Rangemaster AM1000 User Manual

Page 2

1. Getting ready/ Things you may need

1.1 Some addition Items

2. Starting the Installation

2.1 Picking the Grounding for the transmitter

2.2 Finding a place for the Transmitter

2.3 Using Ground Radials

3. Installing the Control Wire

4. Studio Connections and settings

5. Tuning and Setting Power

6. Trying to get good Range

7. Better radio reception

8. General Specifications

9. FCC information

10. Converting from agile module to crystal

11. Certification

12. Using tuning computer

RangeMaster Transmitters, Inc 213 Caraway lane Cary, NC 27519

(919)362-9393

http://www.am1000rangemaster.com/

AM1000 Transmitter

Mount Bracket Kit AM1000BR

Select the mount you need for your 1 1/4” mast at Radio Shack or other antenna store.

Extended

AM1000

Installation

Manual

To Studio

AM1000WR 100’ or 2 pair #22 shielded wire to connect power and audio

1. Getting ready/ Things you may need

First of all make sure you have the items/tools need to complete the job. Along with the right tools you may need the items shown below. Please note that changes or modifications not expressly approved by RangeMaster for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. This unit is meant to be installed by someone who has some radio/technial background, a technician. If you don’t feel qualified to install this unit yourself contact a local radio/TV shop. They may be able to help. Also if you have a friend who is a Ham radio operator they may be able to help you. The goal of a successful installation is to achieve ½ mile range if the unit is near ground level. Within this ½ mile the signal should be clear and easy to hear. There may be some static mixed in, but the message being played should be clear. Up to a mile range and further may be possible if you have a good site and have the unit higher.

Tools needed could be small flat and large flat screwdriver, wire cutter and stripper, mallet to pound ground rod in, (A jack hammer can put a ground rod down in a couple of minutes if you can get one) hammer, tools to install mast mount, (you may need a hammer drill and masonry bits to attach the mount to masonry) ,large Phillips screwdriver, Wrench set, Ratchet set, medium adjustable wrench, hacksaw, level, knife, torch for soldering, electrical type solder. Drill may be needed depending on the situation as you install and mount the wires.

You may require other various hardware depending on your installation situation, mostly for routing and fastening the ground and audio/power wires. Wire nuts, silicone for weather proofing, tie wraps (cable ties), electrical tape, spare batteries, any test equipment you may need

It is a good idea if possible to have on hand cables that may be needed, cable adapters, ect.

Important!! A Very Large Part of the Time spent Installing the Trans-

mitter Often will be running back and forth to the hardware store to

buy items that you find you need!!. Try to have everything you need

when you get there!!

1.1 Some addition Items

Aprox

Item Vendor

AM1000C AM1000A Transmitter

AM1000BR mount bracket

AM1000WR 100" wire AM1000ANT 102" whip an-

tenna Ground Rod 4 foot Radio Shack $13 Radio Shack 15-530

Ground Rod 8 Foot

Ground Rod wire clamp

Ground wire

Wire mounting hardware 15-891 Eaves mount Radio Shack $16 Or any antenna store 15-893 Vent mount Radio Shack 15-517 Tripod mount Radio Shack $33 15-886 Wall mount Radio Shack 15-839 Chimney mount Radio Shack $25 15-889 roof mount Radio Shack 15-885 Wall mount Radio Shack $20

15-863 10' 1 1/4 mast Radio Shack $18 Guy wire supplies

VOM meter

Audio Adapter Power supply 16 VDC Tuning tool Complete instructions

RangeMaster

RangeMaster Mounts transmitter to 1 1/4 " mast

RangeMaster

Lowes or Home Depot $10

Lowes or Home Depot $4

Lowes or Home Depot $30-40

Lowes or Home Depot $15

Antenna store If needed

RangeMaster or Radio Shack $10-30

RangeMaster Free Included with the AM1000.

RangeMaster Free Needed for tuneup

RangeMaster Free Manual with installation video

Cost Notes

Depends on discount Outdoor transmitter "C" version is crystal and "A" version is agile (set frequency with switches)

2 pair (one pair for power, the other for audio) #22 with shield. Wire should not be bigger then .25" diameter, the weatherproof cable grip opening in the box is .25"

Standard Citizens band whip antenna, with 5/8 x 24 base. Available at Radio Shack (21-903) or any CB shop.

Used to ground electrical meters, 5/8 x 8" copper clad

Connect wire to Ground Rod (All connections must be soldered with electrical type rosin core solder using torch or tightly clamped and then weatherproofed.

Use #12-#10, the bigger wire (10) will give better performance but will be harder to work with. 500ft roll. Insulated is fine.

Think about how you are going to mount the ground wire, it needs to be tied down (mounted to the side of the building or pole) so it won't move (see instructions)

10' long mast to mount the transmitter. There is also a 5'

If you don't have one get one from Radio Shack. Needed for tuneup.

May be needed if you need to convert unbalanced audio to balanced (see instructions) (Item# )5558485 http://www.mcmelectronics.com/

2. Starting the Installation

Talk over the project with the customer. Find out when you will have access to the building. Before you start be sure you have a complete understanding with the customer: Where the transmitter will go Where the transmitter could go if the first choice will not work Where the studio is to go Other places the studio could go. How the wire will be run There is a possibility of installing without a wire, but this will not be talked about in this manual

While you are helping to pick these locations you need to look at how hard it will be to connect the wire between the transmitter and studio. Keep in mind that when you leave you want to have the wire neatly placed and attached.

2.1 Picking the Grounding for the transmitter

Picking the ground to use can be the most important part of the job. The ground that you us e will determine the range you get. You may be able to get by using the ground rod that is already installed at the electrical meter/ phone pole/ or existing metal waterpipe or sewer connection, or you may need to add/install your own ground. You often need to pick the transmitter location based on the ground you are going to use.

