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Transmisión de TV
Transmisión de TV
2
TELEVISION TRANSMITTERS
GERALD W. COLLINS, ROBERT J. PLONKA
HARRIS CORPORATION, QUINCY, IL
INTRODUCTION
Significant advances continue in TV transmitter technology. New technology and ideas have been introduced to continue to provide high quality TV signal
transmission while improving reliability, reducing
maintenance and lowering overall cost of ownership.
These new technologies include solid-state high power
amplifiers, improvements in UHF tube transmitters and
digital transmission. Further, the FCC continues its
policy of technical deregulation which allows more
flexibility in transmitter design and system operation.
This chapter discusses the relevant technology and
provides the information needed for selection, installation, operation and maintenance of TV transmitters in
todays environment.
TV transmitters may be considered to comprise two
essential components, the exciter and the RF power
amplifier (PA). The exciter provides the signal processing functions required to convert a baseband TV
signal into a modulated RF signal on the assigned
channel. These functions include baseband signal processing, modulation, precorrection and equalization,
upconversion, bandlimiting and amplification to a relatively low power RF signal. While different methods
are used for different signals, all functions must be
performed whether the baseband signal is video, audio
or digital data for digital television (DTV). Because
the output of the exciter is a modulated RF signal,
most commercially available exciters may be considered low power transmitters.
The PA provides the muscle to amplify the modulated RF signal to the desired level for transmission.
Thus the PA technology to perform this function is
key. Both solid-state and tube devices are available in
commercial equipment. For VHF channels, solid-state
devices predominate. For UHF, both solid-state and
tube devices are used. Other key functions in the PA,
common to all amplifier technologies include ac distribution, ac to dc power conversion, cooling and control.
TV transmitters are unique in that no other application requires such high levels of linear RF power generation while operating virtually uninterrupted. This has
led to the development of specialized techniques to
assure highly efficient and reliable operation. The need
for high efficency has led to the near universal use of
partially saturated Class AB final power amplifers.
This, in turn, has resulted in the development of precorrection and equalization techniques required to compensate for nonlinearities inherent in this class of oper-
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Modulator
In nearly all IF modulated transmitters, the modulator is a broadband, balanced diode mixer. It is configured for maximum rejection of the local oscillator
signal and biased so as to provide excellent linearity,
low noise and capability to achieve carrier cutoff. A
schematic of a typical balanced mixer is shown in
Figure 6.2-3. The video signal is dc offset to provide
the proper modulation level and is used to control the
attenuation of the diodes. Peak of sync corresponds to
maximum IF envelope output and white corresponds
to minimum IF output. The output signal of the modulator is a double sideband AM signal having the proper
depth of modulation (12.5%).
Visual Group Delay Compensation
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thus are able to perform many functions simultaneously (bandwidth shaping, group delay equalization
and visual to aural crosstalk reduction).
Distortion products can be created by SAW filters
due to signal reflections (triple transit) and direct feedthrough. These distortions cause time echoes displaced
either before or after the desired responses. In the
frequency domain these echoes show up as ripples in
the passband (see Figure 6.2-12). A given echo will
contribute uniquely to the amplitude, phase and group
delay characteristics by the addition of a ripple component in the passband. The amplitude of the ripple is
proportional to the echo level and its period is proportional to the reciprocal of the SAW time delay.
SAW group delay varies sinusoidally with the same
period as the passband ripple. Magnitude, however, is
a function of echo level and is inversely proportional
to time delay. It is, therefore, not a sure test of signal
distortion. The group delay ripple for long delayed
echoes will give peak-to-peak values which have no
correlation with conventional signal distortion estimates. For that reason, fast peak-to-peak group delay
errors that occur at greater frequency than the reciprocal of the filter time delay can usually be ignored.
Intermediate Frequency Linearity Precorrection
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ligible crosstalk between the different MTS components. However, dual-cavity notch diplexers introduce
more group delay in the visual path and are more
expensive than single-cavity diplexers.
The notch diplexer is a passive device and under first
consideration it may seem strange that it can introduce
distortion and stereo separation errors. The basic problem is that the FM stereo signal is sensitive to the
notch diplexer group delay and amplitude response
over the occupied bandwidth of the FM signal.
