Anyone keying a SPE amp with a Flex 5000

John - K3MA

I am trying to get my SPE 1.3K amp working with a Flex 5000.  Direct connection from the radio to the amp does not work.  Inserting a Ameritron ARB-704 does not work.  Manually shorting the RCA center pin to the shield successfully keys the amp.  Also, the red TX light on the ARB-704 would indicate it was getting a good TX PTT signal from the Flex 5000.   Other radios (Flex 6500, Flex 3000 and KX3) key the amp fine with a direct connection but not with the ARB-704.

I am not interested at this time to control the amp with CAT so I have it setup with CAT of NONE.  I am only trying to figure out how to get the Flex 5000 to put the amp in TX.

Is anyone doing this and if so how are you accomplishing it?

John

Larry _ NY8T

I would start with my ohm meter checking continuity first at the rca on the radio when keyed and down the line/cables. Strange that the arb shows keyed but it may not be closing, check with ohm meter.

Bill -VA3WTB

Connect To Tx1, and select it in the radio setup.

Paul - K6HR

Hello John,
It's in the Antenna Menu. You will see check boxes for all 3 TX jacks. TX1, TX2 TX3. Enable them here and you are good to go...

John - K3MA

I assure you the TX selections are properly made in the software.

John - K3MA

I appreciate the troubleshooting help.  However, my basic question was.....Is anyone doing this and if so how are you accomplishing it?

I cannot tell from the responses if you are only helping with troubleshooting, doing it with a different setup or do not own this combination of radio and amp.

Paul M

Yes, I have a 2K-FA and I had a Flex-5000.  I had an RCA to RCA from TX1 to the amp keying input for the #1 Input of the amp.  I made sure that the TX1 was checked for all for the bands that the Amp supported.   I had no issues.   

I do not remember having an issue for the four years that I had the pair unless I accidentally unchecked the TX1 box in the antenna setting. 

John - K3MA

Paul TU for the details.  I do not know if there are any keying differences between the SPE 2K-FA and the 1.3K.  But then again I would not have thought there were any keying differences between the Flex 3000, 5000 and 6XXX series but have found out that is not the case.  I did hear back via another forum from a ham who has had exactly the same issues I am seeing and he purchased a isolation keying relay from another source that uses a relay to provide the switching and it worked fine so maybe that is the direction I need to go.

Paul - K6HR

I'm keying a 1K-FA using just an RCA/RCA jumper. With those items checked on the antenna tab I'd guess maybe there's a problem in your RFIO board. Check with Dudley, he will know for sure.

John - K3MA

No problem on the RFIO board.  It can key other amplifiers.  It seems the SPE1.3K requires a very low resistance path to key the amplifier and the ARB-704 does not provided a hard ground.  Looks like a real not solid state relay interface will be required.

Alexandre Louro

I use the same set Flex 5000A with SPE and work fantastic, I also have the CAT so works even better that i recommend you to do, no relay box needed if you lioke I can share pictures but I need to take it first

Paul_Mills

Have had intermittent problem with another amp. Generally solved by reseating RCA plugs.