DRAKE HCP1550, DRMM4 Instruction Manual

HCP1550

Commercial Heterodyne Channel Processor

(For use in NTSC systems)

Instruction Manual

® is a registered trademark of the R.L. Drake Company

©Copyright 2004 R.L. Drake Co. P/N: 3852453K-09-2004 Printed in the U.S.A.

ii Caution Statements

WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR

ELECTRICAL SHOCK DO NOT

EXPOSE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE

¡WARNING!

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,

DO NOT REMOVE POWER SUPPLY COVERS

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL

WARNING:

CAUTION:

ATTENTION:

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS
APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. DO NOT OPEN THE CABINET, REFER SERVIC­ING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL ONLY.

TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT USE THIS (POLARIZED) PLUG WITH AN
EXTENSION CORD RECEPTACLE OR OTHER OUTLET UNLESS THE BLADES CAN BE
FULLY INSERTED TO PREVENT BLADE EXPOSURE.

POUR PREVENIR LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES, NE PAS UTILISER CETTE FICHE
POLARISEE AVEC UN PROLONGATEUR, UNE PRISE DE COURANT OU UNE AUTRE
SORTIE DE COURANT, SAUF SI LES LAMES PEUVENT ETRE INSEREES A FOND SANS
EN LAISSER AUCUNE PARTIE A DECOUVERT.

Important Safety Instructions

1. Read Instructions—All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the product
is operated.

2. Retain Instructions—The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future
reference.

3. Heed Warnings—All warnings on the product and in the operating instructions should be
adhered to.

4. Follow Instructions—All operating and use instructions should be followed.

5. Cleaning—Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners

or aerosol cleansers. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

6. Attachments—Do not use attachments that are not recommended by the product manufac­turer as they may cause hazards.

7. Water and Moisture—Do not use this product near water—for example, near a bathtub, wash
bowl, kitchen sink or laundry tub; in a wet basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like.

8. Accessories—Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table.
The product may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product.
Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table recommended by the manufacturer, or sold
with the product. Any mounting of the product should follow the manufacturer's instructions, and
should use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer.

9. A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and
uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart combination to overturn.

10. Ventilation—Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to ensure
reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating, and these openings must not
be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed,
sofa, rug, or similar surface. This product should not be placed in a built-in installation such as
bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer's instructions have
been adhered to.

11. Power Sources—This product should be operated only from the type of power source
indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power supplied to your home,
consult your product dealer or local power company. For products intended to operate from battery
power, or other sources, refer to the operating instructions.

12. Grounding or Polarization—This product may be equipped with a polarized alternating­current line plug (a plug having one blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into the power outlet
only one way. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet, try
reversing the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete
outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug.
Alternate Warnings—If this product is equipped with a three-wire grounding-type plug, a plug
having a third (grounding) pin, the plug will only fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This is a
safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact your electrician to replace
your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the grounding-type plug.
12 a. Mise à la terre ou Polarisation—Cet appareil est équipé avec un cordon d'alimentation à
trois fils. Il est a brancher sur une prise ayant un connecteur a la terre. Assurez-vous que la
connection a la terre ne manque pas.

13. Power-Cord Protection—Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to
be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords
at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the product.

14. Outdoor Antenna Grounding—If an outside antenna or cable system is connected to the
product, be sure the antenna or cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection against
voltage surges and built-up static charges. Article 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA
70, provides information with regard to proper grounding of the mast and supporting structure,
grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location
of antenna-discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the
grounding electrode. See Figure A.

15. Lightning—For added protection for this product during a lightning storm, or when it is left
unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the
antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power-line
surges.

16. Power Lines—An outside antenna system should not be located in the vicinity of overhead
power lines, other electric light or power circuits, where it can fall into such power lines or circuits.

An appliance and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops,
excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the appliance and cart combina­tion to overturn.

The lightning flash with arrow head symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is
intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage"
within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a
risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to
the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in
the literature accompanying the appliance.

17. Overloading—Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or integral convenience
receptacles as this can result in a risk of fire or electric shock.

18. Object and Liquid Entry—Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings
as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric
shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.

19. Servicing—Do not attempt to service this product yourself as opening or removing covers may
expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service
personnel.