The group delay and amplitude response of a singlecavity diplexer is shown in Figure 6.2-18. It is a typical
notch diplexer optimized for minimum aural reject
power. The bandpass is somewhat narrow and the
group delay is steep. Fortunately, the response curves
show a high degree of symmetry which makes equalization possible.
The group delay equalization concept as applied
here is essentially a feed-forward scheme. Feed-forward is used to describe the technique of generating
equalization early in the RF lineup for the purpose
of correcting distortions occurring downstream in the
system. Feed-forward is operated open loop (without
feedback) and is manually adjusted for optimum operation.
Aural IF Group Delay Equalization
Figure 6.2-18. Typical single cavity diplexer amplitude and group delay.
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Figure 6.2-19. Occupied bandwidth with 25 kHz deviation with overlayed notch diplexer bandwidth.
Figure 6.2-20. Occupied bandwidth of TV stereo signal with 55 kHz deviation and overlayed notch diplexer bandwidth.
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and aural signals prior to transmission. With the introduction of inductive output tubes as final amplifiers,
it has become popular to combine the visual and aural
signals in the exciter and amplify them together in the
following stages.
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Figure 6.2-24. Overall transmitter delay with aural delay corrector switched in and out.
Figure 6.2-25. TV stereo separation with and without group delay equalizer.
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Although it is not practical to utilize the gross minima occurring at odd multiples of one-half the line
frequency, use of the fine grain minima, occurring at
even multiples of the frame frequency, is very advantageous in reducing the visibility of co-channel interference.
The nearest even multiple (334th) of the frame frequency to the 10 kHz offset is 10010 Hz. In a three
station arrangement, one station will have zero offset
and the other two stations will be offset by 610010
Hz. Changes in the frequency differences of 5 Hz have
a negligible effect on the reduction of the interference visibility.
To maintain the precision offset within 5 Hz requires
maintaining each visual carrier frequency within 2 or
3 Hz. Maintaining a television transmitter to such tight
frequency tolerances requires an extremely stable frequency source. (Note that 3 Hz stability is required in
the case of an adjacent DTV signal.)
In exciters using two independent oscillators (one
for IF and one for the local oscillator), the visual carrier
signal may be derived from mixing the oscillators together and comparing that signal to the reference signal
in the comparator. The resultant error signal can be
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not a one to one correspondance between RF amplitude/phase response and baseband stereo separation
and crosstalk. A 3 dB bandwidth of 1.5 MHz provides
excellent stereo and SAP performance.
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Figure 6.2-30. DTV RF waveform showing true peak levels with no compression.
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On-Air Availability
Related to reliability, but perhaps even more important, is on-air availability. On-air availability is the
percentage of time the transmitter is available for service, defined by the following equation:
On-Air Availability
4
MTBF
2 100%
MTBF ` MTTR ` MPMT
where:
MTBF 4 Mean Time Between Failures (hours)
MTTR 4 Mean Time To Repair (hours)
MPMT 4 Mean Preventative Maintenance Time
(hours)
It is apparent there is little point in designing a
transmitter that has a high MTBF figure if, due to
poor design and mechanical packaging, it takes an
inordinate length of time to make repairs, or the transmitter has to be shut down frequently for routine preventative maintenance.
Many stations have very short sign-off windows or
operate 24 hours a day. This often results in a lessthan-optimum maintenance schedule which can lead
to premature failure or out-of-tolerance operation. One
way to reduce the amount of off-air maintenance time
is by making provisions for on-air maintenance or to
have redundant transmitters. This significantly reduces
the MPMT.
Several design factors should be considered for optimum on-air availability:
High reliability for the fundamental circuits
Provision for fast, easy access to all subassemblies
Maximum use of like parts and subassemblies. Because fewer items are needed, this allows a TV station to maintain a full inventory of spares. If spares
are on hand, it follows that the repair time is
much shorter
Repair of transmitter at subassembly level. A subassembly which has been removed can then be repaired
by station personnel or returned to the manufacturer
for exchange.
Efficiency
When the fundamental concept of efficiency is applied to TV transmitters several factors must be considered. For purposes of determining total power consumed, the ac to RF conversion efficiency is the
parameter of interest. For systems with unity power
factor, determining the ac input power is relatively
straightforward. For power factors less than unity, the
relative phase of the fundemental voltage and current
must be determined. In addition, in systems generating
significant line harmonics, the relative level of these
harmonics must be known. Power factor is expressed
either as displacement power factor or total or true
power factor.
