Apache Labs Announces the ANAN-7000DLE

[W1AEX]

Looks like the developers will need to add a new rig to the Hardware Config page in OpenHPSDR mRX PS. The ANAN-7000DLE looks like the big brother of the earlier 100 watt rigs with an introductory price of $2995.00. The spec sheet indicates it uses the Orion MK-II board and my guess is that it's packaged with a REV 24 PA board. This should be interesting! Could the ANAN-6000DLE be far behind?

Rob W1AEX

https://apache-labs.com/al-products/1050/ANAN-7000DLE-100W-HF--6M-Transceiver.html

[w-u-2-o]

Looks like an:

- Orion Mk II
- Rev. 24 PA/RF board with Powerpoles
- and a 8000DLE rear panel CCA.

Not much new there. No doubt the Orion Mk II is a better performer by 2 or 3dB in terms of receive sensitivity and transmit IMD. I suspect it was necessary to go to the new board because of parts obsolescence issues with the old boards.

The rear panel is an improvement, but I disagree with the design somewhat. The DIG IN RCA jacks should carry audio line out left and right, and the DE9 connector should be a DE15 connector (same size, E size shell) so that it can carry the DIG IN signals, as well as bring in the utility ADC lines also.

The big mystery, however, is the fan connector. I wonder what that's all about?

[VY2WW]

Pretty cool. Just last night K2BU and the 75M group were speculating on the "discontinued" status on retailers for the 200D, etc. Guess this is the "new kid in town." Kind of odd that they went to separate 1/4 inch phone jacks rather than the 1/8 stereo mini jack for speakers L/R.

[w-u-2-o]

They are reusing the rear panel CCA from the 8000.

[administrator]

Hi Rob,

The 7000DLE certainly uses an Orion MKII, the PA board is completely new with the following improvements over the rev24 PA board:

1. PA Gain redistribution for better IMD
2. Thermally compensated Bias
3. Current/Voltage/Temp Sensors
4. Temp controlled internal and option for external FAN
5. Independent BPFs and 6M LNAs for each ADC, option to ground ADC2 on Tx
6. Several other minor tweaks

73,
Abhi

[w-u-2-o]

I have moved this to the "News" sub-forum because, with this additional detail from Abhi, this is indeed exciting news!

Gain redistribution? Thermal bias compensation? IMD will be lower, and mores stable, than every! Dual BPF sections? Internal and external fan controllers? No pesky front panel display? This is an exciting radio! Plus it appears to bring back all of the external RF routing capabilities of the original. With a "Rev. 2" of the rear panel IO card that brings back access to all of the original utility digital and analog IO, this would be a home run.

73!

Scott

[W1AEX]

Thank you for the reply Abhi. The new PA board appears to be a big step forward and I suspect the 7000 is going to gather a lot of interest!

73,

Rob W1AEX

[w3frg]

Now available for pre order on both Giga Parts and HRO; And maybe more.

My question is the Orion Mkll pcb; Isn't this also used on the 8000?
Also, I don't see any pure signal I/O on the rear pnl of the 7K, like on the 8K.
The ad states these are prelim pics, could this be the reason ?
If so, how does one include an Amp in the pure signal loop?

Tom W3FRG

[w-u-2-o]

Tom,

Please look at Abhi's post above. If you are not aware, Abhi is one of the head guys at Apache. As he wrote above, the 7000 also uses the Orion MkII, the same as the 8000.

One of the most exciting things about the 7000, IMHO, is the return of the same RF switching flexibility that is present on the older models but left out of the 8000, in the form of the EXT and Bypass connections.

Just like on the 100D and 200D (the newer ones with the Rev. 24 PA/RF board), the Bypass connector is used to route PureSignal feedback from an external coupler to RX1 when transmitting. When you use an external coupler for PureSignal, you'll need to go into PowerSDR setup and ensure that "Bypass on TX" is turned on, again, just like on the previous radios.

The design of the PA/RF board in the 7000 will be head and shoulders above the Rev. 24 board used in the older radios. Did I say I'm excited?

73!

