[Elecraft] KPA100 KAT100

[Tom Hammond NØSS]

Dave Pomeory wrote:
>I'm thinking that I would like to have the k2 qro but also want to go 
>portable. Can I power the K2 only without the KPA100 when the KPA100 is 
>installed in the k2...

Yes it can. The KPA's DC line is diode-isolated from the K2 when DC power 
is not applied to the KPA via the back-panel jack.

>... and Does the KAT100 draw significantly more power than the 
>KAT2?  Thanks for the time and info.

I'm one of the PRE-Field Testers for the KAT100, which, by the way, is 
working well... one small firmware timing glitch to exorcize and it may be 
ready to go to the rest of the FTs for a final beating-on.

I am presently running my KAT100 with a 1-amp fuse in-line and have not had 
it blow. Wayne and I have discussed this and he believes that in a 'very 
worst case' condition, one in which ALL relays were activated and ALL LEDs 
were illuminated as well, the KAT100 could draw somewhere upwards of 1A.

This having been said, I just ran a test on my KAT100, running it thru some 
really 'hairy' loads with my Fluke 187 DMM attached and set to MAX/MIN 
hold, so it'd record the highest and lowest current drawn thru the DC line 
to the KAT100.
So far, worst case load current was 336mA, and best case load current was 
55mA, with 196mA being the average.

The KAT100 offers a display option for the LEDs in the SWR indicating 
portion of the front panel display, BAR or DOT mode. In the BAR mode, all 
LEDs below the highest illuminated LED are lit. In the DOT mode, only the 
'active' LED is lit, thus requiring less current than the BAR mode.

I hope this helps.

73,

Tom Hammond   N0SS