Displacement power factor is is the cosine of the
phase between the voltage and current at the funda-
Table 6.2-1
Typical figures of merit for common tube amplifiers
operating in separate amplification.
AMPLIFIER DEVICE
TETRODE
INTEGRAL CAVITY KLYSTRON
EXTERNAL CAVITY KLYSTRON
KLYSTRODE OR IOT
DEPRESSED COLLECTOR KLYSTRON
FIGURE OF MERIT
.91.0
.65.75
.65.75
1.11.3
1.21.3
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TELEVISION TRANSMITTERS
SOLID-STATE TRANSMITTERS
Technological advances in bipolar and field effect transistors (FET) have made the development of solidstate high power, linear amplifier modules for TV
applications both practical and cost effective. By combining RF modules, it is practical to create transmitters
at any power range up to 75 kW. Solid-state transmitters maintain their performance over extended periods
of time due primarily to the fact that they have no
tuning controls nor filament emission degradation with
time. No warm up time is requiredsolid-state transmitters produce full rated power within seconds of activation.
Solid State Devices
Both bipolar and FET technology exist today as
suitable RF amplification devices. Power amps are
operated in class AB for the best trade-off of efficiency
and linearity. Driver stages usually contain Class A
amplifiers.
Although both device types have merit, FETs have
some advantages over bipolar devices. FETs have a
higher amplification factor than bipolar transistors,
helping to reduce the number of driver stages. Higher
supply voltages help to reduce the current capacity of
the power supply. Simpler bias circuitry minimizes
parts count.
RF Amplifiers
Combining several RF power modules to achieve the
desired transmitter output power increases the parallel
redundancy and the on-air availability. Output power
of 12 kW per module has been adopted by nearly all
manufacturers based on overall cost, practical weight,
and size limitations.
Self protection of each PA module against various
fault conditions is good engineering practice. By using
self protecting modules, the cabinet control logic and
overall transmitter control logic can be kept simple,
thus improving overall reliability. Self diagnostics for
the module aid in minimizing time to repair. Protection
from over-voltage, overdrive, VSWR, overtemperature
and ensuring proper load sharing among devices is
essential to maintaining amplifiers for long life. It is
desirable that one subassembly failure not cause another subassembly to fail.
Modular amplifiers which can be removed while
hot improve overall on-air availability. If an amplifier
module fails, the transmitter continues to function indefinitely without disrupting transmitter operation. If
a spare PA amplifier is on hand, it can be used while
the failed unit is repaired.
Temperature compensated regulated supplies for the
amplifiers are important. Otherwise, power output varies as temperature or supply voltage changes.
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Po 4
(V )2
2RL
it is desirable that the supply remain very tightly controlled over incoming ac line variation. Since the amplifier current demand varies with picture level (for
NTSC), the power supply output voltage must remain
stable from low load (white picture) to high load (peak
sync output). Efficiency of the power supply is important since the lost power results in heat as well as
unnecessarily high utility costs. Any voltage or current
transients should be significantly suppressed before
reaching the amplifier transistor device. Transmitters
should successfully pass the applicable portions of the
ANSI/IEEE C62.41 Transient Testing Standard (also
referred to as the IEEE-587 Standard).
throughout the transmitter. The distributed control system can be designed so that the failure of any individual
controller does not affect the operation of the others.
Both distributed control and centralized control systems are shown in Figures 6.2-40 and 41. After ac
power failure, the controller should have backup memory to restore the transmitter to the same operating
condition as before.
A system of indicators is essential to quick fault
diagnosis. Typical status conditions which may be displayed are: exciter fault, VSWR fault, VSWR foldback, power supply fault, controller fault, air loss,
door open, fail-safe interlock, phase loss, module fault,
visual drive fault, aural drive fault and external interlock(s).
VSWR foldback reduces power during high VSWR
operation, such as antenna icing, and restores RF power
to normal when difficulties are removed. Other options
used to enhance the on-air capability may include dual
exciters, 20% aural power and redundant drive chains.
