Palstar COMMANDER HF-2500 EXPORT User manual

COMMANDER
HF-2500 EXPORT
Owner’s Manual
PALSTAR, INC.
Command Technologies Division
9676 N. Looney Road
Piqua, Ohio 45356
U.S.A.
Custome Se vice and Sales Telephone: [phone]
Inte national: 937-773-6255
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: info@palsta .com
Rev. 1.3 14 July 2010

2
Table of Contents
Int oduction 3
Safety Wa nings and P ecautions 4
Unpacking Inst uctions 5
HV T ansfo me Installation 6
Connections 8
Rea Panel View 9
F ont Panel View & Tuning P ocedu e 10
Theo y of Ope ation & Adjustments 12
Wa anty, Se vice, and Retu ns 14
Specifications 15
RF Deck View 16
Access Plate Illust ation 17
HV Powe Supply Schematic 18
AC Mains & Step-Sta t Schematic 19
Cont ol Boa d Schematic 20
Tuned Input & T/R Switch Schematic 21
RF Deck Schematic 22
Amplifie Test Ca d 23
PHOTO APPENDIX
Dual Mete s Diag am 24
Mete Boa d 25
Step-sta t Boa d 26
Powe Supply 27

3
Int oduction
The Commande HF-2500 Expo t is class AB2 linea powe amplifie . It has been designed
fo ope ation on all amateu f equencies f om 1.80 MHz to 29.7 MHz, excluding the 30 mete
band.
Th ee Eimac 3CPX800A7 pulse ated ce amic-metal t iodes configu ed in a g ounded g id
ci cuit allow fo conse vative ope ation at 2800 watts continuous ca ie output. A p essu ized
fo ced ai cooled chassis, including the high voltage supply insu es cool ope ation with high
duty cycle emission modes.
The output ci cuit utilizes ext a heavy duty components with ve nie eduction d ives on all
tuning cont ols. Easily accessed ea panel cont ols allow fo ope ato adjustment of input
VSWR and ALC.
An automatic time delay ci cuit, insu es p ope cathode conditioning befo e RF d ive can be
applied. A p otective ci cuit shuts down the amplifie in the event of excessive g id cu ent. A
esisto located in the high voltage B+ ci cuit p otects the tube in the event of an inte nal tube
a c. Mete ing functions includes plate voltage, plate cu ent, g id cu ent and elative output.

4
CAUTION:
• DO NOT attempt any type of se vice o epai on this amplifie without fi st emoving the
AC powe and allowing AT LEAST 10 MINUTES FOR THE HIGH VOLTAGE CAPACI-
TORS TO BLEED OFF !
• DO NOT ope ate this amplifie with the top o bottom cove s emoved. THE VOLTAGES
INSIDE THE CABINET ARE DEADLY ! EXPOSURE TO UNSHIELDED RF AT
THESE POWER LEVELS IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH !
• Neve attempt ope ation without fi st connecting you amplifie to an app op iate antenna o
dummy load. The antenna SWR should not exceed 2:1. The dummy load should have an
impedance of 50 Ohms with sufficient powe handling capability. DAMAGE TO THE AM-
PLIFIER MAY RESULT IF OPERATED WITHOUT A CONNECTION TO A PROPER
LOAD.
• NEVER OPERATE THIS AMPLIFIER WITHOUT AN EARTH GROUND CON-
NECTED TO THE REAR PANEL GROUND TERMINAL.
• Do not obst uct the ventilation holes located on the top, bottom, and sides of the cabinet.
These holes p ovide sufficient intake and exhaust of cooling ai . SEVERE OVERHEAT-
ING AND SERIOUS DAMAGE WILL RESULT IF SUFFICIENT VENTILATION IS
NOT PROVIDED.
• Neve ope ate any amplifie using an extension co d.
!! WARNING !!
CONTACT WITH VOLTAGES IN THIS AMPLIFIER CAN BE
!!! FATAL!!!

5
UNPACKING
Ca efully emove the Commande HF2500 EXPORT Amplifie f om its shipping ca ton
making su e the e is no damage evident f om shipping. If the e is any damage, notify the deliv-
e ing shippe immediately, fully desc ibing the damage.
The HV powe t ansfo me was shipped sepa ately, as its weight would damage the cabinet
in t ansit.
Do not dest oy the packing mate ial since it may be eusable late , should you equi e fac-
to y se vice o need to t anspo t the Amplifie fo any othe eason.
TRANSFORMER INSTALLATION
Remove the top cove f om the amplifie chassis. Install the t ansfo me following the illus-
t ated p ocedu e beginning on next page.
SHIPPING BLOCK
The 3CPX800A7 tubes a e shipped installed in the amplifie , held in place by a Sty o-
foam block. Remove the block befo e use.
200/234 VAC Ope ation
The Commande HF2500 EXPORT comes facto y wi ed fo 234 VAC ope ation. Fo best
ope ation, you should use a dedicated 234VAC main capable of supplying 30 Amps of peak AC
cu ent.
Commande Amplifie s manufactu ed fo expo t a e wi ed fo 234 VAC o 200 VAC de-
pending on the final destination.

