Technisonic TDFM 136 User Manual

VHF/FM

DIGITAL

AIRBORNE TRANSCEIVER

MODEL TDFM-136

Installation and

Operating Instructions

Til Document No.

99RE255

Rev. n/c

Issue n/c

DECEMBER 1999

Technisonic Industries Limited

250 Watline Avenue, Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 1P4 Tel:[phone] Fax:[phone]

3840 East Robinson Road, Suite 214, Amherst, New York 14228 Tel:[phone]

CAUTION

This unit contains static sensitive devices. Wear a grounded wrist strap and/or conductive gloves
when handling printed circuit boards.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions : (1) this device may not cause harmful interference and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits fora Class B digital device,

pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction
manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment of f
and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:

S Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
S Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver
S Connect the equipment into an outlet or circuit different from that to which the receiver is

connected.

S Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

WARRANTY INFORMATION

The Model TDFM-136, VHF/FM Digital Transceiver is under warranty for one year from date of
purchase. Failed units caused by defective parts, or workmanship should be returned to:

Technisonic Industries Limited Technisonic Industries Limited
250 Watline Avenue 3840 E. Robinson Road, Suite 214
Mississauga, Amherst,
Ontario L4Z 1P4 New York 14228

Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Tel: [phone]

A Page

Summary of DO-160C Environmental Testing for Technisonic Model TDFM-136, VHF Digital
Transceiver

Conditions Section Description of Conducted Tests
Temperature and Altitude 4.0 Equipment tested to categories B2 and

D1.

Vibration 8.0 Equipment is tested without shock

mounts to categories B, M and N.
Magnetic Effect 15.0 Equipment is class Z.
Power Input 16.0 Equipment tested to category B.
Voltage Spike 17.0 Equipment tested to category B.
RF Emission 21.0 Equipment tested to category Z.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

This publication provides operating and installation information on the TDFM-136, Digital
Transceiver manufactured by Technisonic Industries Limited. The TDFM-136 is Project 25
(P25), Phase 1 compliant. The unit offers digital or conventional analog FM communications
over an extended frequency range with selectable channel spacing and is intended for use (in
the U.S.) only by government agencies or contractors thereto, who have obtained licensing
for operation in the 136-150 MHz portion of the band. If the TDFM-136 transceiver is used
in CANADA, operation is restricted to the following sub bands: 138-144, 148-148.99,

149.005-150.005 and 150.05-174 MHz. Furthermore the frequency agile transceiver is
restricted to airborne use must not be operated as a base station in Canada.

1.2 DESCRIPTION

The TDFM-136, Transceiver is a frequency agile, fully synthesized airborne transceiver
capable of operating in the 136.000 MHz to 174.000 MHz frequency range in 2.5 kHz
increment s with either 25 kHz analog, 12.5 kHz analog channel spacing and P25, 12.5 kHz
digital modulation on a channel by channel basis. The Transceiver can operate without
restriction on any split frequency pair in the band and also incorporates a two channel
synthesized guard receiver.

B page

SECTION 1

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The TDFM-136 Transceiver provides 150 operator accessible memory positions, each of which
is capable of storing a transmit frequency, receive frequency, transmit frequency CTCSS tone
or DPL code, receive frequency CTCSS tone or DPL code, an alphanumeric identifier for each
channel and in the TDFM-136, wideband (25 kHz analog) or narrowband (12.5 kHz analog)
channel spacing assignment. The P25 mode (12.5 kHz digital) channels include both NAC and
Talk Group capability.

Operating frequency and other related data are presented on a 48 character, two line LED
matrix display. Data entry and function control are performed via a 12 button keypad. Preset
channels may also be scrolled and scanned through keypad function activation.

1.3 PURPOSE OF EQUIPMENT

The TDFM-136, Digital VHF/FM Transceiver is designed to provide secondary airborne
communications to facilitate operations which are typically performed in a low altitude
environment. The transmitter section of this unit has a minimum of 8 watts and does not
exceed 10 watts output power, which may be reduced by a front panel switch to 1 watt, in
order to reduce interference to land based systems.

1.4 MODEL VARIATION

There are four variations of the Model TDFM-136 Transceiver. All units offer identical features
and performance except for the following differences:

TDFM-136, P/N 981087-1 GREEN display and 28 Volt back lighting.

TDFM-136, P/N 981087-1 (5V) GREEN display and 5 Volt back lighting.

TDFM-136, P/N 981087-2 RED display and 28 Volt back ligting.

1-1

TDFM-136, P/N 981087-2 (5V) RED display and 5 Volt back lighting.

Both P/N's 981087-1 and 981087-2 are always provided with 28 Volt back lighting unless a
specific request is made for 5 Volt AC operation.

