Introduction
TheLP-100isdesignedasan accurateinstrumentformonitoringstationperformance. It providesanumberofuniquefeaturesnotseen
beforeinahamradiowattmeter.
Themost obviousof theseisthevectordisplay.Thisdisplayshowsthecompleximpedanceoftheloadintwoways. Thetoplineof the
displayshowsimpedanceinpolarform…i.e.,magnitudeandphaseoftheimpedance.Thebottomlineshowstherealandimaginary
componentsofimpedance…i.e., R+jX.Theparametersaredisplayedinarangeof0.1to999.9ohms.Phaseisdisplayedin0.1
degreeincrementsfrom0-180 degrees.
Featuresinclude…
•PLEDdisplaywithbargraphsforpowerandSWR, alongwithnumericalreadout forboth
•ProfessionaldBm/ ReturnLoss display
•50 mWto2500Wwithfourautorangingscales
•Powerdisplayresolution of0.01to1Wdependingon scale
•Frequencycoverageof 1.8-54MHz,withautomaticband-by-bandcompensation
•Z, R,|X|displayfrom0-999.9ohmseach
•Separatecouplerwith50ohmportsforuncluttereddesktop
•Peak-hold numerical powerreadoutwith"hang"characteristicforpowerandSWR
•SWRaccuracy<.15(5%)fromabout.1Wto2500W, .05 typical
•Poweraccuracyis5%typical atanyrated powerlevelorfrequencyfrom.5Wto2500Waftercalibration,usable to0.05W
•Canbeeasilymatched in thefield toexternal standardtowithin0.1%on eachband
•Powerdisplayisactual powerdeliveredtotheload(FwdminusRefpower).
•SWRAlarmsystemwithsetpointsforOff, 1.5,2.0.2.5and3.0.
•WindowsfreewareVirtual Control Panel forsoftware/ remotecontrol
•Supportwithin TRX-Managerfordirect remotemonitoring
•Advanced charting capabilityforSWR, RL, Z, R, Xandphaseanglevs.frequency
•Built-inbootloadertoallowforfirmwareupgradestobedownloadedand installed.
•Callsignscreen savertoextend lifeof display
•Directinput forbenchtesting &field strengthmeasurements, -15 to+33dBm.
•ConformstoFCCPart 15A&B, ICAS andCEradiated emission limits,tested andverified byaccredited lab
Thismanualwilladdress theassemblyof theLP-100,initialcheckout,calibrationandoperation.You maywishtoread throughthe
circuitdescriptionandstudytheschematicbeforebeginning assemblytofamiliarizeyourselfwiththeproject. It ishighlyrecommended
thatyouthoroughlyread throughthe Assembly section beforeevenunpacking theLP-100kit.
RoHSStatement
TheEUadoptedaset of standardsforthe“ReductionofHazardousSubstances”inJuly2006.Thereisconsiderableconfusionover
whichdevicesandcompaniesareaffectedbythenewrules.It isouropinion thathome-builtkitsareexemptfromthislegislation,and
theremaywellbeafurtherexemption undertheheading“Measurement Equipment”fortheLP-100.Also,sinceTelePostdoesnothave
apresenceinEurope,wedo notimporttoorexportfromamemberState, asstipulatedintherules.
Regardless oftheseexemptions,everyefforthasbeenmadetoprovide100%RoHScompliantparts,PCBsandSMTassembly
processesontheLP-100.Werecommend theuseof standardPb/SnalloysoldersforassemblyofLP-100kits,mainlyforperformance
reasons.Thisisperfectlyacceptableundertherulesfor“ownusebuiltequipment(hobbyist)”.Useoflead-free solderisalso
permissible,sincethePCBsarelead-free, butbeawarethat specialequipmentandtechniquesarerequiredtouselead-free solder,
and PCBreworkhasamuchhigherchanceofdamagingthePCB.
Inlayman’sterms,theLP-100isaslead-free aspossiblewithoutcompromisingperformanceorlong-termreliability,andbuildersin
memberStatesarefree toassembleanLP-100withwhateversoldertheywish.
HardwareUpgrades
Starting withserial#101, theLP-100usesan upgradedPICprocessor, withtwicethememoryofthepreviouschip.Thisallowsfor
yearsoffirmwaredevelopmentandaddedfeatures.AnyownerofanearlierLP-100isentitledtoafree upgradetothenewprocessor,
but willneedtodo anadditionalcalibrationtotakeadvantageofthenewcapabilities.AsaconveniencetoanyLP-100 owner,TelePost
will do thechipswapandafree recalibrationiftheownerreturnstheLP-100toTelePostathisshipping expense, and paysforreturn
shipping($12 forFedexGroundinsured).Alternatively,TelePostcanshipanewprocessortotheownerinexchangefortheoldone, or
forasmall chargeiftheownerwishestokeeptheoldprocessorasabackup.Inthiscase,itisuptotheownertorecalibratehismeter,
and tosaveandre-programhisCALtableintothenewchip. Fordetailsonchipswapping, send an emailto larry@telepostinc.com.
