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IC-746 FAQ
3.5
Amplifiers
3.5.1
How do I hook up an Icom IC-PW1 RF power amplifier?
The electrical connections are easy; just follow the diagram at the top of page 79 in your
instruction manual. Then carefully read the instructions that came with the IC-PW1 because
they can be confusing.
Icom has instructions for this on their WWW site at:
http://www.icomamerica.com/support/documents/pw1-746.html
They state:
1. Make sure the CT-17 is powered up. Connect the CT-17 output 1 to IC-746, and output 2
to IC-PW1.
2. Power up the IC-746 and set up the CI-V communication per the IC-PW1 manual. The
CI-V set up will vary between the early and the latest IC-PW1 units.
3. Power on the IC-746 and the IC-PW1. The IC-PW1 should now automatically select the
band the IC-746 is set to.
4. Now start the software, and set the software com port setting to the port you have the CT-
17 connected to. The software should recognize the IC-746 and show the exact frequency
on the computer screen the IC-746 is tuned to.
5. As you change bands on either the IC-746 or the software, the IC-PW1 will follow that
band change. If you change bands on the software, both the IC-746 and the IC-PW1 will
follow that band change.
Paraphrased (thanks to WA0SXV), the procedure is:
•
Turn everything on, set the 746 to full power, and key up in RTTY.
•
Adjust the ALC pot on the back of the PW1 to set the IC-PW1 ALC meter to the mid-
scale point.
Power out on the amp should now read around 500w if you are using 110 or 1000w if you
are using 220vac.
No adjustments are needed on the 746 --- the PW-1 ALC should take care of that. When
properly adjusted the power output scale on the 746 will read something around 35-50w.
3.5.2
What if I hook up more than just an IC-PW1?
The PW-1 manual claims that you will not have to mess with the CI-V addressing. That's not
always true. If the IC-PW1 is directly connected to the IC-746 (on default CI-V address 54h
and 56H respectively) with no other devices, then the PW-1 auto-config routine senses the
IC-746 and everything works just fine.
Page 42 of 113
2003-02-08