[Elecraft] KAT500 a good tuner or great tuner

[Jim Brown]

On 12/23/2012 11:27 AM, John Shaw wrote:
> if the
> KAT500 was passed the operating frequency information from the transceiver
> instead of just band information that would elevate it from a good tuner to
> a great tuner.

As a beta tester for the KAT500, I can tell you that 1) Elecraft says 
that this data is NOT available at the output of the K3;  and 2) the 
KAT500 works just fine without that information if you use it 
intelligently and don't screw up switching the antennas that you connect 
to it.  Like you, I wish that #1 was implemented, but I am told that it 
is not.

I'm using a single KAT500 with two power amps -- a KPA500 and a Ten Tec 
Titan 425 (35 year old design, 1.5kW output).  I use ANT1 and ANT2 in 
the K3 to switch between the two amp inputs, and a relay to switch the 
outputs. I also do extensive antenna switching external to the KAT500.  
I've "trained" the KAT500 to my antennas for the band segments where I 
operate, and program the KAT500 (using the KAT Utility) for which KAT 
output ports to use on which bands. When I change bands, I hit a dit or 
tap my mic to let the KAT500 read frequency, switches to the desired 
output port, recalls the tuning, and I'm ready to go.  That works great 
-- EXCEPT when I screw up and don't do the right external switching to 
the KAT500.  I'm working on automating that switching, but it's not done 
yet.

The KAT500 is an excellent tuner.  I took the beta unit to our Tehama 
County expedition for the California QSO Party, and it performed 
flawlessly switching between aluminum and wire antennas for several 
bands  We used it with a K3 and KPA500, with only the key line cables 
between K3, KAT500, and KPA500.

73, Jim K9YC