[Elecraft] What autotuner to use with KPA500?

[Jim Bennett]

Hi Mike -

Prior to building and operating KPA500 #585, I was using (1) a resonant 80 meter Inverted L, (2) a resonant 160 meter Inverted L, and (3) an 88-foot long, 45-foot high doublet, fed with 600 ohm ladder line and a 1:1 balun. My K3/100 internal tuner does a bang-up job matching this antenna on 80-6 meters, although it is pretty much an NVIS antenna on 80. Obviously, the KPA500 has no problem with the two Inverted L antennas. It is not at all happy with the doublet, so for now it is my RX antenna, when necessary. In a feeble attempt to remain on the other HF bands, I installed a Hustler 6BTV in the back yard, ground mounted, with 40 short radials "sewn" in the grass. Took a few hours to get resonance on the 80, 40, 30, 20, 15, and 10 meter CW bands, but I now have a temporary "all band" HF antenna that my KPA500 gets along with.

Neither me nor the XYL (KF6ZNT) is too thrilled with a 33-foot aluminum stick in the middle of the back yard, but she understands, and I get to operate on other than 80 and 160. 

C'mon Elecraft - we need that KAT500!!!!! :-)

I had looked at the LDG tuners and the auto tuner(s) from MFJ, but don't want to shell out dollars for something that most likely will be inferior to the Elecraft unit. 

Waiting semi-patiently for the upcoming KAT500 announcements……………

Jim / W6JHB
Folsom, CA


On   Monday, Jan 23, 2012, at  Monday, 5:24 PM, AC6JA at aol.com wrote:

> Just wondering what most people are using with their KPA500's until the  
> KAT500 becomes available?
> And how are you interfacing the tuner with the KPA500/K3 combination?
> Was wondering if/how the LDG 600W or 1KW tuners would work with the  
> K3/KPA500 and if the One-Touch-Tune feature could be used?
> Any info would be appreciated.
> Thanks.
> 
> Mike  AC6JA
> 
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