[Elecraft] KAT500 for remote operation

[iain macdonnell - N6ML]

On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 7:51 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire <ron at cobi.biz> wrote:
> Greg, there is really no requirement to ever push the KAT500 TUNE switch.
> That is a "convenience".
>
> Once the KAT500 has been "tuned" to a particular frequency, it will store
> the settings and jump its tuning settings back to them when it senses RF at
> that frequency from any transmitter. No button pushing or other involvement
> is necessary as long as nothing changes in the antenna system.
>
> The "TUNE" switch is used ONLY when first commanding the KAT500 to tune the
> antenna system for a particular frequency with a particular antenna.
>
> Note that many antennas do not provide a low SWR across the entire Ham band,
> especially on the lower frequency bands. The KAT500 divides the spectrum up
> into segments and can memorize the tuning settings for *every* segment to
> ensure optimum SWR across the spectrum.
>
> If you are setting your KAT500 up for remote operation, you might want to
> make sure it has a memorized tuning setting for every frequency segment in
> each band.
>
>  > Below 3 MHz the segments are 10 kHz wide.
>  > From 3 MHz through 26 MHz the segments are 20 kHz wide.
>  > From 26 MHz to 38 MHz the segments are 100 kHz wide.
>  > From 38 MHz to 60 MHz the segments are 200 kHz wide.
>
> That involves transmitting briefly inside Ham bands every 10 kHz below 3
> MHz, every 20 kHz between 3 and 26 MHz, etc.

You don't have to fill every bin, actually - the firmware will search
for bins to either side of the frequency you're on, and if it finds
one nearby with stored settings, it will try to use those.

73,

    ~iain / N6ML