[TenTec] About the ACOM/Orion

[Bob Henderson]

Jerry

Like you I would be interested to understand a little more of the detail of
this problem as I may have an Acom 2000A in my future too.

In general though:

The Acom 2000A http://www.hfpower.com/ACOM2000A.htm is an auto tune amp,
similar in functionality to the Alpha 87A
http://www.alpha-amps.com/html/alpha_87a.html

The 87A is pin diode switched whereas the Acom uses vacuum relay switching.
The Acom has a remote control head unit providing local feedback & control
if the amp is located remotely from the desktop. The 87A uses a pair of
3CX800A7s which are now very expensive, whereas the Acom uses a pair of
rather less costly 4CX800s.  The Alpha 87A is currently priced at USD 6950
whereas the Acom is somewhat less, I believe.

Both Alpha 87A and Acom 2000A have comprehensive fault detection circuitry,
as has the smaller non auto tune Acom 1000.

I own an Alpha 87A and an Acom 1000 currently.  I use these with my pair of
Ten Tec Orions.  I don't use loop connection with either amp as both switch
fast enough not to need it.  I operate full QSK with both amps and never
experience hot switching failures.

In the 87A and Acom 1000 (and I believe the 2000A), hot switching, over
drive and mismatch faults are all soft faults which cause the amps to go off
line but not power down.  Hard faults such as tube flash over and voltage
fault will power down the amps.

What I would like to understand about the problem being discussed is:

What fault condition does the Acom 2000A indicate with this particular
failure?

Does the Acom 2000A need to operate in loop mode to avoid hot switching?  If
it does, I wonder why it switches more slowly than its little brother the
Acom 1000.

Bob, 5B4AGN, P3F




----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry Volpe" <kg6tt at tomorrowsweb.com>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2004 2:31 PM
Subject: [TenTec] About the ACOM/Orion


> I am very curious about the ongoing thread on the Orion and the ACOM.
> (The ACOM is a high-end linear amplifier?) Please, would someone take a
> moment and provide a brief summary of the ACOM, in particular what makes
> it unique and attractive overall. There seems to be a number of Orion
> owners who are using it.What do the errors refered to actually do?
> Shutdown the amp? What do you do to clear them? Are they related to QSK
> operation? Are these errors generated by an 'ACOM' preceived impedance
> mismatch with the Orion, over-drive, T/R timing issue?
>
> I am not about to offer any advice. Anything I would add would be
> entirely theoretical and based on SOP troubleshooting and certainly
> already tried numerous times. It would simply be more informative as an
> interested party to have a more solid context for better
> understanding.... and you never know there might be an ACOM/Orion
> combination in my future too.
>
> Have a great day!
> Jerald, KG6TT
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