Bird Technologies ACM User Manual

INSTRUCTION BOOK

ANTENNA & CABLE MONITOR

SERIES ACM

Bird® Electronic Corporation
30303 Aurora Road
Cleveland (Solon), Ohio 44139

Sales & Technical Support: 440-248-1200

Sales email: [e-mail]
Technical Support email: [e-mail]

©Copyright 2010 by Bird Electronic Corporation

866-695-4569 toll free

Instruction Book P/N 920-ACM Rev. L

Thruline® is a registered trademark of

Bird Electronic Corporation

Microsoft® and Windows® are registered

trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation

This page is not blank

Safety Precautions

The following are general safety precautions that are not necessarily
related to any specific part or procedure, and do not necessarily appear
elsewhere in this publication. These precautions must be thoroughly
understood and apply to all phases of operation and maintenance.

WARNING

Keep Away From Live Circuits

Operating Personnel must at all times observe general safety
precautions. Do not replace components or make adjustments to the
inside of the test equipment with the high voltage supply turned on.

To avoid casualties, always remove power.

WARNING

Shock Hazard

Do not attempt to remove the RF transmission line while RF power

is present.

WARNING

Do Not Service Or Adjust Alone

Under no circumstances should any person reach into an enclosure
for the purpose of service or adjustment of equipment except in the

presence of someone who is capable of rendering aid.

WARNING

Safety Earth Ground

An uniterruptible earth safety ground must be supplied from the

main power source to test instruments. Grounding one conductor of

a two conductor power cable is not sufficient protection. Serious

injury or death can occur if this grounding is not properly supplied.

WARNING

Resuscitation

Personnel working with or near high voltages should be familiar

with modern methods of resuscitation.

WARNING

Remove Power

Observe general safety precautions. Do not open the instrument

with the power on.

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Safety Symbols

WARNING

Warning notes call attention to a procedure, which if not correctly

performed, could result in personal injury.

CAUTION

Caution notes call attention to a procedure, which if not correctly

performed, could result in damage to the instrument.

 Note: Calls attention to supplemental information.

Warning Statements

The following safety warnings appear in the text where there is dan­ger to operating and maintenance personnel, and are repeated here
for emphasis.

WARNING

Leaking RF energy is a potential health hazard. Never attempt to

connect or disconnect equipment from the transmission line while RF

power is being applied. Severe burns, electrical shock, or death can occur.

See page 7.

WARNING

Do not touch the center conductor of the power monitor ports while

RF power is being applied.

See page 8.

WARNING

Disconnect the unit from the RF power source and the AC line

before any disassembly. The potential for electrical shock exists.

See page 11 and 21.

WARNING

Shock hazard. Remove AC power before attempting to service the

equipment.

See page 22.

iv

Caution Statements

The following equipment cautions appear in the text and are repeated
here for emphasis.

CAUTION

The input voltage must be clean and stable. Be sure that the input

voltage does not surge and does not contain spikes. Failure to

comply may result in permanent damage to the instrument.

See page 8.

CAUTION

The maximum input voltage differential is 72 V. Do not apply an

input voltage differential greater than 72 volts. Failure to comply

may result in permanent damage to the instrument.

See page 8.

CAUTION

The +15V supply should only be used to power the ACM Panel.

Do not connect anything else to the power supply.

See page 11.

CAUTION

Do not use harsh or abrasive detergents for cleaning.

See page 21.

CAUTION

The +15V supply should only be used to power the ACM Panel.

Do not connect anything else to the power supply.

See page 22.

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Safety Statements

USAGE

ANY USE OF THIS INSTRUMENT IN A MANNER NOT
SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER MAY IMPAIR THE
INSTRUMENT’S SAFETY PROTECTION.

USO

EL USO DE ESTE INSTRUMENTO DE MANERA NO
ESPECIFICADA POR EL FABRICANTE, PUEDE ANULAR LA
PROTECCIÓN DE SEGURIDAD DEL INSTRUMENTO.

BENUTZUNG

WIRD DAS GERÄT AUF ANDERE WEISE VERWENDET ALS VOM
HERSTELLER BESCHRIEBEN, KANN DIE GERÄTESICHERHEIT
BEEINTRÄCHTIGT WERDEN.

UTILISATION

TOUTE UTILISATION DE CET INSTRUMENT QUI N’EST PAS
EXPLICITEMENT PRÉVUE PAR LE FABRICANT PEUT
ENDOMMAGER LE DISPOSITIF DE PROTECTION DE
L’INSTRUMENT.

IMPIEGO

QUALORA QUESTO STRUMENTO VENISSE UTILIZZATO IN
MODO DIVERSO DA COME SPECIFICATO DAL PRODUTTORE
LA PROZIONE DI SICUREZZA POTREBBE VENIRNE
COMPROMESSA.

vi

SERVICE

SERVICING INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR USE BY SERVICE ­TRAINED PERSONNEL ONLY. TO AVOID DANGEROUS
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT PERFORM ANY SERVICING
UNLESS QUALIFIED TO DO SO.