The AM ground in an AM system is critical, not only for system performance, but also often for lightning protection. The goal is to provide a low resistance connection to the local Earth, less then 25 ohms if possible, less then 5 ohms is ideal. The ground resistance in an area will be determined by your ground system and:

• Moisture content of soil

• Mineral content of soil

• Soil type

Soil contaminants In general the higher the moisture content, the lower the resistivity will be.

What you are trying to do is make an electrical connection to the earth over a broad area. What that means is if you have multiple rods keep them at least 6 feet apart, don’t concentrate on just a small area of dirt. For example don’t place 10 rods in a 2 foot circle. The more yard area you can cover with your system the better. A 20 foot diameter circle would keep the rods about 6 feet apart. Keeping the system spread out allows the currents to flow more efficiently. Working with different installation sites you have to be creative in making a good ground. Yo u may find existing structures and/or items that can help you connect to the Earth. A buried tank, deep well casing, metal fence, Metal tube lawn sprinkler system, all can be useful.

• Sand and gravel, even when wet can make a poor ground.

• Use corrosion resistant connectors when possible

• Solder (electrical type solder) all connections or be sure all connections are bright and shiny & then tightly clamped.

• You can use an Earth resistance meter to check the resistivity value of your system. Also see the troubleshooting

manual.

• If you are connecting to a utility water pipe, connect to it within 5 feet of where it comes in from the dirt. This keeps

someone else from coming in later and putting in non-conductive pipe, making your ground useless.

• Sodium bentonite can be used to enhance a ground.

• If you are using ground radials, they should be as long as your antenna is high to be effective.

Try to use the moistest dirt possible. For example if there is an air conditioning system, install a rod where the condensate drips. Look to see where the rain comes off the roof to find moist areas. Look for any creeks or ponds. Running a long wire to a creek or pond far away may not be effective, the ground system needs to be in the area of the antenna. Or you can possibly install the transmitter in the area of any great natural ground.

Be sure all your connections are good. The wire should be bright and shiny (use steel wool if you need to) and then tightly clamped and/or soldered with torch and electrical solder and then weatherproofed with silicon

CAUTION !

So look over the site, sometimes it will help to get pictures before you get there. It can be possible to use the HVAC “boxground” connection, for an “Earth” ground. This connect will connect to the electrical ground rod. Don’t try to connect to this yourself unless you are qualified, there are dangerous voltages inside of the HVAC panel that can kill

you. Call an electrician to make this connection. Sometimes there may be a water pipe or other metal pole lead-

CAUTION

ing into the ground you can use. You need to be creative with grounding sometimes. I once used a deep well. I connected to the cast iron sleeve that went into the ground and had great range. The iron sleeve was metal and went deep into the ground. The more metal / dirt contact the better. Note that the ground wires to the transmitter need to be clamped down so they will not move. Do not connect to

gas lines

or other unsafe objects in any way

Generally the deeper your rod, the lower the

resistivity will be. Bury any horizontal wires, the more ground/dirt contact the better. Just an inch or two below the surface will do. You can use a flat blade shovel to create a “trench” that the wire can be laid into. This works well with lawns. It is best to bury your rods entirely if possible to avoid anyone tripping over them, the lawn mower hitting them, ect. Some will bury any metal that will not corrode (tin cans, ect) in the area to help.

The type of trench ground system above can work well with sandy/dry soil.

2.2 Finding a place for the Transmitter

Transmitter location is also very important and will determine your range. You want the transmitter to generally be the highest thing in the area if possible, but you still need to be able to get to it to make adjustments. The antenna that screws into the top needs to be in the open air, not up against anything, especially metal. It is best if the antenna is above surrounding man made things. Natural things like trees should not be a problem, however don’t let branches, leaves actually touch the antenna.

NO!!!NO!!!

CAUTION !

2.3 Using Ground Radials

Do you see how the transmitter is mounted right next to the house? It is not above all buildings, the antenna is not in the open air, also look at the antenna, it is right up against the siding!! NO!!

Even if this does work a little, range will be very low in the direction of the house.

This transmitter needs to be moved up so that the antenna is entirely above the top roof line, preferably at or near the peak of the roof.

Remember if you cannot get one location to work well you may need to try another. We will talk in the troubleshooting manual about how to determine if you have a good ground or not. Be careful of power lines, stay away from them for safety reasons. Be sure to follow safety laws and procedures when climbing, do not mount the transmitter in a unsafe location.

We have referred to buried radials earlier. In general for a radial to be effective the length should be more then the height of the antenna tip is from the ground. A radial is just a wire going from a center ground rod outward.

Elevated radials First of all be aware that elevated radials do increase radiation, and may not be approved should you be inspected by the FCC

Note the direction of increased signal. More then one radial can be used.

Buried radials There should be no problem with the FCC concerning buried radials, metal in the dirt does not radiate.

For more Information see the Legal section.

3. Installing the Control Wire

This is the wire that connects between the studio and transmitter. The kind of wire used is important. We recommend 2 pair, #22, shielded, UV protected, outdoo r wi re. Several hundred feet can be used with a voltage drop of 12 volts at the most.

Belden 8723 is the 2 pair #22 wire we recommend. Cat 5 outdoor shielded wire can also be used, though it is smaller, #24. Cat 5 has 4 pairs so it is possible to connect three of the pairs together for power to help allow for the smaller size.

Connect the Shield drain (ground connection) at one end of the cable only, usually the transmitter end. There is a terminal marked GND that can be used to ground the shield drain. Good grounding is important for safety lightning protection , be sure to follow any national and/or local electrical grounding codes.

Using Cat 5 shielded outdoor wire

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