ACOM R3x2000 Amplifier Rack

Description

The ACOM3x2000A is a HF power splitter / combiner which is a passive device designed to sum the outputs of three HF linear amplifiers into a common load while the amplifiers are driven by a single exciter. There is no difference from the operation of a three times more powerful single amplifier.

For proper operation, the combiner requires three amplifier outputs having equal amplitudes and phases, i.e. three coherent signals. This is achieved by the use of three identical amplifiers in the three channels. For best results we recommend three automatic amplifiers of the type ACOM2000A. Manual tune amplifiers with a precise tuning indicator like ACOM1200, ACOM1000, ACOM1010 or ACOM1011 can be used too. All these models use a broadband input network which sets minimum phase differences between the units.

An automatic protection circuit is implemented in the ACOM3x2000A, which  monitors the three amplifier outputs during operation.  In case of an imbalance, the protection trips thus cutting the drive to the amplifiers and switching the transceiver output to an internal 50 Ohm dummy load. The imbalance power, both input and output, is swamped by powerful resistors until the protection trips.  Therefore the transceiver and the three amplifiers are well protected.  After fixing the trouble  you can resume operation by pressing the button RESET.