SERVICIO

LAS INSTRUCCIONES DE SERVICIO SON PARA USO
EXCLUSIVO DEL PERSONAL DE SERVICIO CAPACITADO. PARA
EVITAR EL PELIGRO DE DESCARGAS ELÉCTRICAS, NO
REALICE NINGÚN SERVICIO A MENOS QUE ESTÉ
CAPACITADO PARA HACERIO.

WARTUNG

ANWEISUNGEN FÜR DIE WARTUNG DES GERÄTES GELTEN
NUR FÜR GESCHULTES FACHPERSONAL.

ZUR VERMEIDUNG GEFÄHRLICHE, ELEKTRISCHE SCHOCKS,
SIND WARTUNGSARBEITEN AUSSCHLIEßLICH VON
QUALIFIZIERTEM SERVICEPERSONAL DURCHZUFÜHREN.

ENTRENTIEN

L’EMPLOI DES INSTRUCTIONS D’ENTRETIEN DOIT ÊTRE
RÉSERVÉ AU PERSONNEL FORMÉ AUX OPÉRATIONS
D’ENTRETIEN. POUR PRÉVENIR UN CHOC ÉLECTRIQUE
DANGEREUX, NE PAS EFFECTUER D’ENTRETIEN SI L’ON N’A
PAS ÉTÉ QUALIFIÉ POUR CE FAIRE.

ASSISTENZA TECNICA

LE ISTRUZIONI RELATIVE ALL’ASSISTENZA SONO PREVISTE
ESCLUSIVAMENTE PER IL PERSONALE OPPORTUNAMENTE
ADDESTRATO. PER EVITARE PERICOLOSE SCOSSE
ELETTRICHE NON EFFETTUARRE ALCUNA RIPARAZIONE A
MENO CHE QUALIFICATI A FARLA.

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ACM

– M – DM NF T L

Frequency
Range

Base
Model

Input Conn.
and Gender

Output Conn.
and Gender

Monitor
Port
Conn.

Power
Supply
Voltage

470 – 960 MHz ACM with male 7/16 input, female N output,

female TNC monitor ports, requiring a low voltage power supply

About This Manual

Sample Model ACM–M–DMNFTL

Base
Model

ACM L0 108 – 138 NM Male N N Female N L +11 to +26 Vdc

ACM
500

Frequency Range
(MHz)

L1 136 – 225 NF Female N T Female TNC H ± (36 to 72) Vdc

L2 225 – 520 DM Male 7/16

M 470 – 960 DF Female

H 960 – 2400

RF
Connectors

DIN

7/16 DIN

Monitor Port
Connectors

B Female BNC

Power Supply
Vol tag e

 Note: Exception: Model ACM-L2-DFDFTL-12SP and

ACM-L2-DFDFTH-48SP has no other variations.

 Note: Exception: Models in ACM500 series do not support

frequency range L0 and H and any of its variations.

Changes to this Manual

We have made every effort to ensure this manual is accurate. If you
discover any errors, or if you have suggestions for improving this man
ual, please send your comments to our Solon, Ohio factory. This man­ual may be periodically updated. When inquiring about updates to
this manual refer to the part number and revision on the title page.

-

viii

Chapter Layout

Introduction —
Theory of Operation — Describes the ACM’s alarm options.
Installation — Provides instructions for installing the ACM at a site,

as well as detailed information on the cable connections.
Operating Instructions — Explains computer commands for control-

ling the ACM and describes operation of the optional PCTool software.
Maintenance — Lists routine maintenance tasks for the ACM, as well

as troubleshooting information for common problems. Specifications
and parts lists are also included.

Identifies the parts and functions of the ACM.

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x

Table of Contents

Safety Precautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Safety Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

Warning Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

Caution Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Safety Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

About This Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Changes to this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Chapter Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Chapter 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Items Supplied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Optional Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Component Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Chapter 2 Theory of Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Alarm Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Alarm Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Alarm Latching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

VSWR Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Alarm on Zero Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

High Power Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Low Power Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Push-to-Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Chapter 3 Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Unpacking and Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Cable Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Power/Alarm Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

RS-232 Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Panel Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

RS-232 Port Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

xi

PCTool Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Computer Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Chapter 4 Operating Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

PCTool Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Main Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Com Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Alarm Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Push-to-Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Setting Push-to-Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Terminal Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

“T” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

“C” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

“A” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Chapter 5 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Inspection and Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Panel Mount Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Frequency Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

RF Power Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Insertion Loss, Max. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

VSWR, Max. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

xii

Chapter 1 Introduction

Designed for 50 ohm coaxial transmission lines, the Bird Antenna &
Cable Monitor is the solution for monitoring transmission antenna
systems. Service providers and end users can rely on it to keep their
critical sites up and running. Designed to detect antenna and cable
faults that transmitter-internal VSWR monitors may not detect, it
also provides accurate in-line power measurement functionality.