20. Damage Requiring Service—Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to
qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

a. When the power-supply cord or plug is damaged,
b. If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the product,
c. If the product has been exposed to rain or water,
d. If the product does not operate normally by following the operating instructions. Adjust only

those controls that are covered by the operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other
controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to
restore the product to its normal operation,

e. If the product has been dropped or damaged in any way, and
f. When the product exhibits a distinct change in performance—this indicates a need for service.

21. Replacement Parts—When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician

has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as
the original part. Unauthorized substitutes may result in fire, electric shock or other hazards.

22. Safety Check—Upon completion of any service or repairs to this product, ask the service
technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition.

23. Wall or Ceiling Mounting—The product should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as
recommended by the manufacturer.

24. Heat—The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

NOTE TO CATV SYSTEM INSTALLERS:

THIS REMINDER IS PROVIDED TO CALL THE CATV SYSTEM INSTALLER'S ATTENTION TO
ARTICLE 820 - 40 OF THE NEC THAT PROVIDES GUIDELINES FOR PROPER GROUNDING
AND, IN PARTICULAR, SPECIFIES THAT THE CABLE GROUND SHALL BE CONNECTED TO
THE GROUNDING SYSTEM OF THE BUILDING, AS CLOSE TO THE POINT OF CABLE ENTRY
AS PRACTICAL.

EXAMPLE OF ANTENNA GROUNDING

ANTENNA

LEAD IN

WIRE

GROUND CLAMP

ELECTRIC
SERVICE
EQUIPMENT

POWER SERVICE GROUNDING ELECTRODE

SYSTEM (NEC ART 250, PART H)

ANTENNA

DISCHARGE UNIT

(NEC SECTION 810-20)

GROUNDING

CONDUCTORS

(NEC SECTION 810-21)

GROUND CLAMPS

Table of Contents / Description / Specifications 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ii Caution Statements
ii Important Safety Instructions
1 Table of Contents / Description / Specifications
2 Front Panel Controls / Indicators
4 Rear Panel Connections

5 Installation
6 List of Input and Output Channels
8 Service / If You Need To Call For Help
9 Warranty

HCP1550 CHANNEL PROCESSOR

POWER

DESCRIPTION

The R. L. Drake HCP1550 is a high quality, frequency
agile channel processor capable of converting any VHF,
UHF, or CATV input signal to any standard output channel
between 54 and 550 MHz. Input and output frequency,
including output frequency offset are easily set with front
panel pushwheel switches. A/V ratio and output level
controls are also provided along with IF loop-thru
connections to offer exceptional flexibility.

The synthesized input tuning permits reception of Off-Air
TV channels 2 through 69, standard CATV channels 2
through 125, and IRC, HRC channels 1 through 125. A
front panel signal indicator lights for input signal strengths
greater than a threshold value. The synthesized RF
output can be set for any CATV channel 2 through 78 and
95 through 99. The output frequency offset can be set for
none or in increments of 6.25 kHz plus or minus up to

56.25 kHz maximum offset.

SPECIFICATIONS

INPUT SECTION

Frequency Range:

Input Impedance:

RF Input Level:

Adjacent Channel

Rejection:

Noise Figure:

Tuner Image Rejection:

COMPOSITE IF LOOP

Output Level

(V carrier):

Spurious Outputs:

Input Level (V carrier):

IF Input/Output

Impedance:

Isolation:

54 to 806 MHz:
Off-Air TV channels 2 to 69;
Standard CATV channels 2 to 125;
IRC and HRC channels 1 to 125.
75 Ohms.

-10 dBmV to + 35 dBmV.
Greater than 60 dB.

VHF, 8 dB. UHF, 10 dB.
VHF, 65 dB. UHF, 50 dB.

+28 dBmV ±2 dB.

-60 dBc minimum.
+28 dBmV nominal,
+30 dBmV maximum.

75 Ohms, greater than 15 dB return loss.
Greater than 60 dB.

CATV
CATV

OFF AIR

+

100

RF INPUT

CHANNEL PLAN

IRC
HRC
STD

INPUT

CHANNEL

Knowledge of the input signal frequency and the desired
output frequency is important prior to setting any offset.
RF output level is front panel adjustable to +60 dBmV
maximum.

IF loop-thru capability in the HCP1550 supplies a padded
IF output prior to channel conversion. This feature
provides the capability to replace the standard internally
generated IF output with an alternate source of composite
IF, or allows the insertion of IF scrambling equipment.

