Trantec S5

[DrV]

Can anyone tell me if there is a way to measure the phantom power voltage at the mic output connector of a mixer or aerial connector of an adu?

Just a simple voltmeter will do. -ve probe on the shell of an aerial connector or on pin 1 of an audio XLR. +ve lead on the core (centre pin) of an aerial connector or on pin 2 or 3 of a mic lead. Nothing magic about phantom power. It's just d.c.

Dave

[Wolf124]

I have at the moment 4 secondhand Trantec S4000adu units (ex hire stock). One of them has been reprogrammed for the lower frequency channels and powers the external aerials. The second does not appear to have been reprogrammed, but also powers the external aerials. The other two do not power the aerials at all. Before I either return the last 2 units or have them reprogrammed and the phantom power sorted out, can anyone advise me why two units will power the aerials and two won't. Externally they all appear to be identical??

[Wolf124]

Thanks Dave. I did try that but no reading even though the leds on the aerials are lit showing that they are getting power. Will give it another try, maybe meter leads are faulty.

[Wolf124]

Finally got a reading on the test meter with new leads. 10v on the two that light the leds on the external aerials (thanks again Dave), but nothing on the other two. The internal gubbins appear the same on all of them (except the reprogrammed one). Perhaps the phantom power has been shorted on two and blown something. Any thoughts anyone please? Edited January 3, 2019 by Wolf124

[DrV]

Finally got a reading on the test meter with new leads. 10v on the two that light the leds on the external aerials (thanks again Dave), but nothing on the other two. The internal gubbins appear the same on all of them (except the reprogrammed one). Perhaps the phantom power has been shorted on two and blown something. Any thoughts anyone please?

If no-one with more experience of the units comes up with suggestions, you could try putting a picture of the PCB somewhere public and posting a link here. We might see something obvious. It seems likely that there would be a fuse but usually this would be a self resetting type (eg. polyswitch)

Dave

[Lamplighter]

I vaguely recall a link on the pcb, perhaps a zero ohm resistor?

Brian

 

 

[graemeftv]

most trantec s4000 adu did not supply 10v at the antenna inputs

 

the circuit was never designed with this provision in mind

 

A few later units had a hand wired addition onto the pcb comprising of about 4 components

 

There is no 'reprogramming' of these adu they are not software devices.

 

they can be retuned, by changing some hardware components and tuning some parts. but a rf spectrum analyzer is require for this.

[adamantiumxt]

Hi everyone

 

In the interests of open sourcing, and after a few messages from Blue Room members, I've decided to make my 3d printed battery cover files available to all.

They can be found here;

https://www.thingive...m/thing:3291305

 

Please note that this cover works really well on my own printer (Prusa i3 Mk2s) but I've very much tweaked the tolerances to get a good result out of my own machine. Hopefully any you print should work too, but I can't guarantee it, and I'd definitely suggest just making one at a time to start with.

I've been printing mine from PLA but am going to try some in ABS sometime soon. PLA can be a bit slippery (like nylon) so they still ping open a bit too easily (I always tape all my battery doors shut anyway - always have).

 

Will definitely make use of this, but have a question. How do you remove the original broken cover? I've tried prying up different parts of the metal element the cover is on, but to no avail.

[Wolf124]

Hi Everyone. I am going through my Trantec S5 stock to deal with repairs prior to the next production. I remember from a couple of years back that on the S5.5 units there is a way to label the artist/instruments etc but for the life of me, I can't remember how to do it (I need to reset some artist's names for which the units are labelled). I have the Installation Guide but can't find it... but I have seen it somewhere!!  Can the collective point me in the right direction please.

Edit... Typical, Just as I posted this enquiry, I found the answer on page 9 of my manual!!  Doh... However, I am having trouble finding the 'space' in the character set, any ideas please.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Wolf124

[Wolf124]

On 12/7/2018 at 6:16 PM, Paul TC said:

For wire antennas on VHF belt packs, I have used "extra flex" normally used as test equipment leads, e.g. Link, which stands up to flexing quite well. Bolt, nut, couple of solder tags and heat shrink sorts out the attachment to the beltpack.

Nearly finished my replace/repair session on my Trantecs and am now into the find/repair/replace the lost/mangled where/how the h*ll situation with the antenna. After my enquiries in 2018 (was it really that long ago), I made up some very successful replacements using the 'extra flex' cable. Now, of course, CPC are no longer listing it. Can anyone give me a link for something similar please, before I order the end caps and M3 fittings as the cable diameter will, without doubt be different from the 'extra flex'. Yes, I know that aerials are available (for a price!!) ready made from several sources, but it is very handy to be able to make up replacements of the correct length quickly from stock items, cheaply. My last homemade set cost about 75p each.

PS. Still trying to find the 'space' in the Trantec ASCII character set. It must be there, but I keep missing it...like reading the instruction manuals, you don't find it until you ask everyone who then know that you have lost it!!??  Not really something that you can order as a spare part!!

[alistermorton]

Is this like what you were using?

[Wolf124]

On 12/20/2021 at 5:47 PM, alistermorton said:

Is this like what you were using?

No, a bit more like this one....https://cpc.farnell.com/unbranded/20333-4/5m-black-test-lead/dp/CB00101?fi=wp

but I see that there are others which may be better...like this one...https://cpc.farnell.com/mc-multi-contact/60-7190-21/tpe-insulated-1-00mm-black-25m/dp/CBBR1406?MER=sy-me-pd-mi-alte 

...but I don't know which would be the best, hence the post. I am in no hurry. I still have enough of the old cable to make up a few new ones for the time being.

[richardash1981]

I don't think the cable for replacement antennas is going to be critical - I'm using (for VHF) a length from a lab clearout which is probably 0.5 or 0.75 mm^2 conductor, but providing it's the "lots and lots of strands" extra flexible cable I don't think it will make a lot of difference - you hope you don't need oil and acid resistant insulation!

[sunray]

46 minutes ago, richardash1981 said:

I don't think the cable for replacement antennas is going to be critical - I'm using (for VHF) a length from a lab clearout which is probably 0.5 or 0.75 mm^2 conductor, but providing it's the "lots and lots of strands" extra flexible cable I don't think it will make a lot of difference - you hope you don't need oil and acid resistant insulation!

Oh it very much does make a difference with UHF.

I have 4.16's in CH70 & CH38. Not much of my kit is racked as it's not very often I use a number of radio mics.

I little while back 4 of each came back off hire.

My next simple job; mixer-amp, 4 speaker & cables, 2 radio mics (HH & head)... simple. Except one mic worked as expected, the other struggled. I can't recall the combination but all 6 aerials were the same length (2 transmit & 4 receive) but I happened to be using a CH70 & a CH38.

Until then I hadn't actually noticed they are different lengths.

I was fortunate the hire was to supplement anothers kit and we soon managed a swap session whereby I nearly ended up with the correct selection.

[Lamplighter]

1 hour ago, richardash1981 said:

I don't think the cable for replacement antennas is going to be critical - I'm using (for VHF) a length from a lab clearout which is probably 0.5 or 0.75 mm^2 conductor, but providing it's the "lots and lots of strands" extra flexible cable I don't think it will make a lot of difference - you hope you don't need oil and acid resistant insulation!

28 minutes ago, sunray said:

Oh it very much does make a difference with UHF.

 

To be clear, the length is critical to performance, this is the tuning of the aerial to the right frequency band. The effective diameter of the cable much less so as it only affects the bandwidth of the aerial. The whole thing is a compromise as the proximity of a body dramatically alters everything.

Brian