Features

z Measures forward and reflected power as well as VSWR and

Return Loss.

z Measures true average power of pulses with high peak-to-

average ratios - works with any modulation!

z Worldwide systems include Tetra, Cellular, and PCS with dig-

ital or analog modulation. Other applications include 3G,
AMPS, Broadcast, CDMA, CDMA 2000, DCS, EDGE, Govern­ment, GPRS, GSM, iDEN, Industrial, NPSPAC, Microwave,
Military, Paging, Public Safety, Rail, SMR, TDMA, Tetrapol,
Trunking, UHF, Utilities, VHF, W-CDMA, and WLL

z When monitoring transmitter output power, alarms available

for low or high power.

z Accurately monitors antenna and cable system VSWR. Alarm

triggered if antenna or cable fails.

z Integral coupler measures small changes in VSWR through

high feeder and interface losses. High directivity maximizes
measurement accuracy.

z Sampling ports allow signal measurements without requiring

system downtime.

z Excellent passive intermod allows the unit to be inserted into

multichannel systems with a single Tx/Rx antenna with no
desensing or degradation of receiver performance.

z Can be rack mounted at the output of transmitter combiner or

linear power amplifier.

z Local or remote setup and operation via RS-232 port and

PCTool software. (For other telemetry options, such as TCP/
IP, contact the factory)

Items Supplied

z ACM Unit

z Instruction Manual

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Optional Accessories

Refer to "Replacement Parts" on page 26 for part numbers of accessories.
Digital Display - Displays the ACM status and provides a low voltage

(+15 Vdc) power supply. Includes a power cord and 50 foot, 9 pin and
15 pin cables.

PCTool Software - PC software for data display, alarm monitoring,
and setting alarm options

Rack Mount - Allows two units to be mounted in a standard (2U)
panel mount. Available with and without a low voltage (+15 Vdc)
power supply.

DB-15 Power/Alarm Cables - Connects the Antenna Monitor to a
power supply and to external controllers. 50 feet long with male/
female connectors. Refer to
for pin layout.

DB-15 Interface Connector - Allows easy custom data cable connec­tions to the ACM.

9 pin RS-232 PC Interface Cables - Connects the Antenna Monitor to
a PC. Available in either 10 or 50 foot lengths, with male/female con
nectors. Refer to Figure 7 on page 11 for pin layout.

Panel Mount - The Panel Mount Kit allows up to two ACMs to be
installed in a standard (2U) panel mount. They are secured with locator
holes and a velcro strap. Power is provided through 15-pin parallel
cables, connected to a terminal strip at the factory. The ACM-RACKU
includes a +15V power supply, while the ACM-RACK requires a 48V
customer-provided power supply.
lights important components.

Figure 3 on page 9and Figure 5 on page 10

-

Figure 2 lists dimensions and high-

 Note: Exception: Model ACM-L2-DFDFTL-12SP requires

a 12V customer-provided power supply in place of the 48V
power supply.

2

Component Description

1”

(27 mm)

67

8

910

4

321

5

0.8”

(20 mm)

4.2”

(107 mm)

7.0”

(178 mm)

4.75”

(121 mm)

Figure 1 Antenna & Cable Monitor Outline

Introduction

1 RF Input Connect to the amplifier or combiner
2 Forward Monitor Port Samples the forward travelling wave
3 Reflected Monitor Port Samples the reflected wave
4 RF Output Connect to the antenna or feeder
5 Mounting Holes Four holes, two top and two bottom, for positioning

the ACM on a rack. Supplied with 4-40 screws, will
fit M3 holes.

6 Reset Switch Press to reset the alarm. If an alarm trigger is still

present, the alarm will reactivate
7 Operation/Test LED Green LED that lights when the unit is powered
8 Alarm LED Red LED that lights when an alarm is triggered
9 RS-232 Serial Port 9 pin female connector. Interface to a PC using a

10 Power/Alarm Parallel

Port

male 9 pin RS-232 cable

15 pin female connector (15 pin male connector on

models ACM-L2-DFDFTL-12SP and ACM-L2-

DFDFTH-48SP only). Connects to the power

supply using a male 15 pin cable. Also used for

remote operation.

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3.00”
(77 mm)

19.0”(483 mm)

3.47”
(82 mm)

INPUT

OUTPUT

NO

NC

COMMON

ALARM

RESET

EARTH GND

EARTH GND

+15V

VELCRO

MOUNTING

STRAPS

LOCATOR

HOLES (4)

POWER/ALARM

WIRING

POWER/ALARM

CONNECTOR

15 VOLT DC

POWER SUPPLY

7.36”
(187 mm)

9.24”
(235 mm)

6.22”
(158 mm)

Figure 2 Panel Mount Outline

4

Chapter 2 Theory of Operation

Alarm Response

When an alarm is triggered, the Bird Antenna & Cable Monitor turns
on the alarm LED and activates a Form C dry contact relay.

The alarm relay defaults to fail/safe. That is, the alarm activates when
the relay is not energized or power is lost. However, the PCTool soft
ware can configure the alarm to either energize or de-energize in
response to an alarm.

Alarm Reset

z Alarms can be reset locally with the reset switch.
z Alarms are reset when the reset pin on the Power/Alarm port

is activated by a TTL compatible logic low signal (0 to 0.8 Vdc).

z The PCTool can reset the unit through the RS-232 port by

sending a “Reset Alarm” command.