A block diagram of a solid-state transmitter with
VSWR foldback is shown in Figure 6.2-42.
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Typical tetrodes are operated in grounded grid. Neutralization is required, but it is a one time physical
setting and does not change from tube to tube. The
tetrode is cathode driven with a low Q input tuning
section. Output power is taken from the anode through
a double tuned cavity section with loading control.
The grids are grounded for RF. The tubes are cooled
with distilled water. Cooling water must be non-conductive since it comes in contact with anode voltage.
A representative cavity is shown in Figure 6.2-44.
The tetrode node voltage is much lower than that
of the klystron. No special standoff requirements are
necessary and the negative supply line of the power
supply is grounded. The cathode is at dc ground potential.
Contributing to the service life of modern tetrodes
is the water cooling of anode and screen grid. The
method used is a process in which the water coming
in contact with the anode surface is allowed to vaporize
to the nucleate boiling state within tiny pits on the
anode surface as illustrated in Figure 6.2-45. As soon
as the vapor enters the main water stream a few thousandths of an inch above the surface, it condenses,
releasing its heat content to the main stream. Nucleate
boiling is enhanced by deliberately roughening the
anode surface providing millions of boiling sites uniformly spread over the surface. If the anode surface
were visible and not hidden under a watertight cap,
nucleate boiling would be recognized by the formation
of nearly microscopic bubbles, which quickly condense and disappear. Film boiling is maintained in
between nucleate boiling sites.
The screen grid is also water cooled, but no boiling
takes place.
The important electrical characteristics of a 30 kW
peak sync tetrode are shown in Table 6.6-2. The basic
structure of these tubes is silver-plated copper and
ceramic with pyrolytic graphite grids and a thoriated
tungsten directly heated cathode. Filament currents are
high to minimize cathode current modulation of the
cathode temperature.
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Table 6.2-2
Typical power tetrode electrical characteristics.
Pout PEP
Pout peak sync
10% Aural?
One dB Bandwidth
Circuit Configuration
Integral to the Cavity?
Power Gain
IMD
Neutralization
Sync Compression
Plate (Anode) Voltage
Anode Current Idle
Anode Current Black
Screen Grid Voltage
Screen Grid Current Black
Control Grid Voltage
Control Grid Current Black
Filament Voltage
Filament Current
52 kW
30 kW
Yes
12.8 MHz
Grounded Grid
No
15 dB
148 dB no correction
Yes
5 IRE no correction
8500 V
2.5 A
5.6 A
650 V
40 mA
1120 V
20 mA
5.1 V ac or dc
180 A
Figure 6.2-46. A three dimensional cutaway of a Diacrode showing all four elements of the tube and anode water path.
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Figure 6.2-47. The upper shorted quarter-wave line section above the Diacrode causes two current maximums instead of the single
one in the tetrode.
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the beam current. If the low voltage electrode is connected to the cathode, the modulating anode voltage
controls beam current. Perveance is a function of the
geometry of the cathode-anode structure. This can be
calculated using the following equation:
Ib 4 KV 3/2
b
where:
K 4 Perveance
Ib 4 Beam current in amperes
Vb 4 Beam voltage
Figure 6.2-51 shows the relationship between beam
current and voltage described in the previous equation.
In example A, if a modulating anode of 4,000 V with
respect to the cathode beam voltage produces a beam
current of 0.6 A, the intersection point lies at a perveance expressed as 2.4 2 1016 or 2.4 micropervs.
Operating condition B illustrates a practical television
transmitter situation in which a common beam supply
of 18 kV is used to power both the visual and aural
klystron. The visual tube operates at a beam current
of approximately 5.0 A if the modulating anode is
connected (through an isolating resistance) to the body
of the tube, and the perveance is 2.1 micropervs. Since
the aural output power required is much less, the dc
input power is less than that required to operate the
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Support circuitry for the IOT consists of the necessary drivers, precorrection, power supplies and protection circuitry. An IOT transmitter block diagram using
common amplification is shown in Figure 6.2-60.
The IOT uses a beam voltage of 32 kV to 36 kV.
Since the beam current changes with modulation, video
frequency currents are required from the beam supply.
