PCS Electronics CyberMaxFM+ DSP/RDS User Manual

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1

CyberMaxFM+ DSP/RDS

High performance FM radio broadcasting exciter
Covers 150W, 300W, 500W and 750W models, silver and black front
panel

Manual

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I M P O R T A N T N O T E

- Upon receiving your order inspect the packaging material and unit for apparent damage.
Any damage should be reported immediately so we can make a claim with the shipping
company. Take photos, if you can, they can be used as a proof.

- Mains cable is typically not included with our mains power supplies and units. Since these
cables vary from country to country and we had trouble finding the exact type we decided
against including them, especially since finding them is so easy and cheap locally. They can be
obtained in any radio/computer/hardware shop at the cost of about 1 US$. It is the type used in
your PC for mains power.

- Study local regulations and ensure you are always operating in compliance.

- Do not open the unit or attempt service yourself. Deadly mains voltage is present inside. There
are also high RF voltage points that can cause burns and discomfort if touched.

- If you are using ¾ Exterminator antenna make sure you first extend all the telescopic tubes all
the way to black marker ring. This ring has been drawn during the tune-up procedure. Also verify
SWR with SWR meter as transport or installation can affect resonant frequency slightly.

- Finally, never ever operate any transmitter or amplifier without a properly tuned antenna!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCING CYBERMAXFM+ SERIES OF TRANSMITTERS................................ .......................... 5

WHAT MAKES THIS FM TRANSMITTER SERIES SO GREAT?................................................................................. 5

GENERAL FEATURES ....................................................................................................................................... 5

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 6

THANK YOU FOR PURCHASING CYBERMAXFM+ TRANSMITTER........................................................................ 6

FRONT AND BACK PANEL LAYOUT ................................................................ ....................................... 7

WHAT’S INSIDE THE BOX? ................................................................ ....................................................... 9

FM EXCITER BOARD..................................................................................................................................... 10

STEREO ENCODER BOARD.............................................................................................................................. 12

RDS ENCODER BOARD .................................................................................................................................. 13

WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFO? .................................................................................................................... 13

BEFORE YOU START ................................................................................................................................ 14

ANTENNA..................................................................................................................................................... 14

SO WHAT IS THIS SWR (VSWR) EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT?........................................................................... 15

COAXIAL CABLE ........................................................................................................................................... 15

MAINS POWER SUPPLY AND MAINS POWER CABLE .......................................................................................... 15

AUDIO SOURCE WITH MI XER, MICROPHONE ETC ............................................................................................. 15

WIRING EVERYTHING TOGETHER ...................................................................................................... 16

WIRING THINGS UP AND FIRST POWER-UP....................................................................................................... 16

USING THE CYBERMAXFM+ SERIES TRANSMITTER....................................................................... 17

LCD CONTROL MODULE MENU SYSTEM: POWER AND DSP FUNCTIONS ............................................................ 17

CHANGING FREQUENCY ................................................................................................................................ 17

<RF POWER>............................................................................................................................................. 17

<STEREO MODE>..................................................................................................................................... 17

<VIEW SELECT>....................................................................................................................................... 18

<TREBLE> AND <BASS> (ONLY WITH DSP STEREO ENCODERS).................................................................. 18

COMPRESSOR SETTINGS (ONLY WITH DSP STEREO ENCODERS)....................................................................... 18

<LCD CONTRAST>................................................................................................................................... 19

LEFT AND RIGHT CHANNEL VOLUME (ONLY WITH DSP STEREO ENCODERS)..................................................... 19

<PLL STEP>............................................................................................................................................... 20

<FIRMWARE VER> .................................................................................................................................. 20

<CURRENT ALARM> ............................................................................................................................... 20

<TEMP ALARM>....................................................................................................................................... 20

<SWR ALARM>......................................................................................................................................... 20

<U AMP ALARM>..................................................................................................................................... 20

<BAND SELECT>...................................................................................................................................... 20

<RF AMP CONTROL>............................................................................................................................... 20

<RF POWER ALC> .................................................................................................................................... 21