Alarm Latching

The alarm defaults to latching operation. In this mode, the alarm will
stay active until reset. In non-latching mode, the alarm will reset auto
matically about forty seconds after the trigger condition is corrected.

-

-

VSWR Alarm

The ACM continuously monitors forward and reflected power. From
the power measurements, the VSWR is calculated and compared to
the allowed maximum (default of 1.5 to 1). Based on the results of the
comparison, possible actions include:

z No alarm is activated if the VSWR is less than the maximum,

or if the VSWR alarm is disabled.

z If the VSWR is equal to or slightly greater than the maximum,

additional measurements are accumulated to determine a
trend. If reverse power is increasing, an alarm is triggered. If
the reverse power is stable, measurements continue until a
trend is established. An alarm will be triggered if the VSWR
exceeds the maximum for more than thirty seconds.

z If the VSWR is much greater than the maximum then an

alarm condition is triggered immediately.

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Alarm on Zero Power

When the forward power is very small (< 2.5% of full scale), the mea­sured VSWR becomes large due to the noise floor of the sensor. Under
these conditions, the VSWR level is meaningless. When the zero power
alarm is disabled, the VSWR will not be monitored at these low powers.

High Power Alarm

When the high power alarm is enabled, the forward power is continu­ously monitored. The alarm trigger is a percentage of the Monitor’s
full scale power, from 0 – 125%. If the forward power is greater than
the trigger level, an alarm is triggered.

Low Power Alarm

When the low power alarm is enabled, the forward power is continu­ously monitored. The alarm trigger is a percentage of the Monitor’s
full scale power, from 0 – 125%. If the forward power is less than the
trigger level, an alarm is triggered.

Push-to-Talk

The low power alarm and the VSWR alarm can falsely trigger when
the transmitter is not keyed. The Push-to-Talk feature uses a logic
input from the transmitter to control when alarm monitoring is active.
In order to prevent false alarms while monitoring for low power and
high VSWR, the Push-to-Talk feature must be enabled.

6

Chapter 3 Installation

This chapter provides information for preparing the Bird Antenna &
Cable Monitor for use.

Unpacking and Inspection

1. Carefully inspect the shipping container for signs of damage.

 Note: If damage is noticed, do not unpack the unit. Immedi-

ately notify the shipping carrier and Bird Electronic Corporation.

2. If the shipping container is not damaged, unpack the unit.

 Note: Save the packing material in case the unit needs to

be shipped again.

3. Inspect all of the components for visible signs of damage.

 Note: Immediately notify the shipping carrier and Bird

Electronic Corporation of equipment damage or missing parts.

The Bird ACM is shipped complete and ready for use upon receipt.
After unpacking and inspecting the unit, it is ready to be installed.

WARNING

Leaking RF energy is a potential health hazard. Never

attempt to connect or disconnect equipment from the

transmission line while RF power is being applied.

Severe burns, electrical shock, or death can occur.

Mounting

Mount the ACM in the feeder line between the combiner and the
antenna. Make sure that the alarm LED and reset button are
accessible, and that the connecting cables have proper clearance.

Cable Connections

When connecting the Bird ACM to RF power, use 50 ohm coaxial cable
suitable for the frequency and power level of operation. The cable
connector should mate with the connector on the unit.

7

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Connect the amplifier or combiner to the Monitor’s input. Connect the
antenna or feeder to the output.

WARNING
Do not touch the center conductor of the power
monitor ports while RF power is being applied.

To monitor the RF waveform, connect the forward and reflected power
monitor ports to an appropriate power sensor or meter.

 Note: If a power monitor port is not being used, terminate

it with a 50Ω load.

Power/Alarm Connector

Connect the external power supply here. Pin numbers and descriptions
are given in

Figure 3 and Figure 5.

CAUTION

The input voltage must be clean and stable. Be sure

that the input voltage does not surge and does not

contain spikes. Failure to comply may result in

permanent damage to the instrument.

Low voltage models (ACM-x-xxxxxL and ACM500-x-xxxxxL) require
+11 to +26 Vdc power @ 0.1 A (nominal +15 Vdc).

 Note: Exception: Model ACM-L2-DFDFTL-12SP is a low

voltage model but it requires a +9 to +18 Vdc (12 V nominal) @

0.13 mA. Either terminal (10 or 11) may be connected to DC
input ground, as dictated by the power supply requirements.

CAUTION
The maximum input voltage differential is 72 V. Do
not apply an input voltage differential greater than

72 volts. Failure to comply may result in

permanent damage to the instrument.

High voltage models (ACM-x-xxxxxH and ACM500-x-xxxxxH) require
36 to 72 Vdc (48 V nominal) @ 0.1 A. Either terminal (10 or 11) may be
connected to DC input ground, as dictated by the power supply
requirements.

