[Elecraft] KPA500 and KAT500 Ports

[Ed Muns]

1.  At least eleven antenna ports: 6 primary bands 160-10, 3 WARC bands, 6
and 2 meters.  All of these bands are possible with a K3.

2.  At least two radio ports for SO2R, but more would be "nice".

3.  Generalized ability to user-configure any antenna port to any band.
Example use cases are a tribander, a 40 meter dipole used on 15 meters and a
10 meter antenna used for 12 meters.

4.  Maximum integration with the K3, KPA500, KAT500 and KRC2 as possible.

5.  Remotable, for those who wish to mount it on a tower closer to the
antennas, with only the radio coaxes and control cable back to the operating
position.

Ed - W0YK

Eric, WA6HHQ, asked:
> A much better solution for those needing more than two 
> auto-selected antennas is to use an external relay switch 
> box, controlled by the radio. This has the advantage of 
> getting the cables, clutter, and switching network off the 
> desktop and either under the table or outside.
> 
> There are certainly a number of external antenna switches out 
> there that can do this, but if we offered something that was 
> tightly integrated with the K3 (and KPA500/KAT500) as a 
> product, what features would be desirable? (Number of 
> antennas, rigs inputs, switching options etc.)