Acom 500S, User Manual

Page 1: ...OUTSTANDING HF POWER PRODUCTS ACOM 500S 160 4m Linear Power Amplifier User s Manual Installation Operation and Maintenance March 2023 ...

Page 2: ...er Page 2 of 66 S e c t i o n ABOUT DOCUMENTATION March 2023 This manual is for electronic distribution mainly If you have it on paper and you no longer need it please recycle it The latest versions of our User s Manuals are available at www acom bg com ...

Page 3: ... to ACOM company in any way ACOM is not liable for non English documentation correctness in any way This manual supersedes all previous editions which thereby become invalid The cover images used in the manual are illustrative only We are continuously striving to improve our documentation but nobody is perfect And our documentation is not an exception of this rule Have you found any errors or woul...

Page 4: ...e contract All rights are reserved with respect to the content of this manual and the availability of the product Copyrights 2023 ACOM Ltd Copying this document giving it to others and the use or communication of the contents thereof without express authority are forbidden Offenders will be held liable for infringement of any intellectual property of ACOM Ltd and all damages which may rise as a re...

Page 5: ...nd Initial Inspection 16 2 2 Line Voltage Selection 18 2 3 Amplifier Location Selection 18 2 4 Connections 19 2 5 Connecting to External Devices transceiver computer etc and User Settings 24 3 FIRST POWER ON CONTROL SYSTEM AND INITIAL CHECK 26 3 1 Low Energy Standby Mode of the Power Supply 26 3 2 Front Panel 27 3 3 Initial Turning On 27 3 4 Basic Screen 28 3 5 Control System Buttons and Menus 29 ...

Page 6: ...1 Remote Control via ACOM eBox 49 6 2 Remote Control via RS 232 interface 49 7 MAINTENANCE 50 7 1 Periodic Maintenance 50 7 2 Cleaning 50 7 3 Fuse Replacement 51 7 4 Using the Fault Codes signatures for Diagnostics 52 7 5 Firmware 53 7 5 1 Firmware Versions 53 7 5 2 Prequistments 53 7 5 3 Firmware Updates 53 8 SPECIFICATIONS 56 8 1 Parameters 56 8 2 Functions 58 8 3 Regulatory Requirements 59 8 4 ...

Page 7: ...en with ACOM 04AT or 06AT antenna tuner installed 38 Figure 4 4 Appearance of an alarm message 39 Figure 5 1 MENU SELECTION 41 Figure 5 2 Menu AMP MEASURE 42 Figure 5 3 Menu AMP SERVICE 43 Figure 5 4 Menu CAT AUX SETTINGS 44 Figure 5 5 Menu USER PREFERENCES 46 Figure 5 6 Menu FAULTS LOG 47 Figure 5 7 Menu RESTORE DEFAULT SETTINGS 48 Figure 6 1 ACOM eBox Ethernet Remote Control device 49 Figure 7 1...

Page 8: ...eration and Maintenance of the ACOM 500S solid state 160 4 m linear power amplifier The ACOM 500S is a state of the art linear power amplifier that covers all amateur bands from 1 8 through 70 5 MHz and provides 500 W rated output power PEP or digital The amplifier operating information is shown on a multi functional high resolution color display ACOM 500S can be controlled either by the six front...

Page 9: ...lified users who will use the ACOM amplifier To ensure your safety in accordance with safety standards read this manual carefully and follow the steps described in it Everyone who will use the amplifier must read this manual and follow the instructions in it and other accompanying ACOM documentation see Section 1 4 Additional Documentation and consider also the appropriate safety precautions Infor...

Page 10: ... 500S Brochure ACOM CAT cables Technical Information ACOM 04AT User s Manual ACOM 06AT User s Manual ACOM eBox User s Manual The documentation is available for download at www acom bg com 1 5 Owner Assistance If assistance is needed you should contact your local dealerfirst If necessary your dealer will contact ACOM for additional guidance If you still have an issue you need to discuss with one of...

Page 11: ...th the same model designation It serves to ensure traceability of a product after it has been put in circulation e g to find the date of invoice that is required to determine guarantee and warranty periods The term serial number is mostly abbreviated to SN or S N Figure 1 1 ID identification label plate example Figure 1 1 ID identification label plate example 1 7 Equipment Supplied The ACOM 500S a...

