Kessler Engineering AT-AUTO User manual

AT-AUTO(tm)
QRO Keyline Upgrade Kit
Installation Manual
P.O. Box 341543
Beavercreek, Ohio 45434
5 September, 2015
Copyright 2015

ii
Contents
1 Introduction 2
1.1 General Description and Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 ToolsRequired .................................. 4
1.3 QROKeylineUpgrade .............................. 5
2 Service and Warranty 18
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

iii
List of Figures
1.1 AT-AUTO(tm)QRO Keyline Upgrade Kit Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 AT-AUTO(tm)Rear Panel prior to QRO Keyline Jack installation . . . . . . 6
1.3 AT-AUTO(tm)Rear Panel (Interior) prior to QRO Keyline installation . . . . 7
1.4 AT-AUTO(tm)Rear Panel showing intended QRO Keyline (RCA) jack locations 8
1.5 AT-AUTO(tm)Rear Panel with two holes added for RCA jacks . . . . . . . . 9
1.6 AT-AUTO(tm)Microprocessor Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.7 AT-AUTO(tm)Microprocessor to Daughterboard Orientation . . . . . . . . . 11
1.8 AT-AUTO(tm)Daughterboard Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.9 AT-AUTO(tm)Daughterboard Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.10 AT-AUTO(tm)Wiring Harness Plug-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.11 AT-AUTO(tm)Wiring Harness Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.12 AT-AUTO(tm)Excess Wiring Harness Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.13 AT-AUTO(tm)Soldering Wiring Harness to RCA Jacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

iv
List of Tables
1.1 AT-AUTO(tm)QRO Keyline Upgrade Kit Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

1
Thank-You!
At Kessler Engineering, we endeavor to make your ham radio hobby more enjoyable and
trust that our products will bring you many years of faithful service. We Thank-You for
the confidence that you have placed in us and in our products. 73!
Dr. Donald J. Kessler, Ph.D.,
President, Kessler Engineering, LLC
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

2
Introduction
1.1 General Description and Purpose
The AT-AUTO(tm)first went into production in 2006. Over time, the AT-AUTO(tm)hard-
ware and firmware features have continued to evolve and improve. One such hardware feature
subsequently developed (and therefore lacking in the 2006-2008 AT-AUTO(tm)year models)
is the QRO Keyline.
The QRO Keyline hardware was developed in 2008 as a method to prevent damage to
an HF amplifier when inadvertently driving mis-tuned loads. The QRO Keyline feature was
then included in all 2009 and subsequent models of the AT-AUTO(tm). AT-Autos(tm)so
equipped with the QRO Keyline are able to automatically permit/inhibit keying of an HF
amplifier. Use of the QRO Keyline hardware is entirely optional and completely independent
of the automatic tuning process and does not otherwise change or alter the operation of the
AT-AUTO(tm).
With the QRO Keyline, the user may configure the AT-AUTO (tm) to automatically
prevent an HF linear amplifier from being keyed if the SWR exceeds a user-selectable level,
to immediately unkey an HF amplifier should the SWR become excessive, or while the AT-
AUTO(tm)is tuning. This may be particularly advantageous when using the AT-AUTO(tm)
with HF amplifiers that feature SWR protection circuitry. If the user neglected to unkey
the amplifier while the AT-AUTO(tm)is tuning, the amplifiers self-protection circuitry would
likely disable the amplifier, necessitating a reset of the amplifier itself.
In normal operation, the AT-AUTO(tm)uses the QRO Keyline interface to automati-
cally inhibit keying of an HF amplifier while the AT-AUTO(tm)is auto-tuning and then
automatically permits keying of the amplifier once automatic tuning has completed.
Prior to the introduction of this “QRO Keyline Upgrade Kit”, upgrading an AT-AUTO(tm)
was costly – requiring replacement of the entire processor circuit board. This modification
kit was developed to provide a very cost-effective solution to adding QRO Keyline capability
to early models of the AT-AUTO(tm)(produced prior to 2009). AT-AUTOs(tm)produced in
2009 and thereafter included the QRO Keyline hardware.
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

3
The AT-AUTO(tm)QRO Keyline meter upgrade kit comes with the items listed in Table
1.1 and shown in Figure 1.1.
Table 1.1: AT-AUTO(tm)QRO Keyline Upgrade Kit Contents
Quantity Description
1 QRO Keyline Daughter Board
1 Wiring Harness
2 Female RCA Jacks
6 Nylon Wire Ties
Figure 1.1: AT-AUTO(tm)QRO Keyline Upgrade Kit Contents
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

4
1.2 Tools Required
•#2 Phillips Head Screwdriver
•Ruler and Pencil
•Center Punch
•1
4
′′ Drill
•11
32
′′ Wrench or Socket
•Wire Cutters
•Small Needle-Nose Pliers
•Soldering Iron and Solder
•Volt-Ohm Meter or Electrical Continuity Tester
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