8

Figure 3 DB-15 Power/Alarm Connector, Female

1

15

FEMALE

8

9

- 48 V Connection

+ 48 V Connection - 11 V to + 26 V Connection

11

11 15

13

Gnd

Gnd

Gnd

- 48 V

+ 48 V

+ 11 V to + 26 V

10

10

14

12

1

15

8

9

1

15

8

9

189

Pin Description

1 Relay, normally closed contact

(closed when relay is not energized)
(open when there is no alarm)

2 Relay, common contact

3 TTL compatible alarm, 0 to ≥ 4.0 Vdc with a 10k load

when the alarm is active

4 PTT input, +5V to +24V to activate,

0V or open to deactivate

5 TTL compatible reset, 0 to +0.8 Vdc resets alarm

6-8 Internal connection

9 Relay, normally open contact

(open when relay is not energized)
(closed when there is no alarm)

Installation

10 DC input, 36 to 72 Vdc, + terminal

(ACM-x-xxxxxH models only). See Fig. 4.

11 DC input, 36 to 72 Vdc, – terminal

(ACM-x-xxxxxH models only). See Fig. 4.

12-13 DC input, +11 to +26 Vdc (ACM-x-xxxxxL models only).

Pins 12 and 13 are internally connected (see Fig. 4).

14-15 DC input and signal ground. Pins 14 and 15 are internally

connected (see Fig. 4).

Figure 4 Power/Alarm Connector Wiring, Female

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Bird Technologies

1

15

8

9

MALE (model ACM-L2-DFDFTL-12SP only)

- 12 V Connection

+ 12 V Connection

+ 12 V

- 12 V

Gnd

Gnd

13

13

14

14

1

15

8

9

1

15

8

9

DETAIL “A”

DETAIL “B”

Figure 5 DB-15 Power/Alarm Connector, Male

Pin Description

1-3 Internal connection
4 TTL compatible reset, 0 to +0.8 Vdc resets alarm
5 PTT input, +5V to +24V to activate,

0V or open to deactivate

6 TTL compatible alarm, 0 to ≥ 4.0 Vdc with a 10k load

when the alarm is active
7 Relay, common contact
8 Relay, normally closed contact (closed when relay is

not energized)

(open when there is no alarm)
9-10 DC input and signal ground
11-12 No connection (model ACM-L2-DFDFTL-12SP only)
13 DC input, 9 to 18 Vdc, - terminal

(model ACM-L2-DFDFTL-12SP only).

See DETAIL “A” in Fig. 6.

DC input, 36 to 72 Vdc, - terminal

(model ACM-L2-DFDFTL-48SP only).

See DETAIL “B” in Fig. 6.
14 DC input, 9 to 18 Vdc, + terminal

(model ACM-L2-DFDFTL-12SP only).

See DETAIL “A” in Fig. 6.

DC input, 36 to 72 Vdc, + terminal

(model ACM-L2-DFDFTL-48SP only).

See DETAIL “B” in Fig. 6.
15 Relay, normally open contact (open when relay is not

energized)

(closed when there is no alarm)

Figure 6 Power/Alarm Connector Wiring, Male

10

Installation

RS-232 Connector

The RS-232 connector carries ASCII data between the Antenna Moni­tor and a display panel or PC. If a PC is connected to the display front
panel, it is also routed to this connector. Pin numbers and connection
descriptions are given in

Figure 7 DB-9 RS-232 Connector

Pin Description

1 Carrier Detect, always > +5 Vdc

2 Transmit Output, RS-232 data signal

3 Receive Input, RS-232 data signal

4 Data Set Ready Input, connected but not used

5 Data Signal Ground

Figure 7.

6 Data Terminal Ready Output, connected but not used

7 Clear-To-Send, shorted internally to Ready-To-Send

8 Ready-To-Send, shorted internally to Clear-To-Send

9 Ring Indicator, no connection

Panel Mount

Disconnect the unit from the RF power source and the

AC line before any disassembly. The potential for

The +15V supply should only be used to power the ACM

Panel. Do not connect anything else to the power supply.

WARNING

electrical shock exists.

CAUTION

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Bird Technologies

Installation

To install a Bird Antenna Monitor in the panel mount, follow these
instructions (Refer to

1. Unbuckle the velcro strap and move the power/alarm connector
out of the way.

2. Place the ACM on the panel so that the screws on the bottom of
the Monitor fit into the locator holes on the panel.

Figure 2 on page 4):

 Note: The ACM should lock into place.

3. Use the strap to secure the ACM.

4. Plug the power/alarm connector into the power/alarm parallel port
on the ACM.

5. Make RF and RS-232 connections as described in this chapter.

Power Supply

The ACM–RACKU includes a +15 Vdc supply already connected to the
terminal strip.

The ACM–RACK requires a customer-provided power supply. Connect
the supply according to the manufacturer’s instructions (
Mount Wiring” on page 22 for details on the panel wiring configuration).

See “Panel

RS-232 Port Setup

The RS-232 port is configured for 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit and
no parity. This configuration is fixed in the firmware and cannot be
modified. Operate the serial interface as follows:

z Connect the Bird Antenna Monitor to the computer’s serial

port with a DB-9 cable. Do not use a null modem adapter. The
port is configurable from within the PCTool software.

z To use the Bird PCTool software, install it on the computer

and start the application. Refer to "PCTool Software" on
page 15 for information about using the program.

z To use a terminal program, configure it for 9600 baud, 8 data

bits, 1 stop bit, no parity, and no handshake. Set the prefer­ences so that echo is off and line feeds are not appended to out­put transmission. The commands available are detailed in
"Terminal Commands" on page 20.

