding the correct frequency to use easy. A Beacon Call is based on the network of transceivers all having a selection of frequencies that will accommodate most ionospheric conditions.
Page 222
VHF or UHF transceivers. Failure to correctly install an HF/SSB system will greatly affect the communications quality you will obtain. Your local Barrett representative will be able to assist with your system config- uration and/or installation. HF Communications Compared with VHF or UHF Short Distance...
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES Appendix 4 - BITE Test It is recommended that any accessories (ATU, linear amplifier, Dual Antenna Switch Unit, secondary control head, GPS etc.), auxiliary port connections and the antenna be disconnected from the SDS or manpack to get consistent BITE test results.
Page 224
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER - APPENDICES Analog to Digital Converter This test checks if the A/D converter for measuring the final stage voltage is accessible. A failed test indicates an issue with the I2C bus on the microboard, the pre amplifier board, a loose connector between the two transceiver halves or a defective A/D converter.
Page 225
BARRETT PRC-4090 TACTICAL HF SDR TRANSCEIVER -APPENDICES EEPROM This test checks if the EEPROM allows read/write access. A failed test indicates a faulty EEPROM on the microboard. Rx Test This test checks the receiver chain with a synthetic signal. A failed test indicates a defect on the microboard (e.g.
Barrett Communications (hereafter referred to as ‘Seller’) provides a three (3) year warranty on all Barrett products from the date of shipment from the Seller. A one (1) year warranty from the date of shipment from the Seller is provided for all batteries.
Our customer / dealer technical support department can be contacted via land mail, email, telephone or via support ticket on the technical support web page. https://www.barrettcommunications.com.au/support/ Barrett Communications Pty Ltd Head Office: PO Box 1214, Bibra Lake WA 6965 AUSTRALIA Toll Free Tel: 1800 999 580 (Within Australia)
Need help?
Do you have a question about the PRC-4090 and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers