TAM

Terrestrial Meter

User Manual
Ver: 0801
Table of contents
Chapter Page
1. Introduction ............................................................ 2
2. Supplied items ........................................................ 3
3. Getting started
1. Creating a Maxpeak user account .............................. 4
2. Product registration, connect to PC ............................ 5
3. Download firmware and Settings ................................ 6

4. Charging procedure ............................................. 7

5. Touch-wheel control ............................................ 8
6. Power up and shut down .................................... 9
7. Antenna Installation.............................................. 10
8. To peak the Antenna............................................ 11
8. Setup view / Scan mode........................................ 13
9. Battery replacement ............................................. 15
10. Specifications........................................................... 16

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1. Introduction
Thank you for purchasing our terrestrial
alignment meter. It should provide years of trouble free
operation.

Please read this guide to familiarize yourself with all the

features and options available.

Be careful with antenna installations, not to

injure others by dropping tools or hurting
yourself by falling down.

Take care of the meter by keeping it warm and out of the

rain.

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2. Supplied items
Spare F to F Connector

IEC to F adapter

USB Cable

Car socket charger

Wall socket charger

Maxpeak TAM
Terrestrial Alignment Meter
with protective leather case
Mains lead for region

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3. Getting started
Before using the instrument, a full charge should be performed (as described in
Chapter 4).
On our website www.maxpeak.tv ; Click on the “new instrument wizard” and follow
a few steps to create a user profile and download firmware and settings.

1. Create a Maxpeak user profile:

Navigate to our website: “www.maxpeak.tv”
• The website senses your location and language automatically. If your language choice is different
and available, click on the flag in the top right hand corner.
The website language is the language that will be loaded in the firmware. e.g. if you have selected
English, then the meter will be in English as well.

Create the profile.

• Enter the security number from the picture.
• Enter a “User name” and “Password” and valid email address.
The e-mail address entered in the procedure needs to be valid. A confirmation e-mail is sent to this
address and your account will not enable until you reply to it.
If you do NOT recive a confirmation email within 5 minutes, it is likley your virus program and /
or email provider has treated the email as SPAM. Try to retrieve the email or follow the alternative
method.
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 2. Product Registration, connect to pc:
Connect the meter to the computer
• Lift rubber molding on left side of the instrument to reveal the USB socket.
• Connect the USB lead from the instruments USB socket to the computer USB interface.

The USB socket is located • If connecting for the first time: follow the Windows driver installation process.
under the rubber moulding on Help with driver installation is available from our website, www.maxpeak.tv/support.php
the instruments left side. If windows cannot find the driver it can be downloaded from our support pages.

Register product online

• Download the “Registration“ program. Next register the product.
• The firmware is selected automatically.
• Now select the required settings (transmitters) from the right hand side. A maximum of 70 can
be selected.
• Download the “Maxpeak Installer” and install the firmware and settings.
Help with product registration is available from our website, www.maxpeak.tv/support.php

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 3. Update firmware and download settings:
Firmware update
• Make sure to be logged on at the Maxpeak website and that the instrument is connected to the
computer.
• In the top right menu, click ‘Products’. Then in the left menu, click ‘Firmware
Download’.
• Follow the instructions given at the ‘Firmware Download’ page.
Help with firmware download is available from our website, www.maxpeak.tv/support.php
Before updating firmware and
download settings, remember to
be logged in with a Maxpeak
Settings download
user account and that the • Make sure to be logged on at the Maxpeak website and that the instrument is connected to the
instrument is connected to the computer.
computer.
• In the top hand menu, click ‘Products’. Then in the left menu, click ‘Settings Download’.
• Follow the instructions given in the ‘Settings Download’ page.
• Please note, the website will remember your settings from previous selections. This helps if you
want to retain your last choice and simply want to update for the latest settings.
• You can add and / or remove settings.

Please note that once a setting download has taken place the previous settings are over written.
Help with settings download is available from our website, www.maxpeak.tv/support.php
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 4. Charging procedure
The meter is delivered with a nominal charge only. It needs 24 hours of initial
charge before usage. The battery reaches full capacity after a couple of charges.

Charging procedure:
Lift the rubber moulding on the top right side of the instrument to reveal the
The charging socket is located under charging socket.
the rubber moulding on the right
side of the instrument. Plug the lead from either the included car1 or wall socket chargers to the
instrument.
Please note that warranty is not valid if another non supplied charger is used.

Now the battery is charging. A full charge will take 3 hours.

Only use the included car or wall Removing the charger from the charging socket puts the instrument in Standby-mode.
socket chargers for charging the meter.
Press Select button to put the meter in meter mode2 while charging, after
10 minutes the meter returns to the charge screen

CHARGING CHARGED

Select Time Time since

Charged 50% Left completed 100%
01h20m 1h20m +00h10m FULL
Press Select to use the meter while
charging Charge screen Charge completed screen

1 Some vehicles need ignition turned on in order to provide power to the cigarette lighter socket.
2 Using the instrument while charging may result in less accurate measurements. 7
5. Touch-wheel control
The meter is controlled using a touch sensitive wheel and a
Up distinctive Select button at the wheels centre.