Scott

[dl4zbg]

Hi Abhi,

what about fan noise e.g. during reception? Is the 7000DLE a "tsunami" like my ANAN 100 (before I changed the fan)?
Or is it more quiet?

tnx

Volker

DL4ZBG

[iw3fvz]

Hello,
the 7000 has the "pre-distortion" connectors like 8000???

Thanks
Fabio IW3FVZ

[w-u-2-o]

What about fan noise e.g. during reception? Is the 7000DLE a "tsunami" like my ANAN 100 (before I changed the fan)?
Or is it more quiet?

Volker--I can't speak to the ANAN-100, but my 100D is whisper quiet. Given that the airflow in the 7000DLE is going to be approximately the same as in the 100D/200D, and that the design now includes a PWM fan controller, it is reasonable to expect that under low power/low duty cycle conditions the 7000 should be very quiet, and perhaps not so quiet when running it at fully power with high duty cycle AM.

73,

Scott

[w-u-2-o]

Hello,
the 7000 has the "pre-distortion" connectors like 8000???

Thanks
Fabio IW3FVZ

No, it does not. It has the "pre-distortion connectors" like the 100D and 200D. That is to say, it provides an internal coupler for pre-distortion linearization signal routing when operating without an external amplifier, and it is designed to route a signal from an external coupler into the radio via the Bypass connector.

73,

Scott

[dl4zbg]

[/quote]Volker--I can't speak to the ANAN-100, but my 100D is whisper quiet. Given that the airflow in the 7000DLE is going to be approximately the same as in the 100D/200D, and that the design now includes a PWM fan controller, it is reasonable to expect that under low power/low duty cycle conditions the 7000 should be very quiet, and perhaps not so quiet when running it at fully power with high duty cycle AM.

73,

Scott[/quote]

Hello Scott,

as far as I noticed the 7000 is using the same kind of enclosure as the 100. The fan position is not visible but it will be the same more or less.

Am I right, Abhi???

Many posts have been written about this thermal "design" with no real air flow (and improvements/mods done be some hams). I would have expected something like a "lessons learned" design. Providing connectors for a remote fan (on top of the enclosure) is a very good idea for you cannot really cool down the heatsink by means of inside air "flow".....

"Whisper quiet" is relative. To me my HP ProDesk PC is "whisper quiet".

Let's leave it at that

TNX

Volker

DL4ZBG

[W1AEX]

Volker,

My ANAN-200D, which is less than 6 months old, has far greater air flow through the case than my ANAN-100, which was purchased direct from India back in 2014. I think Apache Labs took to heart the concerns expressed by users regarding heat and opened up the bottom fan port (no more drilled out hole pattern). The internal fan is very quiet but the amount of air exiting the case through the upper rear panel vents is far greater than with the earlier rigs. During long receive sessions the rig runs cold. When transmitting SSB at around 50 watts PEP, the upper right rear corner of the case (where the PA devices are heat-sinked) becomes warm but it's not as warm as the rear panel of my TS-590 when it's run the same way. While running AM linear and driving one of my amplifiers, typically the 200D is set to produce between 15 to 20 watts of carrier with peaks reaching 4 or 5 times that level and the case temperature only runs around 10 degrees warmer than when running SSB. I confess to being a long talker when running AM but I'd still call the extruded case warm rather than hot even after a 5 to 10 minute transmission. I do have a 4 inch muffin fan sitting right above the RD100HHF1 PA devices on .5 inch spacers as suggested by Scott - WU2O. With all that being said, the 7000DLE has a larger case (more heatsink surface area) and more venting through the rear panel so I would be surprised if it's not at least as well cooled as the late production 200D that I have.

It should be interesting to get some reports from users when the 7000's start showing up on the bands!

73,

Rob W1AEX

[dl4zbg]

Rob,

thanks for info. I thought of modifying my 100 (crosstalk, thermal design etc etc), but now, I seriously think of selling it and purchase the 7000. Sooner or later I will make up my mind..

So the only snag left should be the T/R relais noise (just like the IC7300 and many others) in CW.

TNX

73

Volker

DL4ZBG