DESCRIPTION OF WINDOWS CONTROL PROGRAM................................ ......................................... 22

SETUP .......................................................................................................................................................... 22

FM TX MAIN ............................................................................................................................................... 23

FM TX ALARMS........................................................................................................................................... 25

PI, PTY... .................................................................................................................................................... 26

PS0.............................................................................................................................................................. 27

PS1.............................................................................................................................................................. 28

PS2.............................................................................................................................................................. 28

TIME, MSG................................................................................................................................................. 29

AUTO PS, RT... .......................................................................................................................................... 30

ABOUT......................................................................................................................................................... 31

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COMMON CONTROLS..................................................................................................................................... 32

SCHEDULER.................................................................................................................................................. 33

TROUBLESHOOTING ................................................................ ............................................................... 35

APPENDIX A: DIY ANTENNA AND IMPROVEMENT TIPS ................................................................ . 37

SIMPLE GP ANTENNA DESIGN........................................................................................................................ 37

SOME MORE IMPROVEMENT TIPS.................................................................................................................... 37

APPENDIX B: GENERAL TIPS FOR SETTING UP TRANSMITTERS ................................................. 38

TYPICAL FM TRANSMITTER SET UPS .............................................................................................................. 38

TYPICAL FM BROADCASTING ANTENNA SETUPS............................................................................................. 39

WIRING ANTENNAS IN MULTI-BAY CONFIGURATIONS ..................................................................................... 40

APPENDIX C – ATTACHING EXTERNAL STEREO PROCESSOR...................................................... 41

APPENDIX D – PC REMOTE CONTROL VIA USB AND RS232............................................................ 42

SOFTWARE INSTALLATION ............................................................................................................................ 42

CONFIGURING COMMUNICATIONS PORT ......................................................................................................... 43

INSTALLING USB DRIVER (ONLY FOR USB IO BOARD) .................................................................................. 43

CONFIGURING USB DRIVER .......................................................................................................................... 43

APPENDIX E – SETTING UP REMOTE CONTROL VIA ETHERNET ................................................. 45

SOFTWARE INSTALLATION ............................................................................................................................ 45

APPENDIX F: WHAT IS RDS?................................................................ ................................................... 48

APPENDIX G – WARRANTY AND LEGAL INFO................................................................................... 58

IMPORTANT NOTICE!..................................................................................................................................... 58

WARRANTY AND SERVICING! ........................................................................................................................ 58

LEGAL INFO.................................................................................................................................................. 58

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY ............................................................................................................................. 58

ALSO AVAILABLE FROM WWW.PCS-ELECTRONICS.COM............................................................. 59

REVISIONS AND ERRATA................................ ........................................................................................ 60

INDEX................................ ........................................................................................................................... 60

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Introducing CYBERMAXFM+ series of transmitters

Our series of rack mounted stereo FM radio transmitters
with optional RDS and DSP processing

his manual covers our 150W/300W/500W and 750W CYBERMAXFM+ transmitters. Even though the design
of these units evolved radically over the years transmitters from this series remain one of our best selling items.
Today our customers still enjoy the incredible price/performance ratio and more reliability, power and features
than ever before. In this manual you’ll find all of this products little secrets.

Please note that while these transmitters are all based on the same technology some may have a different mains power
supply and different amplifier module, but they are internally almost identical.

What makes this FM transmitter series so great?

Besides offering all the standard basic features these units also display a number of useful parameters on the LCD display:
transmitted power, reflected power, exciter temperature, exciter voltage, frequency, audio modulation level, amplifier voltage,
and amplifier temperature. They are available in mono (MPX input) and stereo (with regular or DSP stereo encoder). RDS
(Radio Data System) option is also available. Of course this unit is completely no-tune and works from any mains voltage
(110-240V 50/60Hz) available worldwide.

Comfortably sized 2H 19" rack enclosure offers easy access to all internal components and assures good ventilation. A
number of protection circuits helps prevent disasters. Temperature and SWR are monitored by on-board computer and
alarm threshold can be set via LCD module. Hardware fold back SWR protection is also built-in as a backup. Unit is rugged
and made for 24/7/365 operation. In our opinion it gives the best quality/price ratio possible.

