[Elecraft] How well integrated will the KAT 500 be with the K-Line???

[KD3RF]

Hi All:

I have a question for either the KAT500 beta testers or the Elecraft squad
regarding the level of integration between the KAT500 and the rest of the
K-Line.

*What I'm wondering is how well integrated the KAT500 is going to be with
the K-Line when a tune sequence is engaged?*

The reason I'm asking is that I'm evaluating a LDG AT-600 Pro loaned to me
by a friend and have found that the tuner causes the amplifier to do a hard
fault anytime a */full/* tuning sequence is executed while the amplifier is
online.

I have my K3 set to a power level of 3 watts in tune mode, which results in
approx 30 watts out from the KPA 500 when tuning.  The SWR on my antennas
varies between a 1:1 at resonance and some pretty high values in excess of
6:1 off resonance, especially on 40/80/160 meters.

Through some correspondence with LDG it's been determined that when the
AT-600 executes a full tuning sequence the first thing the tuner does is to
release all of the relays, creating the appearance of a momentary open
circuit, resulting in a high SWR condition that trips the KPA500.  

This is not a defect in the LDG tuner, but is simply the way LDG has coded
the firmware in this model of their tuners.

The only work-around I have found to this situation is to put the KPA500 in
standby, execute the AT-600 tuning sequence at low power from the K3 and to
manually store the setting in the LDG tuner's memory.

I have to keep the AT-600 in "semi-automatic" tuning mode so the tuner does
not automatically execute a tuning sequence while the KPA500 is online, and
when I notice the SWR getting too high to do a repeat of the work-around I
described above.

Ideally, Elecraft has accounted for these kinds of situations in the KAT500
firmware and tightly integrated communications between the KAT500 and the
rest of the K-line that accommodates tprevents this from happening.

*WIll you comment on this and share some insights with us about the KAT500
and how it will integrate with the rest of the K-Line?  *

Thanks much in advance.

Andy Vavra, KD3RF / VE2DXY

 



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