12

Installation

PCTool Software

Computer Requirements

The Bird PCTool software will run on any computer running Windows
NT or Windows 95/98/2000. To install and run the program, your com
puter system must meet or exceed the requirements listed below:

486 or better CPU (66 MHz or better recommended)
1 MB of free memory
Hard Disk Drive
CD-ROM Drive

Follow the instructions on the CD provided to install the software.

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14

Chapter 4 Operating Instructions

PCTool Software

Main Screen

The PCTool communicates with and configures the Bird Antenna &
Cable Monitor. It displays forward and reverse power along with
VSWR, return loss, match efficiency and transmitted power.
shows a sample of the display screen. Refer to the software “Help” file
for specific instructions.

Figure 8 Sample Display

Figure 8

The main screen has two buttons at the bottom, “Trigger” and “Continu­ous”. Clicking on these will trigger readings. “Trigger” will display a sin­gle reading, while “Continuous” will take a new reading every second.

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Bird Technologies

Com Settings

The PCTool software must be set to use the correct Com Port to com­municate with the Antenna Monitor. The default is Com Port 1. To
change the Com Port, select the correct one from the “View>Comm
Port” menu, shown in

Figure 9 Com Menu

Alarm Options

Three alarms can be configured from the software. All alarms are con­figured from the “View>Options” menu, shown in Figure 10 below.

z High VSWR: Calculated VSWR exceeds a setpoint.
z High Forward Power: Measured power exceeds a setpoint.
z Low Forward Power: Measured power is less than a setpoint.

Figure 9 below.

 Note: Some models are not equipped with all alarm variations.

Master Alarm Enable -

box is unchecked, all alarms will be disabled. When it is checked, the
VSWR alarm will automatically be enabled while “Alarm on Zero
Power”, “High Power Alarm”, and “Low Power Alarm” will be on or off
depending on their checkboxes.

Relay Energized on Alarm - The energized state of the relay can be
set. When this checkbox is unchecked, the relay will be de-energized
when an alarm is detected and energized when there is no alarm.
With this setting, the alarm is fail-safe. When it is checked, the relay
will be energized when an alarm is detected and de-energized when
there is no alarm.

Allows the alarms to work. When this check-

16

Figure 10 Options Menu

Operating Instructions

Latch Alarms -

absence of an alarm condition.When this checkbox is unchecked, if an
alarm trigger is corrected the alarm will reset after a forty second
delay. When it is checked, the alarm must be manually reset.

Alarm at Power (Pwr) Up - At power up, before the instrument is
ready to take measurements, the microcontroller resets the circuitry
to the default condition and then performs internal initialization tasks
(such as memory test, hardware setup, and reading EEPROM param
eters). Check the Alarm at Pwr Up box to have the alarm relay set
(enabled) during the microcontroller initialization time. This is the
default setting. Uncheck the Alarm at Pwr Up box to disable the alarm
during the microcontroller initialization time.

Sets whether the alarm will reset automatically in the

 Note: When the Alarm at Pwr Up feature is disabled, the

alarm relay may set for a few milliseconds during initialization.

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Bird Technologies

VSWR Alarm -

allow the VSWR alarm to trigger even at low forward power (<

Adjustable from 1.3 to 2.5 by increments of 0.1. To

2.5% of

full scale power), check the “Alarm on Zero Power” checkbox.

While the VSWR trip point can now be set out to 2.5, the instrument
cannot always measure VSWR above 1.9. This is due to the large
amount of reflected power caused at higher VSWRs. The maximum
VSWR that can be physically measured is determined by the full scale
ratio of the forward and reflected detectors. This ratio is 10:1. The
maximum measurable VSWR occurs when the reflected channel is
near its limit. The following table shows the maximum possible VSWR
measurement as a function of percentage of full scale forward input
power. Use this table as a guide to determine the VSWR trip point.

Percentage Full

Scale

50% 3.00
55% 2.82
60% 2.68
65% 2.56
70% 2.46
75% 2.38
80% 2.31
85% 2.24
90% 2.19
95% 2.14

100% 2.09

Max VSWR

High Power Alarm - Adjustable from 0 to 125% of the ACM’s full scale

power. The alarm setpoint is entered as the % of full scale.

Example - A 100W full scale unit and an alarm is needed
when the forward power exceeds 75 W, the alarm setpoint
would be 75 /100 x 100 or 75%. Enter “75” into the data field
and check the “Enable High Power Alarm” checkbox.

Low Power Alarm -

Set in the same way as the High Power Alarm,
however this alarm will trigger when the forward power is less than
the alarm setpoint.

18

Operating Instructions

Push-to-Talk

Setting Push-to-Talk

1. Open the Power Monitor Options dialog.

2. Do one of the following:

z Check the Enable checkbox to turn the Push-to-Talk feature on.
z Uncheck the Enable checkbox to turn the Push-to-Talk feature off.

