User Manual

Table Of Contents

RF-Orchestra!™ Transmitter Installation and Operation Operation

July 2000 6880493G02-C 5-29

Module Monitoring

The module monitoring feature monitors each of the modules within the RF-O! transmitter for

failure conditions. The RF-O! transmitter software periodically checks the status of the Exciter,

Power Ampliﬁer(s), Power Supplies, Circulator Load Temperature, and OCB to determine

whether the transmitter should continue transmitting at full power, cutback, or disable the

transmitter completely.

Whenever a failure condition occurs, an entry is added to the error log (RFO FIPS: a 104). If

the failure causes a cutback or shutdown, an entry is added to the alarm log (RFO FIPS: a99).

Power Cutback/Shutdown

The RF-O! transmitter constantly analyzes its current status. When it detects failures, it

determines if it can continue keying at full power or if it needs to cutback or shutdown

completely.

Currently the transmitter will perform a cutback due to the following station failures:

• A 3 dB cutback will occur when a PA temperature exceeds the ambient temperature by

more than a user-conﬁgurable amount. For detailed information, see paragraph, "High

PA vs. Ambient Temperature Cutback/Shutdown Operation".

• If the ambient temperature of the OCM rises above +45 degrees C, the transmitter will

cutback. For detailed information, see paragraph, "High PA vs. Ambient Temperature

Cutback/Shutdown Operation".

• A 6 dB cutback occurs if a PA failure is detected in a 2-PA conﬁguration.

Note: When a 6 dB cutback occurs, it is quite possible that the cutback power output will be below the

minimum allowable power setting of the transmitter. In this case, the transmitter will be

unable to transmit.

There are several conditions that will cause the transmitter to no longer operate at any power

output. When any of these conditions occurs, the transmitter shuts down. Some of the

conditions that will cause the transmitter to shutdown are high ambient temperature, Txlin

not locked, pendulum not locked or detected, PA failures, invalid amplitude alignment, high

VSWR, Plug and Play errors, Exciter not locked, Circulator load temperature limit exceeded.

The transmitter can also be shut down or disabled by the user entering the RFO FIPS: w 99 1

command. A complete list of the possible shutdown/disable conditions can be found by

entering the RFO FIPS: a 83 (station status) command.