The beam supply must be designed to provide excellent
regulation from no load to full load and to also provide
a low source impedance for all video frequencies. In
the event of a high voltage failure, the beam supply
should limit the energy dumped into an arc. The supply,
being stiffer, requires a triggered crowbar circuit to
limit the beam supply arc energy. A block diagram of
a crowbar circuit is shown in Figure 6.2-61.
The grid bias supply of 110 to 170 V with respect
to the cathode floats with the beam voltage. A simple
method of developing the grid voltage is to use zener
diodes connected between the power supply and the
tube cathode connection and tap the grid to the appropriate zener to obtain the desired bias current. As with
klystrons, the magnet power supply must have sufficient energy storage that the beam remains focused
until the beam decays. A power supply for the ion
vacuum pump is needed with appropriate sensors for
the protection circuitry. Other protection circuitry provided in the IOT transmitter is similar to that needed
in the klystron transmitter.
Each of the transmitter technologies previously described have been found to be suitable for transmission
of DTV. Early in the development of the DTV transmission system, klystron, MSDC and solid-state amplifiers were used for over the air transmission tests. More
recently, experimental stations have gone on air using
both IOT and solid-state final amplifiers. Just as for
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PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS
The quality of the broadcast television transmitted signal is the responsibility of the broadcaster. Intermediate
frequency modulation, solid-state SAW vestigial filters
and sophisticated precorrection circuits make transparent performance possible. Precision demodulators with
synchronous detection and SAW filters are capable of
near ideal detection. Test waveforms and digital signal
synthesis provide accurate test signal generation to
complement transmission facilities.
The Electronic Industries Association Standard RS508 takes into account empirical quality factors and
reflects a common denominator for new transmitter
performance. This standard is a valuable reference
document which describes performance parameters,
standards and methods of measurements.
A thorough proof-of-performance at the time of installation is an invaluable record of normal operating
performance. It also serves as verification of proper
signal quality and emission standards. The number of
detailed measurements required after the proof usually
can be limited since several performance characteristics are a measure of the same impairment. Also, some
test waveforms are more useful for transmitter adjustment than others.
Transmitter measurements can be considered in two
primary categories: frequency response and linearity.
In the time domain, 2T modulated sine squared
pulses and multiburst waveforms are used in identifying and correcting linear distortions. In the frequency
domain, swept amplitude and group delay measurements can be used, but are normally reserved for outof-service testing.
`2.5 2 1019
`1 2 1019
`3 2 10110
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Figure 6.2-64. Modulated sine-squared pulses with gain and phase errors.
quire returning to previous tests to verify proper performance. The test sequence is intended to minimize the
number of adjustments.
Pretest Checks:
Test equipment
Input video
Output transmission line, station load, and antenna
Alternating current mains input
Record meter readings, adjustment settings and key
performance parameters
Transmitter Test Sequence
1. Exciter linear and nonlinear performance
2. Intermediate and driver linear amplifier performance
3. Swept frequency response
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frequency, intermodulation products (IMD), error vector magnitude (EVM) IMD and harmonic levels.
1. The RMS output power may be measured with with
a calorimeter.
2. The pilot frequency may be measured with a frequency counter or spectrum analyzer. The results
should be the frequency of the lower channel edge
plus 309,440.6 Hz, 6200 Hz, unless precise frequency control is required.
3. The FCC rules in 73.622 (h) states the power level
of emissions on frequencies outside the authorized
channel of operation must be attenuated no less
than the following amounts below the average
transmitted power within the authorized channel.
In the first 500 kHz from the channel edge the
emissions must be attenuated no less than 47 dB.
More than 6 MHz from the channel edge, emissions
must be attenuated no less than 110 dB. At any
frequency between 0.5 and 6 MHz from the channel
edge, emissions must be attenuated no less than the
value determined by the following formula:
Attenuation in dB 4 111.5(D f ` 3.6)
where: D f 4 frequency difference in MHz from
the edge of the channel.
This attenuation is based on a measurement bandwidth of 500 kHz. Other measurement bandwidths
may be used as long as appropriate correction factors are applied. Measurements need not be made
any closer to the band edge than one half of the
resolution bandwidth of the measuring instrument.
Emissions include sidebands, spurious emissions
and radio frequency harmonics. Attenuation is to be
measured at the output terminals of the transmitter
(including any filters that may be employed). In the
event of interference caused to any service, greater
attenuation may be required.