3. Enter any value for the time up to 14 sec.

 Note: The time actually programmed on the ACM will be a

multiple of 156.25 ms. For this reason, the time displayed will be
slightly different from the time set. The actual delay from the
PTT signal is uncertain because the PTT signal is asynchronous
to the internal measurement samples. The uncertainty is +/-

156.25 ms.

Figure 11 Push-to-Talk

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Bird Technologies

Terminal Commands

There are three commands which can be sent when the Bird Antenna
Monitor is connected to a terminal.

“T”

The “T” command will cause the unit to echo a single measurement.
The format is:

nnn.n,nn.nnXX<CR><LF>

That is, three digits of forward power, a decimal point, a fourth digit of
forward power, a comma, followed by two digits of reverse power, a
decimal point, and two digits of reverse power.

The first character following will be “A” if an alarm has been triggered
until the alarm is reset, and will be blank if there is no alarm. The sec
ond character will be “0” if “Alarm on Zero Power” is disabled, and “1”
if “Alarm on Zero Power” is enabled.

“C”

-

The “C” command will cause the unit to echo measurements repeat­edly. The format is identical to the “T” command. The “C” command
can be interrupted at any time by sending the “T” command.

“A”

The “A” command will reset the alarm. If an alarm condition is still
present, the alarm will turn back on after being reset.

20

Chapter 5 Maintenance

This chapter contains troubleshooting instructions, part information,
and specifications for the Bird Antenna & Cable Monitor.

Inspection and Cleaning

This unit requires only simple and routine maintenance.

CAUTION

Do not use harsh or abrasive detergents for cleaning.

WARNING

Disconnect the unit from the RF power source and

the AC line before any disassembly. The potential

for electrical shock exists.

1. Wipe off dust and dirt regularly.

 Note: Use a soft, clean cloth dampened with mild detergent.

2. Check connectors, connector pins, and cables for damage.

 Note: If needed, clean the connectors using a self-drying

contact cleaner that leaves no residue.

Troubleshooting

The Bird Antenna Monitor has no operator serviceable parts. Any
required service must be performed at an authorized service facility.

The table below contains troubleshooting information for problems
which can occur during normal operation. This manual cannot list all
malfunctions that may occur, or their corrective actions. If a problem
is not listed or is not corrected by the listed actions, notify a qualified
service center.

Problem Possible Cause Correction

Operation/Test LED
does not illuminate

Alarm LED does not
illuminate

High VSWR Dirty connectors Clean connectors.

No DC power Check power source.
Defective LED Return the unit to an

authorized service center.

Defective LED Return the unit to an

authorized service center.

Defective connectors Replace connectors.
Shorted or open

transmission line

Have the line serviced.

21

Bird Technologies

NO

NC

COMMON

ALARM

RESET

EARTH GND

EARTH GND

+15V

+

12V

–

NO

NC

COMMON

ALARM

RESET

EARTH GND

Panel Mount Wiring

The power/alarm connectors for the Bird ACM Panel Mount are pro­vided wired to the terminal strips. Figure 12, Figure 13, and Figure 14
show the wiring schematics for 15V, 12V, and 48V respectively.

WARNING

Shock hazard. Remove AC power before attempting

to service the equipment.

CAUTION

The +15V supply should only be used to power the

ACM Panel.

Do not connect anything else to the power supply.

Note the following, which apply to both panel styles:

z The top two terminals are not used.
z For either model, the power/alarm connector is wired identi-

cally on both terminal strips.

z The 15V, 12V, and 48V connectors have different connection

callouts. Be sure to use the correct wiring schematic for each
specific model.

Figure 12 15V Wiring Schematic

Figure 13 12V Wiring Schematic

22

Figure 14 48V Wiring Schematic

+

48V

–

NO

NC

COMMON

ALARM

RESET

EARTH GND

Maintenance

23

Bird Technologies

Customer Service

Any maintenance or service procedure beyond the scope of those pro­vided in this chapter should be referred to a qualified service center.

If you need to return the unit for any reason, contact the Bird Service
Center for a return authorization. All instruments returned must be
shipped prepaid and to the attention of Bird Service Center.

Bird Service Center

30303 Aurora Road
Cleveland (Solon), Ohio 44139-2794
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

For the location of the Sales Office nearest you, give us a call or visit
our Web site at:

http://www.bird-technologies.com

24

Specifications

General

Maintenance

Directivity, Min.