Coaxial connectors are provided for the RF Input, the IF
Loop-out and Loop-in, and the RF Output. All of the
mentioned features, combined with a carefully designed
low intermodulation output stage, provide reliable
operation in a densely crowded SMATV or cable
environment.

X

OUTPUT SECTION

Frequency Range:

Frequency Stability:

A/V Ratio Adjustment:

Spurious Outputs:

Broadband Noise:

Operating Temperature:

A / V RATIO

--

SIGNAL OUTPUT ENABLED

RF OUTPUT

x 6.25 kHz

7 804 4

OUTPUT

CHANNEL

+

OFFSET

X

82 channels, 54 to 550 MHz;
Channels 2 to 78 and 95 o 99.

Output Level:

Video Frequency

Response:

L-C Delay:

FCC Offset:

GENERAL

AC Power Input:

Dimensions:

Weight:

+60 dBmV (typically adjustable from
+50 to +60 dBmV).

20 Hz to 4.2 MHz, ±3 dB.
±50 nSec.
±5 PPM of frequency difference
between input and output signals.
Selectable - None or increments of

6.25 kHz plus or minus up to

56.25 kHz maximum offset.
Typically 0 to -10 dB relative to input
A/V ratio.

-58 dBc minimum, -60 dBc typical
(measured at an input level of between
0 to +20 dBmV).

-75 dBc typical,
(4 MHz noise bandwidth @ ±12 MHz).

115 VAC (±10%), 60 Hz, 30 Watts.
00 C to + 500 C, ambient.
19" W x 1.75" H x 8.75" D.

7.0 lbs.

LEVEL

X

2 Front Panel Controls and Indicators

F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9

HCP1550 CHANNEL PROCESSOR

POWER

CATV
CATV

OFF AIR

RF INPUT

+

100

F1 – POWER Indicator

Lights when the unit is connected to a source of AC
power.

F2 – CHANNEL PLAN Switches

Sets the type of channel, Off-Air or various CATV channel
plans.

- Setting the left-hand switch for “OFF AIR” electrically
locks out the right-hand switch.
OFF-AIR CHANNEL 25:

RF INPUT

+

CATV

100

CATV

OFF AIR

IRC
HRC
STD

2 5

INPUT

CHANNEL PLAN

CHANNEL

- Setting the left-hand switch for “CATV” ("CATV + 100")
also requires setting the right-hand switch for “IRC”,
“HRC”, or “STD” (standard) as desired for the given input
signal operating channel.
STANDARD CATV CHANNEL 25:

IRC
HRC

STD

CHANNEL PLAN

Figure 1

A / V RATIO

--

INPUT

CHANNEL

SIGNAL OUTPUT ENABLED

RF OUTPUT

x 6.25 kHz

7 804 4

OUTPUT

CHANNEL

+

OFFSET

LEVEL

F3 – INPUT CHANNEL Number Switch

Sets the input channel number for Off-Air TV channels 02
through 69, for standard CATV channels 02 through 125,
or IRC,HRC* channels 01 through 125. See also Item F2
which sets the type of channel (Off-Air or various types of
CATV channel plans) and sets the leading “1” for CATV
channels 100 through 125.
*HRC - Harmonically Related Carrier.
*IRC - Incrementally Related Carrier.

F4 – SIGNAL Indicator

Lights to indicate that an input signal is being received as
set by the input channel switches and is of a signal
strength greater than approximately –10 dBmV. Note that
if this indicator is off (no received signal), the RF output is
switched off. See also Item F8.

F5 – A/V RATIO Control

This screwdriver adjustment varies the level of the output
aural carrier over a range from 0 to –10 dB relative to the
input A/V ratio. The aural carrier should be adjusted to
approximately 15 dB below the visual carrier (normal
operation). Clockwise rotation increases the output aural
carrier level and thus decreases the output A/V ratio.

RF INPUT

+

CATV

100

CATV

OFF AIR

IRC
HRC
STD

CHANNEL PLAN

- Setting the left-hand switch for “CATV +100” sets a
leading ”1” to the INPUT CHANNEL thumbwheel switch
for CATV channels from 100 through 125.
STANDARD CATV CHANNEL 125:

RF INPUT

+

CATV

100

CATV

OFF AIR

IRC
HRC
STD

CHANNEL PLAN

2 5

INPUT

CHANNEL

2 5

INPUT

CHANNEL