The meter is switched ON/OFF by keeping the “Select” button

Left Right
pressed.

A shorter “Select” click1 is used for data entry in the Setup view
Select and Transmitter menu.
Down
The wheel can be used in two ways:
Clockwise Slide Standard four way navigation, by clicking1 the wheel in each
Quick Step Left/Down
direction as shown in the top picture.

Quick Left/Right stepping of values by dragging clockwise or

counterclockwise as in the bottom picture.

Counterclockwise Slide
Quick Step Right/Down

1 A click is triggered on release, when the finger is lifted, not whilst pressing. 8
6. Power up and shut down
To turn the meter on, keep the “Select” button pressed for five seconds.
At startup, the following information is displayed:

Firmware and settings file versions are displayed.

c Maxpeak Ltd 2006
Firmware: tam.008 To freeze this information, keep holding the Select button.
Settings: TAM01
S/N: 07301080
Power Up:
Keep the Select button
pressed.
The meter then changes to the meter view:

SMLTOWN 27 The meter is now up and running.

S -23 dBm For the functionality available, please see:
SEARCHING Chapter 7 - To adjust the antenna
Chapter 8 - Setup view.

To shut down the meter, keep the “Select” button pressed, (similar when turn-
ing on the meter). When switching off, the screen below is displayed:
Shut Down:
Keep the Select button
pressed.

Powering down

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7. Antenna Installation
First find a suitable place to install the antenna. It should be line of sight of the transmitter. Make sure
there are no overhead obstructions like power lines etc.

Next assemble the antenna according to the antenna manufactures instructions. Next fit a test lead.

Point the antenna in the direction of the transmitter.

The trick with digital terrestrial is that it is NOT like in analogue transmissions: simply point the
antenna directly onto the transmitter to achieve maximum signal and Carrier Noise. With digital
transmissions one of the channels / muxes will be weaker than the other so it is more important to
makes sure all of them get over the digital noise margin. This nearly always means that the antenna is
NOT ddirectly onto the transmitter.

Next hook up the TAM and select the correct transmitter. Check all channels / muxes for sufficient
Signal and Quality (Q, SNR, CSI, pre POST or MER). Note the weakest one. Try to peak this and then
check all again.

Be careful with antenna installations not to injure others by dropping tools or hurting yourself by
falling down.

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 8. To peak the Antenna
Hook up the Antenna with a F-connector or an IEC Aerial adapter.
Use a screw of high quality on the F connector as it affects the readings
Do not use push-on F connectors as they are very unrealible, especially when they have
been used a few times.

Connect the other end to the bottom of the meter and power up.
Connect the F to
t F lead or oother lead between
the antenna and to the
he con
connector of the instru-
ment.
The meter view:
The meter can automatically power active Initially the meter displays signal level and start to search for a match.
antennas via 5 V Dc as DVB-T standard.
Transmitter SMLTOWN 27 Channel Number / Mux
Enter Setup View: RF Level
Hold Down! S -23 dBm Peak Hold indicator
SEARCHING
Enable / Disable in Setup View
Next Channel or Mux:
Clockwise Slide or Right Click

To choose channel/mux, click Left / Right or slide the wheel.

Previous Channel or Mux
Counterclockwise slide or
Left Click. When the preferred transmitter has been discovered, press the centre
button to enter into channel/mux step through to check the selected
List of available Transmitters. transmitter.
Hold Down!

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Hold down the “DOWN” to enter a menu where a new transmitter can be selected:

SELECT TRANSMITTER
Exit Menu
OVERCITY
ROCKYLK
MEADOWS
DWNTOW2

When the antenna is adjusted for the correct transmitter, the meter will beep twice and change from searching to
include a Q bargraph together with numerical values for Pre and post BER and SNR or MER and CSI.

Check all channels and muxes for correct levels. Please note that there are normally one or more that is poorer
and the aim is to bring these up to a level over the digital edge, rather than to maximise the strong signals. It is
unlikely that the antenna will be pointed at line of sight to the transmitter.

Please note that if no DVB-T transmission is on the selected channel / Mux, only RF Level will be displayed, e.g.
an analogue channel!
Transmitter Channel / Mux
SMLTWN3 27
RF Level S -38dBm
Reverse Uncorrected Q 75% Post BER
BER value A 3.0E-3 B 0.0E-6
Pre BER C 24 dB CSI 1%

MER or CNR in dB CSI in %

0% is best

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8. Setup view / Scan mode
Enter Setup View: The Setup view is where settings and personal preferences are set.
Hold Up.
Enter the Setup view by holding “UP” on the wheel.
SETUP MENU
Exit menu
Start scan
Backlight: On
Sounder: Off
Auto shutdown: 6 min

Hold finger at the top to enter set up mode.