Page 12: ... circuit providing transceiver load with SWR below 1 5 without retuning throughout the whole frequency range from 1 8 to 70 5 MHz Intelligence Takes care of itself via continuously working protection circuits in all modes The operator can monitor numerically more than 10 parameters of the amplifier in operation Remote control capabilities Remotely controlled by RS 232 port and via the Internet by ...

Page 13: ...ords Danger Warning Caution and Notice and instructions related to hazards that should be followed by the user in order to ensure safe operation and to keep the amplifier in a safe working condition at all times The EXPLICIT DEFINITIONS described below apply to this User s Manual DANGER These notes call attention to a procedure or instructions which if not correctly performed will result in seriou...

Page 14: ... that may improve equipment reliability and or personnel performance or to emphasize a concept ORANGE TEXT as LINKS marks all internal links in the document between Sections Figures Tables etc for your convenience The safety instructions contained in this User s Manual feature specific signal words Danger Warning Caution and Notice and where required a safety alert symbol in accordance with actual...

Page 15: ...BSTRUCT COOLING ducts or vents Keep a minimum clearance distance of 10 cm 4 inches to any other devices or objects WARNING Do not undertake on your own repairs or changes in hardware or software of the amplifier in order not to endanger your or other s health and life and not to damage the amplifier and the equipment connected with it not covered by warranty The manufacturer is not liable for anot...

Page 16: ... Delay may void the carrier s warranty CAUTION The packaged weight is about 12 kg and can be handled by a single person Keep all packing materials for possible future amplifier shipment see Section 8 4 4 Returning to the Service Provider Figure 2 1 Packaging carton outside view Figure 2 1 Packaging carton outside view Unpack the amplifier as described below Open the cardboard carton see Figure 2 1...

Page 17: ... amplifier Pos 8 from the middle secure element and remove top bottom and sides flat secure elements see Figure 2 2 ACOM 500S packaged in a cardboard box Pos 5 6 and 7 Now the amplifier is ready for installation Figure 2 2 ACOM 500S packaged in a cardboard box Figure 2 2 ACOM 500S packaged in a cardboard box It is not necessary to take out the bottom secure element see Figure 2 2 ACOM 500S package...

Page 18: ...n CAUTION The unit s weight is about 8 kg and can be handled by a single person Position the amplifier near the place where it will be used You will need an easy access to the command knobs and indicator s area as well as to the rear panel cabling NOTICE The ACOM 500S is forced air cooled Keep a minimum clearance distance of 10 cm 4 inches to any other devices or objects The exhaust air can reach ...

Page 19: ...n to the earth grounding and protective earth may be inadmissible or may fall under special requirements in some countries DANGER Never use the gas installation pipes for grounding This can cause an EXPLOSION DANGER Do not use the steam heating or water supply network pipes for grounding You may expose to dangerous voltage not only yourself but also other people using the same installation NOTICE ...

Page 20: ... leads and lower resistive ground path The grounding leads should be at least 4 mm AWG 11 or SWG 13 For details and recommendations on the grounding and RF counterpoise system concerning the electromagnetic compatibility see also Section 3 6 f Elimination of electromagnetic compatibility EMC problems b KEY IN connector This is the amplifier s input for receive transmit control from the transceiver...

Page 21: ...rom the amplifier to the transceiver It can be used for improving the receive transmit RX TX switching safety NOTICE KEY OUT is a low power open drain output make sure that the signal voltage coming from the respective transceiver connection does not exceed 50 VDC open circuit and the closed circuit current is below 20 mA If your transceiver has a suitable input that disables transmission unless g...

Page 22: ...ed power safely particularly on the 4 and 6 meters bands We recommend that you use RG213 cable or better Check the same for the antenna switch and tuner as well as the whole antenna system especially multi band trap antennas A well matched antenna with an SWR below 1 5 can be connected to the RF OUTPUT 2 for any band While low SWR is good on any band it is extremely important on 6 and 4 m Connect ...

