[Elecraft] KPA500 Problem

[Fred Jensen]

On 9/21/2012 5:01 PM, Phillip Shepard wrote:

> I tried tightening up the cables at both ends (BTW, I am using the control
> cable between the rig and amp for maximum integration, and the K3 knows to
> reduce the power out when the amp is in operate).

That is not totally true, for me at least.  I went through all bands and 
set up the power with and without the KPA500.  99% of the time, going 
anywhere with the KPA500 in stby, I get 100W from the K3.  97% of the 
time, then going to oper, I get 500W from the KPA500.

Roughly 3% of the time, after tuning the external ant coupler [REALLY 
anxious for the KAT500!], putting the amp in oper gives me TUNE pwr [5W 
for me] from the K3, and around 60 W from the 500.  So far, the only way 
I've found to get it back to normal is to rotate the PWR knob back to 27 
or so watts.

1% of the time, or even less, going to oper on the KPA500 leaves the K3 
power at 100W.  First tap on the paddle lights everything up, and it 
shuts down with the fault light on.  On a couple of occasions, I have 
had to unplug the KPA500 for a minute or so.  None of this is 
reproducible, at least in the time I'm willing to spend trying to 
reproduce it.  It just happens, sort of on every third Thursday after 
the first full moon after the equinox.

I would really like the display B messages on the K3 to show the power 
it is going to transmit with the next time I tap the paddle when the 
KPA500 switches between STBY and OPER.  I have my KPA500 set to go to 
STBY on band change so this is a fairly frequent activity.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2012 Cal QSO Party 6-7 Oct 2012
- www.cqp.org