5
1.3 QRO Keyline Upgrade
Synopsis
The QRO Keyline upgrade is pretty straight-forward:
1. Install two RCA jacks
2. Install Daughterboard
3. Install Wiring Harness
4. Configure AT-AUTO(tm)firmware
Preparation
Turn off the AT-AUTO(tm)and remove power cord. The AT-AUTO’s(tm)top cover is held
in-place by ten Phillips-head screws: five along the left and right sides, respectively. Begin
by removing these ten screws. Be careful not to loose the ten plastic washers.
RCA Jack Installation
The two RCA jacks will be installed in the open space above the “TRANSCEIVER DATA
INPUT” jack, and immediately adjacent to the RF coupler. See Figure 1.2 and Figure 1.3.
1. Using a ruler or caliper, draw a vertical line above the “TRANSCEIVER DATA IN-
PUT” jack, ≈0.8 inches from the right edge or the rear panel.
2. Measure and mark two horizontal intersecting lines spaced ≈0.8 and 1.6 inches, re-
spectively from the top edge of the rear panel.
3. Using a center punch, place a“dimple” at the two line intersections, marking the hole
centers for the RCA jacks. See Figure 1.4.
4. Before proceeding further, ensure that the two hole locations will not encroach upon
the RF coupler shown in Figure 1.3. Adjust/correct as necessary.
5. Drill and deburr a 1
4inch hole at each of the two locations marked previously. When
finished, the rear panel should appear as shown in Figure 1.5.
6. Install the two RCA jacks and tighten.
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

6
Figure 1.2: AT-AUTO(tm)Rear Panel prior to QRO Keyline Jack installation
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

7
Figure 1.3: AT-AUTO(tm)Rear Panel (Interior) prior to QRO Keyline installation
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

8
Figure 1.4: AT-AUTO(tm)Rear Panel showing intended QRO Keyline (RCA) jack locations
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

9
Figure 1.5: AT-AUTO(tm)Rear Panel with two holes added for RCA jacks
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

10
Daughterboard Installation
1. Locate and carefully remove the AT-AUTO(tm)microprocessor.
We suggest using a long, narrow knife blade (See Figure 1.6). Begin by carefully
inserting the knife blade between the microprocessor and the underlying socket and
then working evenly, remove the microprocessor from the control board slowly, so as
not to damage any of the microprocessor pins.
2. Locate the QRO Keyline Daughterboard and orient the microprocessor as shown in
Figure 1.7 and insert. The microprocessor case has a “dimple” near Pin 1. When
properly oriented, the microprocessor “dimple” should be approximately adjacent to
the word “UP” printed on the Daughterboard.
Be careful not to bend any of the microprocessor pins!
Be very careful not to bend any of the pins extending from beneath the Daughter-
board!
3. Ensure the microprocessor pins are fully seated in the socket.
4. Orient the Daughterboard over the vacated microprocessor socket on the AT-AUTO(tm)
control board as shown in Figures 1.8 and 1.9 and very carefully align the Daughter-
board pins with the control board socket and insert.
The Daughterboard should be oriented so that the “UP” Arrow is pointing upward,
away from the chassis.
The fit will very likely be snug – be sure to fully seat the Daughterboard into the
control board socket – There should be no space between the bottom of the Daughter-
board and the socket.
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

11
Figure 1.6: AT-AUTO(tm)Microprocessor Removal
Figure 1.7: AT-AUTO(tm)Microprocessor to Daughterboard Orientation
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

12
Figure 1.8: AT-AUTO(tm)Daughterboard Orientation
Figure 1.9: AT-AUTO(tm)Daughterboard Orientation
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

13
Wiring Harness Installation
1. Locate, cut, and remove the nylon wire ties running along the side of the AT-AUTO(tm).
2. Locate the wiring harness and attach the red connector to the Daughterboard as shown
in Figure 1.10.
3. Route the wiring harness along the side of the AT-AUTO(tm)and secure with nylon
wire ties as shown in Figure 1.11 and then trim nylon wire ties.
4. Remove excess wiring harness (Figure 1.12) and then strip and solder the harness to
the RCA Jacks as shown Figure 1.13.
Solder the harness shield to one of the RCA jack grounded solder tabs.
Solder the red and white wires to either RCA jack as shown.
Figure 1.10: AT-AUTO(tm)Wiring Harness Plug-In
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

14
Figure 1.11: AT-AUTO(tm)Wiring Harness Installation
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

15
Figure 1.12: AT-AUTO(tm)Excess Wiring Harness Removal
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com

16
Figure 1.13: AT-AUTO(tm)Soldering Wiring Harness to RCA Jacks
www.KesslerEngineeringLLC.com