Page 23: ...i Preparation of wall outlet WARNING Before connecting the amplifier to your mains supply using a licensed electrician check that the supply is correctly wired and is adequate for the current drawn by the amplifier up to 6 3 A from 200 240 VAC mains and up to 12 A from 100 120 VAC mains Make certain that the grounding lead is connected properly and that it has a cross section not less than the cro...

Page 24: ...y or home brewed according to Table 2 1 Signals and pin out of the CAT AUX connector and the transceiver s manual NOTICE The CAT connection requires a cable made especially for the ACOM 500S and your transceiver Using an inappropriate cable may cause a serious damage to the amplifier and your transceiver If you need cable wiring diagrams please see our document ACOM CAT cables Technical Informatio...

Page 25: ... Pwr input 8 to 15 V 0 4 A 13 KEY IN Tx request Less than 12 V 6 mA 14 KEY OUT Tx Ready O C output up to 50 V 20 mA 15 GND Ground 0 Volt Table 2 1 Signals and pin out of the CAT AUX connector b RS 232 interface connector Please see Figure 2 3 Rear panel Connections Pos 4 This connector may remain unused until you decide to control the amplifier remotely Please see Section 6 REMOTE CONTROL Table 2 ...

Page 26: ...er switching on a powerful heater in a cold shack After following all instructions in Section 2 INSTALLATION check whether the rear panel mains switch marked ON OFF is turned off see Figure 2 3 Rear panel Connections Pos 1 Then insert amplifier s mains plug into the wall outlet prepared for it Figure 3 1 Front panel Controls and Readouts Figure 3 1 Front panel Controls and Readouts 3 1 Low Energy ...

Page 27: ... c Functional buttons Please see Figure 3 1 Front panel Controls and Readouts Pos c Six functional buttons keypad for manual local control of the amplifier The function of each button is indicated on the display above it Depending on the displayed menu the buttons may have different functions soft key d A high resolution 24 bit color display showing the operating information Please see Figure 3 1 ...

Page 28: ...y two operating values selected in the AMP MEASURE menu will be shown here see Section 5 1 Menu AMP MEASURE Amplifier Measurements The alarm messages either WARNING or SOFT FAULT appear on yellow background on the same area and are flashing frequently in order to attract the operator s attention see Figure 4 4 Appearance of an alarm message The WARNING messages appear only temporarily for about th...

Page 29: ...os f Displays the power reflected from the antenna Entering the red zone is not allowed g PA transistor temperature bar graph and digital readout Please see Figure 3 2 Basic screen Pos g Entering the red zone is not allowed h CAT interface information Please see Figure 3 2 Basic screen Pos h When CAT is deactivated this field is shaded i REMOTE CONTROL information field Please see Figure 3 2 Basic...

Page 30: ...he rear panel must be turned off In any case the LED above the POWER button must be dark for this test First check if the transceiver s reception is normal in some band that should be open at the time of test Be sure to connect to the RF OUTPUT 2 of the amplifier an antenna with a good SWR in the band being tested If you observe a significant worsening of reception first check for a problem in the...

Page 31: ...2 where the antenna was connected at the previous test above point a Repeat receive and transmit tests the same way you just did with the amplifier turned off During these tests note also whether the forward and reflected power bar graph and digital readout see Sections 3 4 e Forward power bar graph and digital readout and 3 4 f Reflected power bar graph and digital readout show respective RF powe...

Page 32: ...erating frequency and antenna impedance PA DC VOLTAGE must be within 60 63 V The transceiver s SWR reading must be below 1 5 Enter the MEASURE menu see Figure 5 2 Menu AMP MEASURE and check Тhe drive power from the transceiver must be between 15 W and 25 W PA BIAS which must be between 2 1 and 2 9 V PA TEMPERATURE which must be between the ambient and 95 o C 203 o F depending on the power level an...

Page 33: ...atic band to the feeder shield at the point where it enters the building and the same point with the possibly shortest and widest connections to the grounding system this is a very efficient measure in particular if the shack is located on a high floor above ground To reduce the RF impedance of the grounding connections sheet metal stripes instead of flexible braids are to be preferred Thread ferr...