General features

- True wideband no-tune operation (no tuning required to make it work, just set the frequency and desired output power)

- Covering entire FM broadcasting band with clean signal and great sounding audio

- Built-in SWR and TEMP protection for peace of mind

- High power (150W/300W/500W/750W depending on the model)

- Digital output power adjustment (with up/down keys and LCD display)

- Both DSP and analog models have extremely sharp audio filters

- DSP model offers complete control over audio parameters via LCD menu system

- Optional high-performance RDS encoder with scrolling PS and many other features.

Chapter

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Technical specifications

RF section:

- Frequency range: 87.5-108MHz

- RF Output Power: 0 to full (digitally adjustable with UP/DOWN keys or remotely via PC)

- Output connector: N female (50-750W models)

- Output Impedance: 50 Ohms

- PLL steps: 5KHz (10/25/50/100/200KHz adjustable via LCD)

- Frequency stability: +/- 20Hz

- Spurious/Harmonic rejection: Harmonics: >50dB, Spurious: -90dB

- RF output ruggedness: SWR protection, TEMP protection, reduced power with LCD warning and RED LED

- Quartz locked PLL frequency control, ultra stable & clean output

- S/N ratio: >90 dB

- No expensive test equipment required to setup

Audio section:

- Audio performance: Less than 0.2% distortion, 20Hz-75KHz

- Pre-emphasis, 50uS, 75uS or none selectable

- Audio Input Level: 0 dB

- Stereo separation: > 50dB

- Audio low pass filter with 19KHz notch filter: Yes, all models

- Audio input impedance: 10Kohms balanced, 1Kohms unbalanced

- Limiter: Yes, all models

- Pre-emphasis: Yes, precision 50uS, 75uS or none for all models

- DSP: Yes, in DSP models

General:

- Mains power: 110-240V/50-60Hz, universal worldwide, IEC male at the back (cable typically not included)

- LCD display shows: Power, reflected power, frequency, temperature, supply voltage, modulation level and uptime counter

- Ambient temperature: -10C° to +40°C, air conditioning in transmitter room strongly advisable for long life

- External dimensions: 150W-300W ( W x D x H ) 19" x depth (315mm) x height 2HE (88mm), ~6Kg

- External dimensions: 500W-750W ( W x D x H ) 19" x depth (~370mm) x height 2HE (88mm), ~10Kg

Thank you for purchasing CyberMaxFM+ transmitter

We hope you will enjoy it as much as we do and if you do remember to tell your friends and colleagues about it. Please feel
free to leave your comments at our website or post your experience in our forum. And if you encounter a problem please let
us know so that we may improve our products, offer advice and suggestion. From all of us we wish you happy broadcasting!

Your PCS Electronics team

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Front and back panel layout

Fig. 1: Front panel

Reference Function

1 Three push buttons, the UP, DOWN and MENU keys.

2 LCD display that lets you control the unit and monitor various parameters.

3 The green led. Green signals power is ON.

4 Red error led. Turns on while VCO is tuning into selected frequency and in case of SWR or TEMP error.

5 Power switch in the middle of the panel is actually a standby switch. To really fully disconnect the unit

from mains power use the main switch at the back.

6 Monitor output at the front provides a small sample of the transmitter signal, this can be used to attach

frequency counter, modulation index monitor, spectrum analyzer or similar equipment.

Chapter

2

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Fig. 2: Back panel

Reference Function

1 Mains power, universal input 110-240V, IEC jack (same as for PC)

2 Fuse and main mains switch (total off)

3 Ventilation aperture

4 Antenna connector, N female. Do not operate without antenna.

5 BNC connectors for MPXin, MPXout and 19KHz pilot.

6 RS232/USB for controlling your RDS encoder and FM transmitter.

7 Audio inputs, RCA jacks for left and right channel

8 STEREO mode indicator.

9, 10 Balanced audio inputs, left and right channel XLR (Canon)

11 Ethernet (optional) port for controlling/monitoring RDS and FM transmitter.

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What’s inside the box?

