[Elecraft] KAT2, why did it take me so long?

[David A.Belsley]

I just got back from my annual trek to Martha's Vineyard, but operating 
the K2 was a bit different this year.  My home qth situation does not 
accommodate an ATU very well, so I avoided getting the KAT2.  And, of 
course, once I added the KPA100, that issue seemed to become moot.

However, when I'm at the Vineyard, I put the original lid back on to 
the K2 and operate qrp.  I use my slingshot to throw a 112' wire into a 
tree (the other end is anchored to the lightning rod on the end of the 
converted barn) and I pitch a 33' counterpoise out the loft window.  I 
used to tune this with an MFJ 934 tuner with artificial ground.  This 
worked very well on 80-10.  But then I began thinking: if I am going to 
use the original lid only under these kinds of circumstances, maybe it 
makes sense to add the KAT2.  Which is what I did.  And, boy, yes!!!  I 
sure don't know why I didn't do it earlier.

Because I built the ATU just shortly before leaving and didn't have 
much time to test it except to see that it was working, I lugged along 
the MFJ box, just in case, and the MFJ-259, which is very useful in 
finding initial settings without using the K2's power.  Well, that was 
a waste of space.  I could have left those boxes at home, as well as an 
assortment of cables and a coax switch.  The KAT2 tuned that same 
antenna set up (I added a second 16' cp) fantastically well on all 
bands 160-10 (1.1-1 or better).  I just wish the bands were in as good 
shape as the KAT2 behaved.

Although it tuned top band, I wondered just how well I would be able to 
get out.  I tried twice and made good contacts both times, once getting 
a 599 from K9DX in IL (of course, he was about 30 db over s9, running a 
kw and an appropriate top-band antenna).  Add to that the fact that the 
settings are remembered, so switching bands merely required pushing the 
band button, and, wow, who could ask for more.  I sure don't know why I 
didn't do it earlier.

best wishes,

dave belsley, w1euy