Page 34: ...unded KEY IN OPERATE TX mode the RF drive is amplified and fed to the selected antenna see Section 4 3 Antenna Change In order to provide time for the relays to switch safely from receive to transmit the transceiver should provide a dead time i e must notify the amplifier in due time by grounding the control KEY IN input not later than 10 ms before feeding drive power toward the amplifier RF INPUT...

Page 35: ...n in a STANDBY mode manually by the OPR STB button or by a remote command The next OPR STB button push or remote command will switch the amplifier to the OPERATE mode and restore the normal operation of the AUTO OPERATE user setting 4 2 Band Change Standard and Expanded Frequency Coverage When connected to a transceiver with CAT the amplifier will change frequency bands automatically following the...

Page 36: ...tenna Tuner with Switch connected to RF OUTPUT 1 for operation on the lower amateur bands from 1 8 to 54 MHz 160 to 6 meters antennas are changed automatically along with the band changes or manually by the ANT button on the amplifier front panel as described in the tuner manual see Sections 2 4 e RF OUTPUT 1 connector and 4 4 Operation with an External Antenna Tuner b If you do not have an ACOM t...

Page 37: ...nas having SWR up to 3 1 automatically thus providing an optimum load for the amplifier within 5 seconds with improved harmonic suppression at that The four way antenna switch is controlled automatically or manually from the amplifier front panel The ACOM 04AT can be installed both in the shack and in a remote location even out in the open close to the antennas It can be distanced up to 100 m 330 ...

Page 38: ...re 4 3 ACOM 500S amplifier screen with ACOM 04AT or 06AT antenna tuner installed The operation of ACOM S series amplifiers solid state devices with ACOM 04AT and 06AT are described in detail in the respective User s Manual ACOM 04AT User s Manual ACOM 06AT User s Manual The documentation is available for download at www acom bg com Pay particular attention to Sections 3 2 Indications controls and ...

Page 39: ...e risk and will trigger one of the three levels of protection as described in items a to c below Every event is accompanied by a warning text on the screen see Figure 4 4 Appearance of an alarm message A sound alarm will be also produced if set to ON in the USER PREFERENCES see Figure 5 5 Menu USER PREFERENCES Figure 4 4 Appearance of an alarm message Figure 4 4 Appearance of an alarm message a Fi...

Page 40: ...The third and most serious protection level is a HARD FAULT The amplifier power supply will be turned off automatically to avoid possible further damages When the protection trips off the data about the fault is stored in the amplifier nonvolatile memory and the front panel screen is blanked There is also a sound alarm a series of F sent in CW If the reason for tripping the protection is not obvio...

Page 41: ...tmost on Figure 3 2 Basic screen the user invokes the MENU SELECTION screen see Figure 5 1 MENU SELECTION Each menu can be selected by the ITEM or ITEM buttons and SELECT button These are described below The items in each menu are selected and controlled by the same six buttons as in the basic screen but they have new functions now Figure 5 1 MENU SELECTION Figure 5 1 MENU SELECTION ...

Page 42: ...l modes Here you can constantly monitor the values of 11 parameters Two identical lists appear on the left and the right halves of the screen each one containing the same 11 values Any value can be selected in each screen half Using buttons ITEM and ITEM up and down arrows select the desired values The two selected values will appear also on the basic screen continuously see Figure 3 2 Basic scree...

Page 43: ...n serviced We recommend these procedures are carried out only by a trained service technician The necessary service function is selected with the buttons ITEM and ITEM up and down arrows With the SELECT and SELECT buttons left or right arrows the selected function is turned ON or OFF The inactive functions are greyed out and the active are red When leaving a function submenu it is turned off and d...

Page 44: ...ns left or right arrows Your selection appears in square brackets x on the screen If the amplifier CAT port is connected to the transceiver via either BCD Band Data or Band VOLTAGE output select the respective interface type on top row and push EXIT button The other items and values will be ignored with such a selection If the CAT cable is plugged into the transceiver s serial port select the inte...