CyberMaxFM+ transmitters are available in several configurations. Exact internal configuration depends on the particular
model. Since we sometimes change configurations it is best to check our website for latest information. Below are the basic
building blocks of the exciter. Note that the RDS encoder is optional and only available in models with RDS capability.
Similarly DSP encoder is only available in DSP capable models. We are now going to have a look at these building blocks.

Fig. 3: Block diagram of the CyberMaxFM+ transmitter

Reference Function

1 Mains power supply, universal input 110-240V, IEC jack (same as for PC)

2 DC/DC converter from 48V down to 12V for stereo encoder, FM exciter and fans

3 Stereo encoder with optional RDS

4 FM exciter module, “the brains” of the transmitter

5 FM amplifier module

6 Filter with SWR/PWR sensor, temperature sensor, voltage sensor and current sensor

7, 8 Digiamp and Maxlink interconnect cables for controlling stereo and amplifier.

9 Various fans, there are usually at least two (one for amplifier, one for exciter + stereo)

10 RS232/USB/Ethernet for controlling your RDS encoder and FM transmitter.

Chapter

3

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FM Exciter board

CyberMaxFM+ units are all based on our MAXPRO5000+ series FM exciters, note the current revision may differ slightly
from the board in your transmitter as we are constantly fine-tuning the design and making it better.

Fig. 4: MAX PRO 5000 series + RF board layout

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Ref. Function

A Connect ON/OFF switch here, but you can also just install a jumper. A LED diode can also be connected as

shown on the image; series resistor is on board and is not necessary.

B Output stage bias current. DO NOT change this setting. (Does not exist on new 5015 boards)

C You can connect external TCXO (thermally stabilized reference oscillator). Frequency needs to be 18MHz, TTL.

You will probably have to remove nearby quartz crystal, if you want to use this input.

D Optional ERROR indicator LED can be connected here. This LED is activated when RF output stage is NOT

active. For example, whenever temperature protection is activated, this LED illuminates and RF power is
reduced. This LED is also located on the LCD control module. Important: This LED is also illuminated
whenever you change frequency as the control unit turns RF power off until PLL/VCO tuning is finished. In
such case this does not signal a problem with temperature or SWR.

E Pre-emphasis. Use this jumper to set pre-emphasis. This can either be 50uS (EU and most of the world) or 75uS

(USA). If you plan to connect stereo encoder to the MAXPRO5015+ board, place the jumper in position None
(top - this disables pre-emphasis).

F Power adjustment jumper. Remove this jumper if you want to control power via LCD module. To set output

power via external control voltage (0-5V) apply voltage to header V (J6).

G Audio input sensitivity adjustment.

H Audio input - coaxial cable or 2-pin header.

I Digiamp connector enables easy control of RF amplifiers and mains power supplies that power them. This greatly

simplifies the process of building FM transmitters. You can read more about this connector in appendix.

@ Internal power meter accuracy adjustment. If the internal power display on the LCD is a bit off you can correct its

accuracy with this trimmer, the range of adjustment is very small.

K RF monitor output. This output contains a small sample of output signal, suitable for monitoring RF signal

quality with instruments such as frequency meter, frequency analyzer or modulation monitor.

L You can connect VUMAX-1 led vu-meter unit here, it will show output power and SWR as bar graphs. The 2

remaining bar graphs can be connected to SE5000 DSP+ and will show audio volume.

M Soldering posts for a small 12V fan. Output stage appreciates a bit of air flow, it does not have to be substantial.

As long as the air slowly moves a bit it'll be more than enough so use weakest available FAN. Due to improved
design this fan now spins down completely at low RF power output and our new 40x40x25mm unit is almost
completely inaudible even at highest speed.

