Remote Rig
RRC 1258 Support in English => General discussion forum => Topic started by: ea3in on 2011-02-12, 12:39:03
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Hello
I'm thinking on how to remote control my acom2000 amplifier.
I'm usng my remote TS-480 via the remoterig RRC's and I want to go one step further.
The idea is to be able to power it on and off and to go to control OPR/STB position.
Any advice or experience?
Regrads
marcel
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Hi Marcel,
I see that no one has answered you till now. I have spent the last few weeks
in the hospital, so I am behind answering my mails and forum postings.
The solution is to buy a small adapter, I think it is called "remote power-on relay",
from your Acom dealer. Acom will know what it is when they are asked, since your
dealer probably doesn't know. It costs around 100 Euro, and will allow full on and
off of the 2000a. You need to leave the main power switch on, but all that does is
to provide power to the RCU.
I am trying to attach a photo, but I am not sure if it will work.
73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX
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Thanks,
I will try to find here
Regards
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The ACOM-Firmware is not as good as the rest of the amplifier, not very reliable and difficult to master by a pc command software. After several disappointing tries with command software, I realized a real "ham solution" to control the acoms on my remote sites. Take a webswitch, a flat band cable and bridge the most important switches in the acom remote control with the relay contacts. The power on switch is little bit time critical, but you can trigger it by firing a timer relay with the webswitch. Use a simple webcam to monitor the display of the amp and you will have all the real-time information you need!
73 de Mark, HB9AZT
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Hi Mark,
Seems to me that it would be cheaper and easier just to buy the
original Acom remote control solution ;-)
73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX
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I have no answer from ACOM for the moment.
I will try again
Thanks
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I am not sure if Acom will sell this directly. If you don't get an answer
from Acom or your dealer, you can always order from Difona in Germany
http://difona.de/index.php
At least three of us have successfully ordered these adapters from
Difona, so they understand what it is you want. Note that these are
NOT stock items, so delivery may be delayed a few weeks.
Note that when you get the adapter, you need to bridge the DB9
connector for the external antenna switch if you do not have that
switch. E-mail me for details once you receive the switch if you need
any help. It is simple, but it won't work without one or the other on
this socket.
73,
Mitch DJ0QN
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the remote adapter is well done, but doesn't solve the problem of the lousy firmware in the amplifier. Tried this adapter, but was not really reliable, not due to the adapter, but due to the firmware. Believe me, the switch-version is by far the best, I have several of these amps running at remote locations and I know what I am speaking about ;D
73 de Mark, HB9AZT
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I have found this adapter to be 100% reliable. I am not sure what kind of problem
you have had with it.
It is necessary to put a DB9 bridge on the external antenna switch, otherwise
the adapter will not work reliably. Maybe you didn't make this bridge and that's
why you experienced your problem?
73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX
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My acoms are operated as a closed system together with the antenna switch, so this was not the problem. As I told before, the problem is not the adapter, that's a fine piece of hardware. The problem is the dialog between the controlling application and the firmware of the amp. In some situations communication between external devices and the acom 2000 goes lost. Even switching on the amp was impossible under some circumstances. That's also confirmed by the developper of the TRX-Manager, he knows why he writes a disclaimer for operations of Acom2000 with TRX-Manager. I don't like smoking amps, frequent reboots or unnecessary car rides to "hanging" remote sites so I go the easier and safer way with simple switches and a webcam. A good example for a good software controlled amp is the expert, but this amp has other disadvantages (no Kilowatt key down, emc-problems).
73 de Mark, HB9AZT
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I solved this problem in a slightly different manner.
I made a one-shot delay relay box, that closes a relay for 1-2 seconds when AC is applied.
I then modified an Acom Control Head, by soldering the output of that one-shot to
the contacts of the Control Head switch that turns the amp on and off. To turn the
amp on, I turn the Remote AC switch on, the one-shot fires, and the amp turns on.
To turn the amp off, I again turn the Remote AC on and the amp turns off.
I am using Acom Director software, and I can also turn the amp off by using that
software. Turning it on, though, required the one-shot.
Dennis W1UE
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Hi all,
I'm probably too late to be helpfull but I want to share my excellent experience with ACOM 2000A in remote mode.
At the beginning, I got from ACOM's technical support the schematic of the small adapter to enable the remote POWER ON at the RS-232 port. It has been working perfectly and I have used for almost three years my ACOM 2000A via a terminal server (W&T), in remote mode from a PC running the very nice TRX Manager ACOM utility without a failure! Further on, I've purchased the original ACOM adapter, just better looking than mine and I've been very satisfied till the replacement of the ACOM 2000A with a new a solid state amplifier (SPE 2K-FA).
Best regards and 73'
Enrico I4GAD
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Hello to everybody!
I just changed my Expert 1KFA for a ACOM 2000A on my remote.
For this time I decided to buy the RC-1216H from remoterig and Im very happy with the result, its works with a GREAT PERFOMANCE all the time :-D
Is almost plug and play, and yo can see all the normal readouts from the amplifier on line.
I think its a great investment for my remote.
73, de Pedro EA7EU
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Thank you for your kind words! ;D
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You are wellcome! ;)
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Don't throw your Expert away, We will release the same web control function for Expert as for ACOM any day now. I have used it for a while and it's very convinient compared to the GUI over serial port
73 de mike
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That is good news, Mike. However, I assume it is only for the older 1K and not for
the newer amps.
73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX
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Yes it's for 1K-FA. I have not study the 2KFA protocol, but if it differs a lot we probably need to have a PA to implement it.
73 de mike
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It is VERY different from the 1K protocol. As I understand it, they do not even use a "real" protocol
any more, just send screen dumps down the serial line!
Since the 1K will be replaced by the 1.3K that uses the same method as the 2K, this will limit the
future usefulness on any device supporting an SPE amplifier.
73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX
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Late to comment here, but W1UE has the only real solution. You must be able to control A/C to the amp remotely to have a reliable solution.
I have a late model 2000A with the new control head. Purchased their overpriced RPON module and uses the very fine Acom Director from M0YOM.
Be aware the amp can get into a fault condition that cannot be cleared without manually pushing a button on the control head.
Mine got stuck turned on and unusable for 2 weeks until I made it to the remote site since I could not clear the fault. That was the end of using the Acom remotely for me.
I ended up buying an Elecraft KPA500 that works flawlessly and is enough power for remote DX'ing.
For contests I am at the station anyhow.
Someday I might implement the W1UE type solution.
73,
Steve, W1SRD
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The RC-1216 is developed to control the ACOM-2000. I agree that there must be a way to control 230V remotely to use a ACOM-2000 which the RC-1216 have.
http://www.remoterig.com/wp/?page_id=1010#tabs-2 (http://www.remoterig.com/wp/?page_id=1010#tabs-2)
73 de mike