Page 45: ... 1200 2000 3000 5000 9000 and similar RS 232 2 YAESU FT 1000MP RS 232 4 YAESU FT 817 857 897 TTL 3 Table 5 1 Transceiver interface Under CAT interface control the amplifier follows the VFO A frequency changes only The ACOM 04AT and 06AT automatic antenna tuners follow the frequency of the amplifier If your transceiver has more than one VFO as well as in SPLIT mode use VFO A for transmission and fo...

Page 46: ...bg com b AUTOMATIC MENU EXIT When AUTOMATIC MENU EXIT is turned on the amplifier exits the currently selected menu if no button has been pressed for more than 5 minutes If AUTOMATIC MENU EXIT is turned off the amplifier remains in the currently selected menu until the EXIT button is pushed c AUTO OPERATE The AUTO OPERATE user setting is described in Sections 3 3 Initial Turning On and 4 1 c AUTO O...

Page 47: ...gainst possible child actions or involuntary switching to OPERATE mode While locked an attempt for entering OPERATE mode will result in a message OPERATE MODE IS LOCKED The other preference items do not need explanation 5 5 Menu FAULTS LOG This function reads on the screen the information stored in the amplifier nonvolatile memory about the last 28 HARD FAULT protection trips see Figure 5 6 Menu F...

Page 48: ...wn arrow button once more as YES confirmation After restoring the default settings the control will return to the MENU SELECTION screen see Figure 5 1 MENU SELECTION If the ACTION up arrow button is pressed the NO is selected again and the control will not leave the current position At pressing the EXIT button in this position the control leaves this menu without changing anything and returns in t...

Page 49: ...the ACOM eBox Ethernet Remote Control device The operation of ACOM 500S with ACOM eBox will be described in future editions of the ACOM eBox User s Manual Figure 6 1 ACOM eBox Ethernet Remote Control device Figure 6 1 ACOM eBox Ethernet Remote Control device Use of other remote control devices is not recommended 6 2 Remote Control via RS 232 interface The ACOM 500S may be controlled remotely by th...

Page 50: ...f the connector body Pay particular attention to the mains plug and the wall outlet see Sections 2 4 h Power cord and 2 4 i Preparation of wall outlet If you have any doubts consult with a qualified electrician Periodically check the SWR of the antennas and if this changes over time Problems could occur more often in poor weather conditions rain snow strong wind etc 7 2 Cleaning CAUTION Do not use...

Page 51: ... your mains nominal voltage 6 3 A 250 V for operation from 200 240 VAC 12 А 250 V for operation from 100 120 VAC Suitable 6 3 A fuse is Littelfuse PN 021506 3HXP ceramic body cartridge This fuse can be ordered from DigiKey www digikey com PN F2667 ND TME www tme eu PN 021506 3HXP Mouser www mouser com PN 576 021506 3HXP Suitable 12 A fuses are Littelfuse PN 0215012 MXP ceramic body cartridge This ...

Page 52: ...e turned on after a serious fault only external power has to be fed to the Control unit in either of the following ways External 8 to 15 VDC voltage applied to the DEBUG mode input see Table 2 1 Signals and pin out of the CAT AUX connector of the CAT AUX port The power supply has to be capable to provide 0 4 A of current If the Control board has already been removed from the amplifier it can be po...

Page 53: ...ot loader in your amplifier see Figure 5 6 Menu FAULTS LOG If you have any doubts about the versions please consult your dealer before you undertake any action When ACOM issues a new firmware version the user can upload it in the amplifier after he checks the compatibility When compatibility is confirmed a return to an earlier version is also possible 7 5 3 Firmware Updates For uploading or backup...

Page 54: ...you need is Serial RS 232 straight cable only pins 2 3 and 5 are straight connected If your computer does not have RS 232 serial interface use USB to RS 232 adapter Make sure that the correct driver is installed and the adapter is displayed on the Device Manager Universal Serial Bus controllers in Windows OS If using a Mac go to System Information Hardware USB and the USB RS232 adapter should be e...

Page 55: ...uctions appearing in the text box 8 Choose Firmware backup download strongly recommended 9 After a successful backup then upload the new version of firmware 10 Once the firmware is uploaded or a backup is performed exit from the bootloader before disconnecting from ACOM Terminal S 11 Switch off the amplifier pull the line mains plug out of the outlet and disconnect RS 232 cable 12 Follow instructi...