N Maxlink connector for easy connection with the SE5000 or SE3000 stereo encoder. This lets you connect and

control both units from the same LCD control units. Our Cyber Max FM+ units use this arrangement. This
connection is now completely solder-free, just plug the connector in and voila, finished. Flat cable that runs
between the units also carries supply voltage for the stereo encoder further reducing required wiring and work.

O LCD control unit, attach your LCD control module here.

P Power supply connector, center is positive. DO NOT use more than 15V.

Q Do not touch unless you understand what this is. Lets you fine-tune the reference frequency. Can be used to set

the unit to any frequency, even though the PLL step is 5KHz. You can for example use this to set the frequency
to 100.001KHz by first using the LCD to set it to 100.000KHz and than using this trimmer to shift it to

100.001.000Hz.

R RF output connection. BNC jack. Use a properly matched FM band antenna. The range and success of your

transmissions will depend primarily upon the quality and position of your antenna so invest your energy and
money into a proper solution. Poor unreliable connections may damage the final transistor.

S 15W - 2.5A fast, 25W 4A fast and 40W – 6.3A fast fuse. Always replace with this type for continued protection

against short-circuit.

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T Telemetry connector. All vital signals are available on this 10-pin connector. You can connect a 10-pin connector

at the back of the transmitter and use them to supervise status of the transmitter.

V External control voltage for power adjustment, only works when jumper J5 (F) is removed. Apply external

control voltage (0-5V).

X External power and SWR signal, only use if you are not using digiamp connector (I)

Y Increases sensitivity of external power and SWR meter.

1 Power limit jumper J12, use to limit output power to 2, 4, 6 or 8W (exact value depends on the model)

Description of various elements of the MAX PRO 5015+ FM exciter board

The block diagram of the MAXPRO5000+ series exciter is shown below. It is simplified as the actual block diagram would
be too complex for this manual.

Fig. 5: Block diagram of the MAXPRO5000+ series FM exciter

Stereo encoder board

CyberMaxFM+ units utilize our SE5000 DSP+ (DSP model) or SE2000D+ stereo encoders (analog model)

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Fig. 6: SE5000 DSP+ stereo encoder board layout

RDS encoder board

CyberMaxFM+ units utilize our RDS MAX 4000+ and RDSMAX4000+ mini RDS encoders

Fig. 7: RDSMAX4000+ rds encoder board layout

Where can I find more info?

Separate extensive manuals for all of the built-in components are available on our website. We have a section in our forum
dedicated to all of the manuals and you can discuss each of the manuals with other forum members here:

http://www.pcs-electronics.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=33

Ref Function

J1-2 Audio Inputs

J3-4 Pre-emphasis selection

J7 MPX out, going to FM exciter audio input

J10 Mode select, don’t install in this configuration

J11 Maxlink 6-pin cable going to MAX PRO 3000+

exciter

J12 Install to reduce pilot level slightly

J14 Stereo/mono selection, do not install jumper here

Ref Function

P1 RDS level

P2 RDS carrier phase relationship to stereo pilot

J11-13 Baud speed selection, leave at default

CLK RDS clock led, should blink at around 1Hz

57KHz PLL lock led, should be off in stereo mode

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14

Before you start

It is recommended that you read this section before you power your unit up for the first time. Let us clear up some basics
you should know about. You will also find some useful tips in our guides and forum at http://www.pcs-electronics.com.
Here is what you need to get your FM transmitter on the air:

Antenna

Preferred type of antenna is affected by several factors, but mostly by desired radiation pattern, space available and your
budget. If you are located in the middle of the area you want to cover you'll need an omni-directional antenna which
transmits equally in all directions. If you are located at the edge of your desired coverage area you can beam the signal into
the target area with a directional antenna. Directional antennas are also practical for point-to-point communications.
Another thing to consider is that directional antennas usually have much higher gain than omni-directional antennas since
the power which is radiated in all directions with omni antenna is concentrated mainly into one direction with directional
antenna. Antennas with more gain thus have narrower beam. A compromise is usually made depending on budget and
space available, higher gain antennas are often bigger and often more expensive.

