[Elecraft] Use of K3 Antenna Tuner to match amplifier input

[Lance Collister, W7GJ]

I need some guidance, please.  My K3 built in antenna tuner seems to do a very nice 
job on the HF bands, and it now permits me to use a single 160m inverted V antenna to 
get coverage on all the HF bands.  I do not currently have an amplifier anymore for 
the HF bands, since I rarely operate on them.  The antenna tuner seems to work FB 
direct from the K3 to the antenna - but only when I am in the receive mode.

HOWEVER, when I operate on 6m, I use an amplifier with external preamp, coax relays, 
sequencer, etc.  The K3 is put into XMIT by the sequencer through the front panel PTT 
line, which is triggered either by a footswitch or the computer.  Which means, the 
amplifier is only connected to the antenna when I am in XMIT mode.  Of course, you 
say!  BUT, to get the K3 antenna tuner to work into the amplifier, I need to be in 
XMIT mode, and the K3's antenna tuner does not seem to work when I am in XMIT mode! 
Is there some special setting or something somewhere that I need to change to enable 
the antenna tuner to work when the K3 and the rest of the station is switched into 
XMIT mode?

I can't imagine I am the only person running an amplifier with my K3, so SOMEBODY 
must have an idea how to conveniently do this ;-)  Right now, the only solution I 
have found is to put the station into XMIT, but disconnect the PTT line going to the 
K3, so it is still in RECV.  Then with everything EXCEPT the K3 in XMIT mode, I can 
press the ATU TUNE button and have it match up to the input of the amplifier.  Then I 
can reconnect the PTT line to the K3 for normal operation.  This can't be the best 
way to do this :-(  Thanks for your help!  VY 73, Lance
-- 
Lance Collister, W7GJ (ex: WN3GPL, WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT  59834  USA
QTH: DN27UB
TEL: (406) 626-5728
URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815

Interested in 6m EME?  Ask me about subscribing to the MAGIC BAND EME email reflector!