Alpha Power Alpha 89 - Operating Your Alpha 89

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READ BEFORE PROCEEDING!
TO AVOID SERIOUS DAMAGE NOT COVERED UNDER
WARRANTY READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY
BEFORE OPERATING YOUR ALPHA 89
The ALPHA 89 is easy to operate, but failure to carry out each procedure exactly as described in this manual is likely to
lead to amplifier damage which is not covered under warranty. Damage to other station equipment also may result.
Important precautions are given on pages 1 and 2 of this manual.
OPERATING YOUR ALPHA 89
1. You must set transceiver power output properly! The ALPHA
89 requires only 50 watts drive for full rated output. Virtually all
damage results directly from severe overdrive. Damage caused by applying far more than rated drive power to the
ALPHA
89 will not be covered under warranty. Fortunatel
y, most modem transceivers maintain quite consistent output from band
to band and mode to mode if set up properly.
Setting the transceiver POWER or RF PWR control IS NOT SUFFICIENT
Several popular transceivers can generate RF spikes of 200-300W or more unless the transceiver internal drive level
also is
adjusted carefully according to its manufacturer's instructions. Typically this is done with a knob labeled DRIVE (IC-
781,
FT 1000), PROCESSOR OUT (TS-940, TS-950) or, on SSB when speech processing is not in use, MIC or MIKE.
2. The ALPHA 89 "faults" into STBY or OFF when unsafe operating conditions occur. If this happens the fault can be
cleared by removing excitation, switching from operate to standby and back to operate, and then re-applying excitation.
3. To operate the ALPHA 89 efficiently, cleanly, and safely at any desired peak power output, it must be properly loaded
and driven for that power level. If peak power output (and hence drive) is to be changed significantly, the amplifier must
be reloaded and tuned. See section 7.
4. Induced energy from nearby electrical storms or other power transients may damage components.
Such damage is not covered under warranty. It is important to use a good lightning arrestor, and it's
good practice also to disco
nnect and ground antenna feedlines, and to disconnect AC power, when the equipment is not in
use.
HAPPY OPERATING!
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