Once you’ve chosen and installed your antenna there is another thing to consider. You can read more about it in the next
section (So what is this SWR everyone talks about). Before powering up your transmitter on the air you should tune your
antenna to get minimal SWR. This is typically done by adjusting the position of the antenna and any adjustable pieces. Aim
for 2:1 or less. Use low power into the antenna when tuning it up and making adjustments. If you were using full power and
a bit of the antenna came off in your hand the VSWR could be so bad as to blow the final transistor. For the same reason
check the DC continuity of the antenna with an ohmmeter before plugging it in, to be sure it's what it's meant to be, either a
short circuit or an open one, depending on the antenna type. Note you won’t be reading 50 ohms with regular ohm-meter.
For instructions regarding construction of antennas please see our website: http://www.pcs-electronics.com (guides section -
antennas).

Antenna is a crucial part of the system so take special care. It is usually a good idea to place antenna away from your
transmitter, power supply and audio system. Also any transmitter should be in a metal case which shields circuitry from the
radiation of the antenna. If you cannot meet these requirements, you could experience feedback and other RF problems. We
cannot guarantee proper operation of any transmitter/amplifier unless suitable antenna system is used and transmitters are in
ventilated metal enclosure! This applies to any transmitter. Interestingly, strong RF field can make CD players and other
digital devices go crazy. Try placing antenna next to yours and see what happens. Most of the modern audio gear is not RF
shielded – reducing costs is unfortunately the mantra today. This is why keeping antenna away from audio gear is a good
idea, too.

If you are going to place your antenna outside, on your roof, please take care of the grounding. This should be done to
prevent lightning hazard and should be done by a company specializing in lightning protection. You can read more about
lightning protection in the book recommended below or many of the websites (Google up “lightning protection ham radio”
for example).

I hope this basic introduction will not scare you too much, it should be sufficient for the time being although we encourage
you to explore this exciting subject further with the help of a book such as the ARRL Antenna Book:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0872598047/mightyspiraterad

Chapter

4

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15

So what is this SWR (VSWR) everyone talks about?

SWR is a measure of how well two devices are impedance matched to each other. Typical radio/TV transmission equipment
is designed for 50 ohm load impedance, so we usually use 50 ohm cables and build or buy antennas that are specified for 50
ohm. While most cables have flat impedance over frequency (they measure 50 ohm at all frequencies you are likely to use)
the same is not true of the antennas.

A 1.0:1 VSWR is a perfect match. That means the load impedance is exactly 50 ohms. A 2.0:1 VSWR is obtained when the
load impedance is either 25 ohms or 100 ohms.

Because most transmitters will deliver full power with a load VSWR of up to 2.0:1, this value is usually considered the limit
for acceptable operation. Many prefer to keep their VSWR below that however, but for all practical purposes, it is
unnecessary to spend time or money trying to get much below a VSWR of 1.5:1. The benefits will be hard to measure and
even harder to notice.

On the other hand, coaxial cable losses increase rapidly, for a given frequency of operation, when the antenna VSWR
exceeds 2.0:1. This can even, in some extreme cases, result in the coaxial cable burning, even when running 100 W. Using a
higher grade of cable will definitely improve things, but even high quality coaxial cable becomes very lossy when VSWR
exceeds 3.0:1 at higher HF frequencies (or VHF and higher).

Coaxial cable

Coaxial cable is an electrical cable consisting of a round, insulated conducting wire surrounded by a round, conducting
sheath, usually surrounded by a final insulating layer. The cable is designed to carry a high-frequency or broadband signal,
usually at radio frequencies. Coaxial Cabling is a two conductor closed transmission medium that is often used for the
transmission of RF energy. It yields excellent performance at high frequencies and superior EMI control/shielding when
compared to other types of copper cabling. Coaxial cabling is commonly found in broadcast and networking systems. Most
coaxial cables have a characteristic impedance of either 50 or 75 ohms. The RF industry uses standard type-names for coaxial
cables. The U.S military uses the RG-# or RG-#/U format (probably for "radio grade, universal", but other interpretations
exist).

