[Elecraft] Re: KAT100 without K2

[Wayne Burdick]

Hi Juerg,

The KAT100 requies a K2 or K2/100 to function. It is controlled via the auxBus
(a proprietary protocol), not by RS232. By doing it this way, we were able to
reduce the cost of the KAT100, while allowing the K2 to provide most of the user
interface for the tuner (ANT1/2 switch, ATU menu entry, LCD). It's unusual (to
say the least) to have an ATU in this price range that provides two antenna
jacks, 10-LED SWR bargraph, and a full menu system with relay testing and
reporting of L and C values. All this is possible because of the close
integration of the K2 and KAT100.

Unfortunately there no way for a K1, with or without an amplifier, to control
the KAT100. 

You might consider using the K1 barefoot (up to 7 watts), along with its
internal tuner (KAT1). 7 watts, CW, will in general provide more reliable
communication than an SSB signal boosted to the level provided by the HF Pack
amp (~30 W PEP). 

73,
Wayne


Juerg Tschirren wrote:
> 
> Is it possible to get the KAT100 working without a K2?
> e.g., does the D-SUB 9 conector on the back of the KAT100 follow the RS232
> protocol (which would allow to control the KAT100 with a terminal program
> from a PC)?
> 
>   Why I want to do that? Well, I currenly own a K1 which will soon be
> joined by a HFpacker-Amp (http://www.hfprojects.com/projects.htm). I plan
> to buy a K2/100 later, and that's why it would be nice to get a KAT100
> which could be used with the K1 / HFpacker-amp combination as well as with
> the K2/100.