6
Hook the snap ings on the p ovided
lifting handle into the holes in the tabs
on eithe end of the t ansfo me
HF-2500 EXPORT
T ansfo me Installation
Position the t ansfo me ove the mounting holes
in the chassis and inse t the fou p ovided 1/4-20
Phillips head sc ews th ough the t ansfo me
mounting tabs and into the th eaded inse ts in the
chassis plate and tighten.
He e is the lifting handle attached and
eady fo use.
The t ansfo me is HEAVY, so ca efully
lift it into place in the chassis. BE CARE-
FUL NOT TO BUMP THE PC BOARD
ON THE BACKS OF THE METERS.

7
Plug the second connecto on the t ansfo me
into the mating one that comes f om the AC
cont ol boa d. It is keyed so that it cannot be
plugged in backwa ds. Make su e that the
connecto halves a e p essed togethe until the
lock tabs snap in place.
This completes HF-2500 EXPORT
t ansfo me installation.
Plug the fi st connecto on the t ansfo me into
the mating one on the chassis wi ing ha ness. It
is keyed so that it cannot be plugged in back-
wa ds. Make su e that the connecto halves a e
p essed togethe until the lock tabs snap in place.
D ess the wi es and connecto s down out of
the way as shown.
View of the completed t ansfo me installa-
tion

8
Connecting You Amplifie
• Connect the RF output of you t ansceive to the RF Input connecto on the ea of the HF-
2500 EXPORT with 50 Ohm coaxial cable.
• Connect the existing station antenna tune o a Wattmete and dummy load to the RF Output
connecto on the HF-2500 EXPORT with RG-8 o bette coaxial cable.
• Connect the Keyline jack on the ea of the HF-2500 EXPORT to the no mally open te minal
of the elay jack on you t ansceive . The Key jack on the HF-2500 EXPORT has positive 5
VDC open ci cuit and equi es the sinking of 15 mA of cu ent when pulled to g ound.
• Connect as sho t a g ound lead as possible f om a good RF g ound to the G ound Post on
the HF-2500 EXPORT.
• Connect the ALC phono jack to the ALC connection on you t ansceive using a shielded
cable. Consult you t ansceive manual fo p ope ALC connection details.
Key
ALC
RF Ouput
RF Input
RF Output
Ground
Antenna
Tuner
Ground
To Earth
Ground
ALC TX GND
To Antenna
Transceiver
HF 2500 Export Amplifier
Wattmeter
To
Dummy
Load

9
Rea Panel View
Tuned Input
Adjustments
(One fo each
band)
Automatic Level
Cont ol Adjust
RF Output
(to Wattmete
& Antenna
o Antenna
Tune )
RF Input
(f om
T ansceive )
G ound
Post
Key Line
(to t ansceive )
ALC
(to t ansceive )
AC Mains
Twistlock
Connecto
AC Powe Twistlock Connecto Wi ing
(View looking at ea panel)
GREEN
BLACK
}
WHITE
To Safety G ound
To 200/234VAC @ 30A
X
Y
G

10
TUNING PROCEDURE
Set the f ont panel cont ols to the following positions:
ON - OFF Switch. OFF
STANDBY - OPERATE STANDBY
BAND SWITCH DESIRED BAND
TUNE CONTROL PRESET TUNE SETTINGS (See test sheet)
LOAD CONTROL PRESET LOAD SETTINGS (See test sheet)
Afte the cont ols have been p eset and the amplifie is connected to a suitable RF load,
switch the On/Off switch to the On position. The following will occu :
A. The mete s will illuminate.
B. The step-sta t elay will actuate and the HV will begin to amp up.
C. Afte 2 seconds the step-sta t elay will disengage and the HV will now be at its no mal
no-load voltage level.
D. The 3 minute filament time will sta t. The g een “Status-T ip” LED will flash (1Hz
ate) du ing the 3 minute wa m-up inte val.
E. Afte 3 minutes the “Status-T ip” LED stops flashing and the amplifie is eady fo use.
Place the Standby/Ope ate switch in the Ope ate position. The amplifie will not switch to
the “Ope ate” state if the Keyline is active when the switch is th own (this p otects the amp in
Load Cont ol Standby/Ope ate
Switch
Powe
On/Off
Band Switch Tune Cont ol T ansmit
Indicato
LED
Status-T ip
Indicato
LED
Plate Cu ent/
Plate Voltage
Mete
G id Cu ent/
Relative Powe
Mete