[Elecraft] Second Antenna Port

[WILLIS COOKE]

I ordered the K3 with the KAT-3 and if I had it to do over, I would order the KAT-3 again.  My antenna is a 3 element SteppIR at 67 feet with the 30/40 kit.  I have found the tuner very useful during the period when Hurricane Ike put my StepIR out of service for a few months and I needed to use my inverted L for the 40 through 6 meter bands.  I find it useful in matching to my Clipperton L amplifier.  I find it useful when using my dipoles for short range contacts when away from the point of resonance.  I am sure that Elecraft has considered offering the tuner board with only the switching components and considered what discount they could offer.  I am not privileged to their inner workings so my estimate is only a guess, but I would expect them to lose money on the deal if the discount was more than $50 and I would not be surprised if they would lose money with no discount at all, considering that they would sell very few items.  What price would
 you expect for the board with only the switching components and the antenna connector?  As a KAT-3 owner I can see no disadvantage to buying it other than the initial price.
 
Willis 'Cookie' Cooke, K3 #1025 
K5EWJ & Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart


________________________________
 From: K9TM <k9tm at buckeye-express.com>
To: Mike Greenway <K4PI at BELLSOUTH.NET> 
Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net 
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2012 12:40 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Second Antenna Port
 
I too am used to having multiple antenna ports built into the radio and use this to advantage in various situations.  I too have no use for an antenna tuner as I use only resonant antennas.  It seems there are three options... 1) live with it as is and use outboard switching :-(  (2) Give in and add the antenna tuner :-(  (3) Make your own solution* :-|, perhaps with help from Elecraft :-) ?

* Looking at the schematics, it appears it would be possible to add the control circuitry from the KAT3 to the KANT3 as well as K18 to give ant1/ant2 (K19 too for those with a sub).  It seems one could do this and tell the K3 it has KAT3 and then set the tuner to off and use ant1/ant2.  
Maybe Elecraft would sell a KAT3 bare board or better  a bare board and the handful of parts (KAT3 minus tuner parts) and users could roll their own (a kit)?  This would allow those of us who are used to this from other radios and like it without negatively impacting Elecraft's normal mfg process and sales (a win-win). Sell us one more kit from parts already in stock.

73, Tim K9TM, KP2TM
K3-100, K3-10, KPA500, XV144, XV222, XV432

On Feb 7, 2012, at 8:44 PM, Mike Greenway wrote:

I have asked Elecraft several time about giving the option of a second antenna port without having to buy an antenna tuner but so far nothing.  I have had a FT1000MP for over 15 years and never used the internal tuner so don’t see me needing one in the K3.  The hole is already there for the connector so just need a mod on the ANT Relay board.  I know I could put an outboard switch on the outside but I would like to put 6 M on one of the ports and with the outboard switch that make 2 extra connectors in the line.  Having the antenna switch inside the radio is a lot more elegant and efficient.  Having to pay for the antenna tuner just to get a second port goes against my miserly grain.  Having the 2 ports without having to buy the antenna tuner would be a nice selling point for Elecraft I would think.  Wonder if anyone has ever tried to install the second antenna port by mod’ing the antenna relay board?  I have my asbestos suit on.  73 Mike
 K4PI
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