108 – 960 MHz
960 – 2400 MHz

VSWR Alarm Setpoint 1.3:1.0 to 2.5:1.0 by 0.1:1.0

Alarm Relay Dry, form C. Common, normally

Relay Contact Rating 100 Vdc @ 0.5 A
Visual Alarm Red LED will light to indicate

Alarm Stimulus VSWR setpoint exceeded,

Alarm Reset Local mechanical reset switch

RF Connectors Male or Female, N or 7/16 DIN
Monitor Port Connectors Female N, TNC, or BNC
Monitor Port Coupling –63 dB nominal
Passive Intermodulation

Products
RS-232 Serial Port

Connector
Protocol

Power/Alarm Parallel Port Female DB-15 connector
Power Requirements

ACM-x-xxxxxL
ACM500-x-xxxxxL
ACM-x-xxxxxH
ACM500-x-xxxxxH
ACM-L2-DFDFTL-12SP

Tem per atu re

Operating
Storage

Altitude, Max. 3000 m (10,000 ft.)
Humidity, Max. 95% non-condensing
Dimensions, Nominal,

without connectors
Weight, Max. 2 lbs. (0.9 kg)

30 dB
26 dB

steps. Refer to "VSWR Alarm ­" on page 18 for information
about power limitations.

open, & normally closed contacts.

an alarm

response time proportional to
overload

Remote input (Reset if Vdc = 0
to +0.8 V)

< –130 dBc

Female DB-9
RS-232, 9600 baud, no parity, 8
data bits, 1 stop bit, no handshake

+11 to +26 Vdc @ 0.1 A
+11 to +26 Vdc @ 0.1 A
± (36 to 72) Vdc @ 0.1 A
± (36 to 72) Vdc @ 0.1 A
+9 to +18 Vdc @ 0.13 A

0 to 50 °C (32 to 122 °F)
–20 to +80 °C (–4 to +176 °F)

4.6” L x 4.8” W x 1.2” H
(117 x 122 x 30 mm)

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Bird Technologies

Frequency Range

ACM500-

---­L1
L2
M

----

RF Power Range

ACM-L0-xxxxxx
All Other ACM models
ACM500-xx-xxxxxx

Accuracy

ACM500

---­L1
L2
M

----

ACM-

Insertion Loss, Max.

108 – 960 MHz
960 – 2400 MHz

VSWR, Max.

N Connectors

108 – 960 MHz
960 – 2400 MHz

7/16 DIN Connectors

108 – 960 MHz
960 – 2000 MHz
2000 – 2400 MHz

ACM-

L0-xxxxxx
L1-xxxxxx
L2-xxxxxx
M-xxxxxx
H-xxxxxx

L0
L1
L2
M
H

108 – 138 MHz
136 – 225 MHz
225 – 520 MHz
470 – 960 MHz
960 – 2400 MHz

5 - 200 W

2.5 – 100 W

12.5 – 500 W

± 8%
± 10%
± 8%
± 5%
± 5%

0.1 dB

0.15 dB

1.07:1

1.1:1

1.07:1

1.1:1

1.2:1

Replacement Parts

Description Part Number

Instruction Manual 920-ACM
PCTool Software 7005A970
Rack Mount Kit

With 15Vdc power supply
Without power supply

9 pin RS-232 Interface Cable

50 ft.
10 ft.

DB-15 Interface Cable,
50 ft., male/female

DB-15 Interface Connector SUBCON-15/M-SH

26

ACM-RACKU
ACM-RACK

5A2264-09-MF-50
5A2264-09-MF-10

5A2264-15-MF-50

Limited Warranty

All products manufactured by Seller are warranted to be free from
defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year,
unless otherwise specified, from date of shipment and to conform to
applicable specifications, drawings, blueprints and/or samples. Seller’s
sole obligation under these warranties shall be to issue credit, repair
or replace any item or part thereof which is proved to be other than as
warranted; no allowance shall be made for any labor charges of Buyer
for replacement of parts, adjustment or repairs, or any other work,
unless such charges are authorized in advance by Seller.

If Seller’s products are claimed to be defective in material or work­manship or not to conform to specifications, drawings, blueprints and/
or samples, Seller shall, upon prompt notice thereof, either examine
the products where they are located or issue shipping instructions for
return to Seller (transportation-charges prepaid by Buyer). In the
event any of our products are proved to be other than as warranted,
transportation costs (cheapest way) to and from Seller’s plant, will be
borne by Seller and reimbursement or credit will be made for amounts
so expended by Buyer. Every such claim for breach of these warranties
shall be deemed to be waived by Buyer unless made in writing within
ten (10) days from the date of discovery of the defect.

The above warranties shall not extend to any products or parts thereof
which have been subjected to any misuse or neglect, damaged by acci
dent, rendered defective by reason of improper installation or by the
performance of repairs or alterations outside of our plant, and shall
not apply to any goods or parts thereof furnished by Buyer or acquired
from others at Buyer’s request and/or to Buyer’s specifications. Rou
tine (regularly required) calibration is not covered under this limited
warranty. In addition, Seller’s warranties do not extend to the failure
of tubes, transistors, fuses and batteries, or to other equipment and
parts manufactured by others except to the extent of the original man
ufacturer’s warranty to Seller.

The obligations under the foregoing warranties are limited to the precise
terms thereof. These warranties provide exclusive remedies, expressly in
lieu of all other remedies including claims for special or consequential
damages. SELLER NEITHER MAKES NOR ASSUMES ANY OTHER
WARRANTY WHATSOEVER, WHETHER EXPRESS, STATUTORY,
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY
AND FITNESS, AND NO PERSON IS AUTHORIZED TO ASSUME
FOR SELLER ANY OBLIGATION OR LIABILITY NOT STRICTLY IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING.

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28