As suggested what is the "best" way to connect a Flex 6400 to an ALS-600

WV5Q

As suggested what is the "best" way to connect a Flex 6400 to an ALS-600

Patrick

I looked at the manual for your amp. It being 100% Manual and that means no band switching. Tuning etc. is manual so options there. So the only hookups are RF IN/RF out, xmt control in and ALC. You only need to hook up the the RF CABLES and the XMT Ctrl. At this point tuning up is a matter of using low level of drive from the Flex and then begin tuning the amps Finals. Gradually increasing the drive to the desired output RF level specified for mode being used. Hope that was helpful.

WV5Q

Thanks so much. I will get started as soon as I get home.

Bill N3HQB

The ALS-600 is a solid state, no tune amp. No need to tune finals, just select the band on the front panel. I used one with my 6300 for a few years, good combo. I would buy another.

W0PC

I also have the ALS-600 with the ARI-500 for band tracking. Flex interface cables are available.
73, Rick (W0PC)

Mike-VA3MW

@W0PC

Rick, would you be able to provide details on how you set it up that others could learn from?

73

Patrick

Just a note: if you buy an mfj ARI 1500 you can remote band switch. The ARI 1500 is also used on other mfj amps. A dedicated cable is available to connect to the flex. See the ARI 1500 manual. I missed this in the manual. My bad.

Patrick

Sorry, ARI500…..

Damele

Is there an off the shelf cable now available to go between the Flex and the ARI-500? The AR1-500 can handle both band switching and keying of the amp, correct ? Is buffering circuitry (like that provided by the ARB-704) built in to the ARI-500 ?

Lee, N2LC

I have an ALS-500M, sets up about the same as the 600. The amp together with an ARI does follow the radio.

The ARI-500 comes with the cables needed but for one - the cable to the radio. That cable is the RJ-USB6000, available from MFJ, R&L, HRO, Etc. It ain't cheap.

I had some minor issues with setup that MFJ quickly resolved. One or more of the finer points of operation didn't make it out of the manual into my brain, so they had to set me straight.

Mainly, once all hooked up, the amp is to be left switched off, and the ARI does the work. If you switch the amp on, it will fault when the ARI is on. This wasn't clear to me in the manual. When you switch the ARI on, it switches the amp on; the amp will not be all lit up and inviting - just 2 lights on the ARI.

They advised cutting a green wire inside the amp may need to be cut to reduce the sensitivity of the fault system, which I did, which worked.

Also, MFJ says the RCA cable is not used with the ARI, but *my* 6000 doesn't key the amp without something going from the TX jack to the amp. I didn't follow up with them on that item, since it's working with the cable. There's probably some other nuance I missed, but I quit while I was ahead.

Others have made the cable, such as https://community.flexradio.com/discussion/7916249/rj-usb6000-desperately-needed-wtb