1.5 TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Specification Characteristic

GENERAL

Model Designation: TDFM-136

Frequency Range: 136.000 to 174.000 MHz

Operating Modes: P25 CAI and conventional analog

Channel Spacing: 25 or 12.5 kHz

Physical Dimensions (including heatsink): Approx. 8.0" X 3.0" X 5.75"

Weight: Approx. 3.5 Lbs (1.6 Kg)

12.5/25 kHz conventional analog
12 KBPS FSK, 9.6 KBPS C4FM

Mounting: Panel Mount via Dzus fastners

Operating Temperature Range: -45EC to +70EC

Power Requirement:

Voltage: 28.0 Vdc, ± 15%
Current: Receive - 0.7 A Max.

1 Watt Transmit - 1.3 A Max.
8-10 Watt Transmit - 2.0 A Max.

Frequency Selection: 150 memories programmed with:

a) Tx Frequency/Rx Frequency
b) Tx/Rx CTCSS tone or DPL code
c) 9 character alpha numeric title

Guard Receiver: 2 channels programmed with:

a) Tx Frequency/Rx Frequency
b) Tx CTCSS tone or DPL code
c) 9 character alpha numeric title

CTCSS squelch/encoder: All CTCSS tones available

DPL digital squelch/encoder: All standard DPL codes

DTMF encoder: All standard DTMF tones

Audio Output: 0.5 Watts into 600 ohms

Speaker Output: 2.5 Watts min. into 4 ohms

Back Lighting: 28 Volts (standard) or

5 Volts (specify)

1-2

Display Colour: Green (standard) or

DPL is a trademark of Motorola Corporation

1.5 TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS (continued)

MAIN RECEIVER

Sensitivity at 12 dB SINAD -116dBm

Adjacent Channel Selectivity -60dB (25 or 12.5 KHz)

Spurious Attenuation -70 dB

Third Order Intermodulation -70 dB

Image Attenuation -80 dB

FM Acceptance ± 6 KHz

Red (specify)
NVG Optional

Hum and Noise Better than 45dB

Audio Distortion less than 5%

Antenna Conducted Emission less than -57dBm

GUARD RECEIVER

All specifications identical to main receiver.

TRANSMITTER

RF Power Output Lo -100mW to 1W (internal adjustment)

or hi-power; 10 watts.

Output Impedance 50 ohms

Maximum Deviation ±5 KHz (25 KHz mode)
(In narrowband mode) ±2.5 KHz (12.5KHz mode)

Spurious Attenuation -90 dB below carrier level

Frequency Stability ± 2.5 ppm

Microphone Circuit Carbon or equivalent

Sidetone Output 0.5W (max) into 600S

Harmonic Attenuation -65 dB below carrier level

FM Hum And Noise -40 dB

1-3

Audio Input 50 mV at 2.5 KHz into

200 S input circuit for
±3.5KHz deviation, adjst.

Audio Distortion Less than 5%

SECTION 2

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

2.1 OPERATING FEATURES

The Technisonic TDFM-136 airborne FM transceiver is visually similar to the industry standard TFM­138, a two line by 24 character display is centered at the top of the unit, just below the display are
six user controls on the left and a 12 key keypad on the right (refer to Figure 2-1). The TDFM-136
support the following features:

1. 150 memory positions which can each be programmed with a transmit and receive
frequency with 25 or 12.5 kHz analog channel spacing, Tx/Rx CTCSS tones or DP L
codes and a 9-character alphanumeric title. Or the memory positions can be
programmed to P25 Digital mode (12.5 kHz) with or without a P25 Talkgroup.

2. 2 guard channels which can each be programmed with a Rx frequency with 25 or 12.5
kHz channel spacing, CTCSS Tx tone or DPL code and a 9-character alphanumeric title.
Or either guard channel can be programmed to P25 Digital mode (12.5 kHz) with or
without a P25 Talkgroup.

3. Scanning of programmed memories with selective memory scanning, in 5 scan lists.

4. Priority scan of memory channel 1, if desired.

5. Direct frequency entry mode.

6. Receive frequency simplex function.

7. Switchable RF output power between 1 watt and 8-10 watts.

8. Lockout of keyboard to prevent inadvertent entries.

9. Variable frequency mode to manually scan up and down in 2.5 kHz steps.

10. LED display variable dimming mode.

11. Selectable 90 second Tx time out feature.

12. Quick download of any of the 150 memory positions to the guard memories.

13. PC Memory Upload or download capability.

2.2 OPERATOR CONTROLS

The user controls comprise a main volume control – with integrated on/off switch - a guard volume control,
a squelch defeat button, a MAIN/GD selection switch, a GD1/GD2 selection switch, and a high/low power
switch. The keypad layout is a 3 by 4 matrix, the layout being similar to a telephone keypad, though the
options are arranged differently.

2-1

2-2