The common RG-58 from Radio Shack is NOT the best you can do and can eat a lot of your effective power out! Use it
only for short runs. BELDEN makes terrific coaxial cable in various qualities and with very low loss (measured in
dB’s…decibels). 3 dB loss = 1/4 of your signal strength - either lost or gained. Watch out for the correct impedance; RG58,
RG213, H-500 and H-155 have 50 Ohms, RG-59 and RG-6 have 75 Ohms. Most antennas and transmitters including ours
are 50 ohm. Check our website for good coax. Don't buy more than you need to make the long run to your antenna and
don't make up a few "jumpers" to go between your exciter, VSWR meter and your antenna as all you'll do is create higher
SWR and more line losses. H-155 or H500 are good choices! RG-142 with Teflon is recommended for wiring inside
cabinets, for baluns, Wilkinson couplers and everywhere where resistance to heat is required as insulation won’t melt during
soldering or operation.

Mains power supply and mains power cable

Do not underestimate the importance of mains power supply, despite abundance of all kinds of cheap units available today
they unfortunately do not always meet requirements. What you need is a well stabilized DC 15V mains power supply that
can supply at least 2 amps (15W) or more depending on the model (see specifications) of continuous current without
overheating, introducing buzzing, dropping the voltage down to 12V or lower (a classic case) or acting up in other way.
Whenever in doubt please buy our mains power supply. One final note, if you use less than 15V this effectively lowers your
output power. The lower the supply voltage the lower the power.

If you ordered and received our mains power supply (which is recommended) you’ll notice the mains cable is not included,
but can be obtained in any radio/computer/hardware shop at the cost of about 1 US$. It is the type used in your PC for
mains power. Since these cables vary from country to country and we had trouble getting the exact type locally we decided
against including them, especially since finding them is so easy locally.

Audio source with mixer, microphone etc

You need some kind of audio source to drive your transmitter. This will typically be either a computer (just plug the cable
into your sound card outputs, a mixer and a variety of audio sources, such as a microphone, CD player, DAT player, tape
deck, gramophone, MP3 player etc.

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16

Wiring everything together

Wiring things up and first power-up

Wiring the CyberMaxFM+ is easy, just make sure you read the previous chapter first and setup antenna and coaxial cable
correctly. Than proceed with the following:

- Erect antenna tower and install antenna securely. Make sure your antenna is well away from any metal objects. Ensure your
antenna tower is grounded securely.

- Connect one end of your 50ohm coaxial cable to the antenna. If you have SWR analyzer you can now verify SWR of your
antenna. If your antenna is already tuned connect the other end of coaxial cable to the antenna connector (BNC) at the back
of the transmitter. If you have SWR/POWER meter, you can wire that one inline between antenna and transmitter as well.
Make sure the SWR meter supports the frequency band required (87-108MHz). Ensure all connectors are firmly secured and
antenna is mounted securely.

- While making sure power switch is off connect mains power cable into the mains power supply and connect mains power
supply into the back of the transmitter.

- Inspect all cables quickly again and make sure everything is secure.

- Turn on a radio receiver and set it to your intended transmitter frequency.

- Flip the POWER switch and wait for the unit to turn on. Enter the menu system by pressing the bottom key (Menu)
repeatedly and look for the <RF power> menu item. Now set desired output power with the UP/DOWN keys. For tuning
and testing use around 25% of full power. Press Menu again to exit back to main display. Now you can use the
UP/DOWN keys to set the desired frequency of operation. Wait a few seconds for the red LED diode to turn off. Your
radio should now mute since you did not connect any audio sources yet.

- Observe SWR and output power. If everything seems ok enter <RF power> menu on your amplifier again. Increase power
to full.

- You can now connect audio sources of choice and verify audio performance. You should not sound louder than other
stations, in fact unless you have an expensive high performance software or hardware sound processor you should sound
quieter than other stations.

