Comtech EF Data KPA - Manual (Page 48)

KPA Ku-Band Indoor Solid-State Power Amplifier Revision 1
Front Panel Operation MN/KPA.IOM
5–4
5.1.4 Front Panel Display
As the manufacturing process of the KPA has evolved, there have been two display layouts as
shown in Figure 5-3:
Figure 5-3. KPA Front Panel Keypad
Display Type: Depending on the production version of the unit, the KPA features either a Liquid
Crystal Display (LCD), featured on the KPA-020IN units and older KPA-040/-080/-100 units,
while all current production versions of the KPA-040/-080/-100 units feature a Vacuum
Fluorescent Display (VFD).
Both front panel displays are active displays showing two lines of 24 characters each. However,
while the brightness of either display can be controlled by the user, compared to the original LCD
the blue-lit display of the currently used VFD provides superior viewing characteristics and does
not suffer problems of viewing angle or contrast.
Cursor Feature: On most menu screens, the user will observe a flashing solid block cursor,
which blinks at a once-per-second rate. This indicates the currently selected item, digit, or field.
Where this solid block cursor would obscure the item being edited (e.g., a numeric field) the
cursor will automatically change to an underline cursor.
Screen Saver Feature: If the user were to display the same screen for weeks at a time, the
display could become ‘burnt’ with this image. To prevent this, the unit has a ‘screen saver’
feature that will activate after 1 hour. The top line of for display saver features for display
message ‘Circuit ID:’ and a user-input text string; the bottom line reads ‘Press any key….’.
When for display saver activates, the message moves from right to left across for display, then
wraps around. Pressing any key restores the previous screen.
5.2 Opening Screen
KPA-XXX-4045-I
Ver. X.X.X SNXXXXXXXXX
The opening screen displays whenever power is first applied to the unit; from any other nested
menu, it is accessible by pressing CLEAR repeatedly. The specific product, currently loaded
firmware, and the unit’s unique serial number are identified on this display.
Layout 1: Liquid Crystal Diode (LCD)
(KPA-020IN only – obsolete all other units)
Layout 2: Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD)
(current production units)