> Grant:
> You might try the Alpha 89 setup as outlined on the
> Alpha Power website at:
> http://www.alpha-amps.com/html/tentec.htm
Be cautioned that unless your Ameritron AL-1200 has hot-switching protection
circuitry, the mod as suggested above will likely cause hot-switching at the
leading edge of transmission. You mentioned that the AL-1200 has the
optional QSK circuit, but is it truly hot-switch protected?
Ten-Tec uses TX OUT and TX EN in a true hand-shake fashion with their own
amps to guard against hot-switching. Since Alpha's mod is a single-ended
key line (single, but formed by using a "Y" adapter to the TX OUT/TX EN
jacks) with no handshaking provision, I found that it hot-switched my Alpha
70V amplifier when trying it with the Omni Six. The mod works fine with the
Alpha 89 and 87 due to their internal QSK protection circuitry. Generally,
the only way to know whether the amp is becoming hot-switched is to observe
the output waveform on a monitor scope.
If the Orion uses the same "Ext. T/R" circuit as used on the Jupiter and
Pegasus, look no further since this is an ultra-fast solid-state switch line
which should interface perfectly into your AL-1200.
-Paul, W9AC
|