Chapter

5

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17

Using the CyberMaxFM+ series transmitter

Basically there are three push-buttons available for the menu system; UP, DOWN and MENU. By pushing UP or
DOWN you get a shift of frequency in corresponding direction. Hold any of these keys for a few seconds and the jumps

will increase to 500 KHz. The new frequency is saved automatically. The third button (MENU) gives you an option to
select and setup many of the options and DSP functions of this unit.

Lcd control module menu system: Power and DSP functions

The UP and DOWN keys are used to change parameter values. In normal mode the LCD simply shows the frequency and
power or whatever view you select. Menu key can be used to enter the menu mode, repeatedly pressing this key brings up
the following menus: <RF POWER>, <STEREO MODE>, <VIEW SELECT>, <TREBLE>, <BASS>,
<COMPRESSION>, <THRESHOLD>, <ATTACK>, <DECAY>, <INTEGRATION>, <LCD CONTRAST>,
<RIGHT CH VOL>, <LEFT CH VOL>, <PLL STEP>, <RF EQ>, <FIRMWARE VER>, <PWR/SWR METER>,
<TEMP ALARM>, <SWR ALARM>, <BAND SELECT>, and <RF AMP CONTROL>. Pressing the UP or DOWN
key selects the desired parameter and allows you to modify its value. Another press on the MENU key and you’re back to
the normal mode. Note that all these settings except power and frequency are already set as they should be so changing them
should not be necessary and is not recommended.

Changing frequency

Simply press the UP/DOWN button to change frequency. Depending on PLL STEP setting your frequency will go down in
5/10/25/50/100/200KHz steps. If you keep pressing a key for a while the PLL STEP switches to fast tuning mode and
jumps in 500KHz steps.

Note: Frequency changes also when you select a view type which does not show frequency, such as UPTIME.

<RF POWER>

This setting allows you to set output power. Select desired power with the UP/DOWN keys and press MENU key to exit
the menu system and return to normal operation. Selected power is displayed on the LCD as a line of bars. Think of this
setting as an accelerator (gas) pedal in your car. Think of the power in watts that is shown on the LCD as the speed meter in
your car. Depending on the road going uphill or downhill speed meter will show different values even if your accelerator
pedal is fixed in the same position. If you go downhill your speed will be greater with same amount of gas pedal. Likewise
here your supply voltage can affect the actual output power slightly.

<STEREO MODE>

You can set your transmitter to MONO or STEREO here.

Chapter

6

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18

<VIEW SELECT>

CyberMaxFM+ is capable of displaying a number of various parameters. Since the LCD real-estate is limited to 2x16
characters we prepared a number of pre-programmed views that only show a selected number of parameters. At the time of
writing these views were available:

- [Freq+Mode+Pwr] – This view shows frequency, mono/stereo mode and output power

- [Fr+Mode+Te+Ue] – This view shows frequency, mono/stereo mode, exciter temperature and exciter supply voltage

- [Po+Pr+Uamp+Ta] – This view shows output power, reflected power, amplifier supply voltage and amplifier temperature
(if used)

- [Audio Level] – This view shows audio level bar graph. For this to work you the W solder bridge on the LCD module
needs to be closed-soldered.

- [Uptime D:H:M] – This view shows how long the transmitter has been operating without mains power going out. It is
sometimes useful in diagnosing mains power failures.

- [Auto Scroll]D – This is the default view, it shows each of the above listed views for a short while and than moves on to
the next in an endless loop. This way you can see all the relevant parameters without having to go through the menu system
to change the view type, You just have to wait a few seconds for the view to change.

<TREBLE> and <BASS> (only with DSP stereo encoders)

This option allows you to set the amount of TREBLE and BASS in your audio. Recommended values are marked with (D).

Fig. 8: Setting treble

Compressor Settings (only with DSP stereo encoders)

A number of MENU settings control the operation of the compressor. Lets assume that the audio signal enters the
transmitter at some low level. Compressor does nothing to the signal until at one point as the input signal increases the signal
reaches the compression threshold. Digital signal processor starts compressing the signal beyond that point. The higher the
compression ratio the higher the compression. For example, compression ratio of 1:∞ would in effect be a limiter.

Fig. 9: Explanation of the compressor settings