In practice, it is recommended that the IMD level
be measured with the resolution bandwidth set for
30 kHz throughout the frequency range of interest.
This results in an adjustment to the FCC formula
to account for the difference in the resolution
bandwidth as stated in the rule. The adjustment is
computed to be 10 log (6/.5) or 10.8 dB. Under
this test condition the measured level should be
136 dB from the mid band levels to the shoulder
levels.
4. Output harmonics may be measured with a spectrum analyzer. They should be at least 1110 dB
below the mid-band power level.
5. Measure the error vector magnitude (EVM). At the
time of this writing, the only known test equipment
available for measuring this parameter is a vector
signal analyzer.
The output power, pilot frequency, in-band frequency response and adjacent channel spectrum should
be measured periodically to assure proper transmitter
operation. These parameters can be measured while
the transmitter is in service with normal programming.
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TELEVISION TRANSMITTERS
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
A good preventative maintenance program includes
periodic inspection and cleaning of the equipment.
A vacuum cleaner is preferred to remove dust instead
of compressed air which will simply blow the dirt
onto something else. A paintbrush can be used to
dislodge dust from delicate circuit boards. Avoid
using a nylon bristled brush with a plastic handle
as the static charge may damage CMOS or other
static sensitive components. A natural bristle brush
with wooden handle and metal binding is recommended.
High voltage wires and insulators must be cleaned
with denatured alcohol, or other cleaner capable of
removing the dirt without leaving any residue. Meter
cases are cleaned with nonstatic cleaner.
Air filters should be replaced or cleaned to maintain
adequate air flow to the equipment. A second set of
washable filters saves time when using a single transmitter in critical service by quickly switching the clean
filters and washing the dirty ones later. Blowers should
be inspected to see if the curved fins are filled with
debris that would reduce air flow. Motor windings may
collect a layer of dirt and interfere with the cooling
of the motor itself. The fins of high-power tubes must
be cleaned of debris which may have passed through
the air filters. Bearings should be lubricated and
checked for excessive noise.
Color change in silver plated cavity parts is a sign
of overheating and may require the disassembly of the
cavity to check for obstructed air passages of loose
connections. Set-screws in gear and chain drive tuning
mechanisms should be checked for tightness. Black
silver-oxide is a good conductor and need not be removed. Small parts should be dipped in Tarnix for
cleaning. Be sure to flush the parts after cleaning to
remove any residue. Scotch-Brite is a good nonmetallic cleaning pad for silver plated parts. Do no
remove the plating when cleaning these parts.
High current wires may move during turn-on surges
and can suffer abrasions which may cause an arc if not
properly dressed from sharp edges. Wiring on terminal
boards may loosen through thermal cycling and vibration. All connections must be checked to be sure they
remain tight. If wires need to be replaced, the correct
gauge, voltage rating and temperature rating must be
considered when selecting the replacement.
Edge connectors on printed circuit boards should
be cleaned with Cramolin or other cleaner. A small
amount is applied to the connector and then removed
with a lint-free cloth. Do not use pencil erasers as this
will remove gold or silver plating from the edge traces,
and could degrade the connection or create an intermittent. The sulfur in the eraser causes chemical reaction
to the edge connector material.
Backup systems or emergency modes of operation
should be checked periodically. Relays should be exercised to keep contacts polished.
Transmitter site cleaning should include a check of
the building for such things as leaks in the roof which
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(feet)
Max. temp:
(C)
Min. temp:
(C)
325 CFM
4 94.5 ft/min
3.4 ft2
pD2
p(100)2
4
4 .545 square ft
4 2 144
4 2 144
V4
325 CFM
4 596 ft/min
dia. pipe .545 ft
(Sq. Ft)
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TELEVISION TRANSMITTERS
a 10 in. elbow at 900 ft/min gives less than 0.01 pressure drop. There is just under 600 ft per minute in the
system. Conservatively, add .01 for each 90 elbow
and .12 for the 20 ft section of 10 in. pipe.
0.0129 ` 0.019 ` 0.019 4 0.032 inch of water
(total pressure drop)
No exhaust fan is necessary since 0.032 in. is less
than the 0.1 in. pressure that requires a fan.
