[Elecraft] KPA500 Remote

[Dana Roode]

Hi Dick, thanks for the information.  What is the RS232 (XCVR)
connection on the KPA500 for? Its why I am some misperceptions about
connecting the K3 to the KPA.

At this point I see I can control the KPA via its RS232 port but for
some reason I am inclined to use the control pins on the KPA AUX plug,
which seems to be the other way to go.

  Dana


On Sun, Jul 24, 2011 at 12:37 PM, Dick Dievendorff <dieven at comcast.net> wrote:
> Dana:
>
> There isn't an option to connect the KPA500 to the K3 via RS-232.  There's
> an option to connect the KPA500 to the K3 via its 15-pin ACC connector.  If
> you use that cable, the K3 can track band changes initiated by the
> amplifier, the amplifier will track K3 band changed without requiring
> transmission, and it includes the amp keying line and the ALC voltage.  This
> connection also includes an AUXBUS connection that the KPA500 can use to
> send fault indications to the K3. And the K3 can automatically adjust its
> output power based on its knowledge of the amplifier being in "operate".
>
> The KPA500's "PC" serial port should instead be used for your remote control
> program, which could be the KPA Utility, or someone else's remote control
> program.
>
> When you use the KPA500 and don't switch the back panel power rocker switch,
> the front panel on/off button (and the equivalent software command) turns
> off the high voltage power supply, but leaves the microcontroller running.
> The microcontroller runs in its "boot block" code and part of that code
> recognizes a software power on command.  The KPA500 Utility "Operate" page
> uses this technique for its remote control power turn-on.
>
> If you require the KPA500 to be "really, really off", you should first press
> the front panel power button to turn the amp off.  Then you can remove all
> power by switching the back panel rocker switch or interrupt the KPA500's AC
> supply.  It's a good idea to let the amplifier close down in a controlled
> way (press its front panel power button, physically or via a remote control
> program) so that it has a chance to write its current state into EEPROM and
> also dump HV filter capacitor energy into the fan. If you don't do this,
> you'll see fault table entries (using the KPA500 Utility's Fault Table
> display) showing uncontrolled power off events.
>
> Nice callsign, Dana!
>
> 73 de Dick, K6KR
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dana Roode
> Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2011 12:15 PM
> To: Elecraft Reflector
> Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 Remote
>
> Folks - who out there has set up their KPA500 as a part of a remote station?
> I'm planning to do so here, and wondering whether others have used the pins
> in the AUX cable or plan to use software commands to turn the Amp on and
> off, etc.  It appears both may be options.
> There also appears to be a pin in the Aux cable that indicates a fault
> condition, which would be handy to monitor remotely (I have a LP-Remote
> board from N8LP).
>
> I need to make a custom cable between the K3 and the KPA500 to connect some
> lines (band indication, auxbus?) and bring out others - the ON pin for the
> K3 that I currently use, the toggle ON/OFF pin for the KPA500, etc.
>
> So, what are others doing?  I see there are options to connect the KPA to
> the K3 via RS232 not sure what that would buy me.
>
>  Dana, K6NR
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