[Elecraft] KXPA100 timeline?

[Bruce Beford]

John.
Wayne reently stated (on the KX3 Yahoo Group) that the KXPA100 will be
released -after- the KX3, no projected timeline has been published yet.

No word yet on pricing/kit form, etc.

As to the question of "integration" with the K2, that is doubtful based on
other recent comments by Wayne in answer to similar questions:

(Exchange from KX3 Yahoo Group on August 9th copied below)

Edwin wrote:
> Can this PA work togheter with the K2?
>
This would be difficult. The K2 is designed for use with its own
internal 100-W amplifier module (KPA100). External hardware would be
required to extract a keying signal, and there would be no ALC.

> Is it available together with the KX-3 or later?
>
The KX3 will come out before the amp.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

*******************************************

So, don't expect the tight integration that you can have with the K2/KPA100
combo. The K2 communicates with the KPA100 via the AuxBus. This will not
happen with the KXPA100. The KXPA is designed to be a more general-purpose
amp, and so will not have the specialty hooks to "mind-meld" with the K2.

I -do- find Wayne's comment about using the KXPA100 with the K2 as being
"difficult" to be a bit odd. There are external amp keying mods available
for the K2, and ALC generally is not needed if levels are set properly. The
preliminary data sheet for the KX3/KXPA100 states: 

"Our high-performance KXPA100 home/mobile amplifier seamlessly integrates
with the KX3 as well as other popular 5- to 10-W transceivers."

Is the K2 not a popular 5- to 10-W transceiver? ;-) Of course it is. Perhaps
by his statement about use with the K2 as being "difficult" more refers to
the keying issue than anything else. Or perhaps worry about brief overshoot
beyond requested power on key-down? I don't know.

I would have thought that the KXPA100 would have an RF sense keying and
band-switching arrangement that would make an amp keying line from the K2
(and other rigs) optional, not mandatory.

73,
Bruce, N1RX




> I see that "KX3 Ordering and Shipping dates will be Fall-Winter 2011"
> according to Elecraft's web site
> (http://www.elecraft.com/KX3/kx3.htm). Will the KXPA100 be available
> at that time as well? If so, have any more details been released about
> it (kit like the K2 or semi-kit like the K3; price range; cost of the
> KXAT100 autotuner)?

> Also, are any details available on how it will integrate with the K2?
> It would be cool if it would integrate similar to the KPA100 in that
> you can have continuous selection of output power from 0-100W. Just a
> thought... :-)

> Thanks!
> -john W4PAH