The installer may have a problem exhausting the
transmitter in this simple fashion (for example a roof
exit is not available). It may be required to add two
additional 90 elbows and a straight run of 10 in. pipe
100 ft long. The pressure drop in the exhaust system
is then:
Friction loss in 20 ft of 10 in.
dia. pipe
4 elbows 2 .01 in. of water
(each)
Friction loss/100 ft of 10 in.
dia. pipe
0.012
0.04 in.
0.06 in.
0.112 in. of water
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KEY TERMS
haust and supply system will pay in extended transmitter life and lower service costs.
The intake vent and blower should be sized to provide a slight positive room pressure. Installing a manometer to sense pressure drop across the filters helps
determine replacement interval of prefilters.
If existing space will not permit the construction of
the transmitter manufacturers recommended air system, care must be taken to modify the design to fit the
available space and still properly cool the transmitter.
Additional flushing air is recommended for the removal of heat from any surrounding equipment that
shares space with the transmitter. It is a recommended
input air be no greater than 5C above ambient.
Air Conditioning
It is a common practice to set the transmitter into
a sealed wall forming a plenum chamber. The plenum
is supplied with outside air and separate air conditioning is provided for the front side to cool personnel and
source equipment.
In areas with severely polluted air, it may be necessary to run the transmitter on air conditioned air to
avoid bringing in corrosive salts or gaseous contaminants.
The amount of air conditioning will depend on several factors. It is strongly recommended that the air
conditioning be shared by a number of units rather
than one large central system so that operation can
continue in the event of the failure of one unit. Air
conditioning units are usually specified by ton of cooling capacity with one ton equal to 12,000 btu per hour.
Consult experienced professionals in the area of
HVAC design to achieve the desired result and to
prevent problems.
Baseband. The video, audio or digital signal supplied from program input equipment. For analog TV
in the United States, these signals are defined by the
NTSC standard. For digital TV in the United States, the
input signal is defined by the Advanced TV Standards
Committee Standard A53.
Efficiency. Fundementally, the ratio of RF output
power to input power, expressed as percent. For TV
transmitters, special conditions apply (see section on
TV transmitter efficiency).
Reliability. The degree to which equipment will
operate without failure or off-air time. Quantitatively,
reliability is often expressed as the mean time between
failures (MTBF); alternatively, availablity is a useful measure.
Linearity. Refers to the degree with which the transmitter output voltage is directly proportional to the
input. Common terms used to quantify the degree of
transmitter nonlinearity include low-frequency or luminance nonlinearity, differential gain and AM to AM
conversion. Output phase may also be a function of
input level. The deviation from ideal linear phase is
often quantified as incidental carrier phase modulation (ICPM), differential phase and AM to PM conversion.
Differential Gain. Nonlinear chroma gain as a function of luminance level. A change in the color saturation results.
Differential Phase. Nonlinear chroma phase as a
function of luminance level. A change in hue results.
Low-Frequency or Luminance Nonlinearity. The
change in luminance gain as a function of brightness level.
Linear Distortions. Distortions to the transmitted
signal that are not level dependent. They are introduced
by linear components in the transmission path. These
components include any device with a non-constant
frequency response such as matching networks, cavities, filters, diplexers and other tuned circuits. Variations in amplitude and phase are included.
Group or Envelope Delay. Nonuniform delay of
different frequencies over the signal bandwidth; the
first derivitive of phase with respect to frequency. It
is caused by nonlinear phase as a function of frequency
inherent in RF amplifiers, filters, combiners and other
output devices. In general, the closer the amplitude
roll-off is to the passband, the higher the group delay distortion.
Nonlinear Distortions. Distortions to the transmitted signal introduced by non-linear components in the
transmission path. These components include any device whose output voltage is not directly proportional
to input such as power amplifiers operating near compression.
Precorrection. A technique or circuit introduced to
compensate for nonlinear distortion. The objective is to
provide a complementary transfer function that, when
operating on the nonlinear transfer function, will minimize nonlinear distortion. Precorrection may be intro-
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TELEVISION TRANSMITTERS
REFERENCES
ANSI/IEEE C62.41 Standard (Sometimes referred to
as the IEEE-587 Standard).
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