Page 56: ...Hz 6 m band 70 000 70 500 MHz 4 m band Extensions or changes of the frequency coverage are possible on request Please refer the applicable regional band plans and laws for specific allocations and limitations b Rated Output Power 500 W 0 5 dB PEP or digital c Intermodulation Distortions IMD3 Better than 30 dB below the rated PEP d Harmonic and Parasitic Emissions Output Suppression Below 30 MHz be...

Page 57: ...SO 239A type g RF power gain 14 dB 1 dB typically 20 W drive for rated output h Mains Power Supply Voltage 100 240 VAC 10 50 60 Hz Single phase See Section 7 3 Fuse Replacement for correct fuse rating and mains voltage range selections i Mains Power Consumption at Rated Output Power Up to 1000 VA Power factor at rated output 0 95 or higher j Mains Power Consumption in Low Energy Waiting Mode Less ...

Page 58: ...EY IN ground on transmit signal and applying RF drive power at RF INPUT connector for safely switching receive to transmit 10 ms b Protections Inrush power on current is limited PA drain current Overheating T R sequencing Antenna relay contacts against hot switching Reflected power Overdrive c Frequency control by either internal frequency counter or directly by CAT from the transceiver as well as...

Page 59: ...lectronic equipment Directive 2011 65 EU b US Federal Communications Commission FCC regulations FCC ID 2AJXZ500S FCC ID number The FCC ID number explains that market ACOM product complies with the US Federal Communications Commission FCC regulations The FCC ID number can be checked at www fcc gov oet ea fccid FCC ID numbers consist of two elements А grantee code for example 2AJXZ and Аn equipment ...

Page 60: ...Limits for Human Exposure to RF electromagnetic fields adopted by the FCC you should evaluate your Radio Station Facilities as described in OET BULLETIN 65 plus SUPPLEMENT B Additional Information for Amateur Radio Stations OET BULLETIN 65 plus SUPPLEMENT B can be found at https www fcc gov bureaus oet info documents bulletins oet65 oet65 pdf https www fcc gov bureaus oet info documents bulletins ...

Page 61: ...environment ranges Temperature range 40 to 70 degrees Celsius 40 o F to 158 o F Humidity up to 75 35 degrees Celsius 95 o F 8 4 2 Shipping Size and Weight WxDxH Approx 500x470x380 mm 11 6 kg 19 7x18 5x15 0 inches 25 6 lbs Please contact ACOM see 1 5 Owner Assistance for shipment details Figure 8 1 Packaging cardboard box Figure 8 1 Packaging cardboard box 8 4 3 Transportation All types of transpor...

Page 62: ... ship some cables or accessories Please consult with your dealer first Prepare the amplifier for shipping as described below Switch off the amplifier via Main Power Switch see Figure 2 3 Rear panel Connections Pos 1 Make sure the Main Power Switch is in OFF position Pull the amplifier s line mains plug out of the outlet Do not disconnect GND connection Disconnect all cables except GND connection f...

Page 63: ...ve adopted separate waste collection systems ACOM products cannot be disposed as household waste Waste electricals This symbol crossed out wheeled bin explains that you should not place the electrical item in the general waste Waste electricals This symbol three green arrows going in a triangle with electrical plug in the center means that according to local laws and regulations this product shoul...

Page 64: ...User s Manual ACOM 500S 160 4m Linear Power Amplifier Page 64 of 66 S e c t i o n NOTES March 2023 NOTES ...

Page 65: ...mplifier March 2023 S e c t i o n NOTES Page 65 of 66 This manual is for electronic distribution mainly If you have it on paper and you no longer need it please recycle it The latest versions of our User s Manuals are available at www acom bg com ...

Page 66: ... The used images are illustrative only Subject to change without notice I Printed in Bulgaria All rights reserved I Design and content by ACOM Ltd ACOM 500S User s Manual I First Edition Revision 01 I March 2023 ACOM Ltd Bulgaria Bozhurishte 2227 Sofia Bozhurishte Industrial Park 6 Valeri Petrov Str GPS coordinates 42 748616о 23 209801о support acom bg com ...