The following settings and choices are available:
Exit menu: Exit back to meter view

Start Scan Enters the scan mode

Display backlight. Turn off when not needed to save
Backlight: On, Off
battery time.
Sound feedback while peaking signal.
Sounder: On, Off
Beeps faster as signal quality increase.
Auto shutdown: Never, 3-15min Time before meter shuts off to save battery, default=6 min.
RF Level: dBuV, dBm Select RF Level display entity.
SNR/MER: SNR, MER Select whether to display SNR or MER value
A vertical hold line indicating the top value reached.
Slide the wheel or press Left/Right to Peak Hold: On, Off
This applies to all meter bars.
navigate the list of options
Low, Medium,
Press the centre of the wheel to enter a new Touch sens: High
Adjust the touch wheel sensitivity.

value for the selected item. Restore to Restore the setup view menu values to factory defaults
default:

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The Scan mode
Touch 3 or 9 o clock In the SCAN mode the meter can look for channels over the whole
to toggle between spectrum. First select VHF or UHF. During the scanning a moving
UHF and VHF ... indicator is showing that the meter is in the scan mode.

Scan Mode Scanning UHF

... then press the cen-
Start scan VHF tart
tre button to select Start scan UHF SCANNING

[12/49]

After scanning is complete (which will take longer for UHF than VHF),
the channels and their levels are shown. All DVB-T digital channels are
also indicated. 6 channels can be shown at any given time.

Press up to toggle
filter mode:
- Show all A = Analogue Scan mode UHF
- Show all not empty A D D D

- Only digital D = Digital

No bar means no signal!
- Only analogue
Channel Numbers 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Press the centre button
to return to normal Scroll bar indicating current position,
operation mode
use wheel to move left and right

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9. Battery replacement
The meter is powered by a replacable NiMH battery pack.
As with all batteries the pack will deteriorate in with time.
To maximize the lifetime of the battery pack, make sure to use/discharge and recharge the meter
frequently
Remove the screw located at the up-
per back side of the instrument.
When the battery pack needs to be replaced, spare packs can be ordered from an
authorised reseller.
Do not use any other kind of non original batteries. A different pack can damage the meter and
invalidate the warranty.

Battery Replacement:
Take away the battery lid and dis- Changing the battery pack is a simple procedure.
connectt tthe current battery pack.
Unscrew the screw and take away the battery lid.
Remove the battery and disconnect the plug.
Connect the new battery pack to the plug.
Place the pack as shown in the bottom picture to the left.
Initially charge the meter for 24 hours as described in Chapter 2 - Charging.
Attach the socket of the new battery
to the connector on the instrument.
Put the battery pack in place and put
back the lid and screw.

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10. Specification
Full Band VHF and UHF
Replaceable F-connector
75 Ohm imp 30 to 100 dBuV
RF Level as dBm or dBuV, Range -82 to -25 dBm 25 to 82 dBuV Precision +- 2.5 dB
True MER or SNR displayed in dB Range 10 to 36 dB Precision +- 1 dB
Pre and Post BER in numerical value Range preBER 0.001 % to 10 % Precision +- 5 %
Quality displayed in % (reverse BER)
RF,BER,MER and CSI displayed together
Backlit graphics display 128*64 pixels
Integrated rechargeable NiMH battery
Charged from wall or car adaptor
Meter operates while charging
Run time in excess of 4 hours
up to 70 transmitters
Built in audible sounder
DVB-T active antenna support 5 V Dc
Upgrade of settings, firmware and language via USB 2.0
200 * 75 * 56 mm , 400 grams
The manufacturer reserves the right to change this specification without prior notice

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Warranty
This product carries a manufactures warranty against faults or manufacturing defects for a period of 12 month
from first registration of the product on the support website www.maxpeak.tv.
Maxpeak reserve the right to replace or repair a faulty meter. The warranty does not cover misuse or damage
caused by dropping the meter or if the meter has been opened.

Declaration of conformity:

We, the manufacturer, Maxpeak Ltd 2nd Floor Compton House 29-33 Church Road Stanmore HA7 4AR
ENGLAND declares that TAM (terrestrial meter) meets the following standards and directives:

Low voltage : 73/23/EEC , 93/68/EEC EMC: 61000-6-1:2001 61000-6-3:2001 and ammendment A11:2004
RoHS

P Lagerstedt (Director) Bridgetown 13:th of Feb 2007

Recycle:
Please recycle the carton and packaging.
Do not throw out the NiMH battery, recycle!
Do not discard the meter at the end of useful life, recycle!

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Notes

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[email protected]

www.maxpeak.tv
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