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ICOM 706MK2G TO AMERITRON AL-811H

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190

Active Member
Jun 22, 2008
181
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n.w. oregon
Was wondering if anyone has used a icom 706mk2g with the ameritron al-811/811h amplifiers.?? if so how would one go about it. would one of the foot switch keyers work with this since the 706mk2g has no alc/send unit.?? and will this amp work on other radios with no alc/send units.??? such as a 2510-2600.noobie to this so dont be to harsh. thanks.
 
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You can use a foot switch if you want, but that's a pain. Heil makes a foot switch that you can hook up to a mic and an amplifier key.

Or...you can use this: Relay in the Cable for Icom

That's what I use to interface my 706mkiig to the Ameritron ALS-500m. It's $35, probably cheaper than a foot switch and is the way to go. You won't be able to the ACC plug for anything else, however, which isn't an issue for me.
 
So you just hook this to the radio and to the amps key plug on the back and your good to go huh.?? i was also reading about the heil combo foot switch/mic cord to but didnt know if it would work on the 706mk2g. im useing a heil icm mic now. thanks there moleculo. appreciate it.
 
i was checking out the link you posted for the relay cable but i the 706mk2g is not listed.??? will it still work.?? is the amp your useing on your 706mk2g a transistor amp or tube.?? just trying to learn sso i dont screw my radio up. thanks.
 
emailed the guy that sells the cables and he said he has a 13 pin for the 706 series radios. i ordered one.so i take it the alc line to the amp is not used in this aplication.??
 
190 said:
Was wondering if anyone has used a icom 706mk2g with the ameritron al-811/811h amplifiers.?? if so how would one go about it. would one of the foot switch keyers work with this since the 706mk2g has no alc/send unit.?? and will this amp work on other radios with no alc/send units.??? such as a 2510-2600.noobie to this so dont be to harsh. thanks.
Click to expand...

The 706mk2g has no ALC?? Not sure if you understand what the ALC is for or not. The ALC connection on the radio is not for sending to the amp it is for feedback FROM the amp to control the drive level from the radio.The amp sends a voltage back on the ALC input line to the radio to control the power output of the radi to avoid overdriving the amp. It has nothing to do with keying the amp.

On edit:
Look on page 6 of your user manual. Pin 6 of the acc. jack is for ALC input.
 
The footswitch works with that mic and amp...they have two connectors - one that goes to the mic and one that goes to the amp.

For that interface cable, i use the one he makes for the 706mkiig. On my Ameritron als-500m there is no ALC interface so I didn't worry about it. ALC on the accessory plug of the 706 is pin 6. I'm nearly positive that that interface cable would have no use for that pin. So if you want to hook up the ALC, you can pull back the cover of the ACC plug and solder on a cable for the ALC to pin 6. I bet if you called him up, you could get him to make you a custom one just like that.
 
i have a alc cable that i got with a amp i used to have. so your saying to solder the alc cable to pin 6 then just plug the other end into the alc plug on the amp.? what happens if no alc line is used per say if you have your mic gain/speach comp. and power level adjusted how the manual shows to do on the radio meters.? maybe im not saying this right. i got a 756pro2 also and was talking ssb. i went to the manual and adjusted the mic gain on the alc meter on the radio, then turned the speach comp. on and adjusted it to between 10 and 20 on the radios meter as per specks. if a guy did this on a 706 and keep the power level in specks to what the amp takes does a guy really need the alc. line.? the al-811h said something about a adjustable alc on the back. thanks for all the info by the way. apreciate it.
 
Generally people run the radio at the full 100 watts out and most amps need less than that to achieve full output. If you were carefull and manually reduced the power output of the radio when using the amp then you should not have any big problems. See what the amp needs for full output and then set the radio to slightly under that and don't worry about the ALC line. (I can't believe I just told someone not to worry about not using the ALC). :blink: Seriously tho, older amps did not even have an ALC connection nor did the radios driving them and they worked fine but that was back when radio operators were actually radio OPERATORS if you know what I mean. (y)
 
i just emailed bob about if he made a cable for the 706 that had the alc line. or could he make one. the one i got is a alc/send cable for a 8 pin kenwood. i have just a single cable to like the alc line. is this alc cable just one wire inside it.? i can solder but just want to make sure im doing this right. its probably old hat to you pros but its all new stuff to me. im wanting to get away from the splatter boxes and clean up my act here you might say but dont want to screw up my stuff in the meanwhile. so again if the mic gain/ speach comp, and rf power are within the specks on the radio does one need the alc line.??
 
Like QRN said, if you set it up all carefully on the rig then you really don't need the ALC. But the ALC is a very good thing to have connected because it can be tricky to get right.

I think the ALC on that amp is just an RCA plug? (I haven't checked it.) If that's the case, you can just use a premade audio cable and cut off one side. The center conductor goes to pin6 and the shield/braid goes to ground. Ground is pin 2 on the ACC plug.
 
thanks QRN. im learning to be a real radio operator. i even got the book to study for my tech license.(y) still enjoy the 11 meter skip but like to use good quality gear. yes moleculo, the alc plug on that amp is a rca style. i got a cable for it. i dont run my icoms wide open and i dont do the super bowl trip. i just like to get my numbers called once in a while. run some hr-2510s/2600s and rci stuff to. thanks for all the help guys.
 
Moleculo, i emailed bob the guy that makes those cables to key the amp and he said there is no physical room in the plug to put a alc line. so as far as the 706 to that amp i guess it wont have one. i got a 756pro2 that has the alc/send and assesory plug so a guy could hook up a alc line on it and still use bobs keying cable. thanks for the help.
 
With the 756Pro2 you can use the SEND line on the accessory jack to trigger the amp in TX mode. Check out page 13 of the user manual.It shows the ALC line and the SEND line which goes to ground on TX. This line can be used to trigger an external relay which in turn triggers the amp. Perhaps "Bob's keying cable" does this for you I do not know.
 

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