[Elecraft] [KAT500] Auto Tuning

[Randy Moore]

I am trying to help a friend understand auto tuning on his KAT500.  Bear 
in mind that I have not yet touched a KAT500, so I haven't been able to 
play with it to sort this out.  I'm just reading the manual.  I am 
biased by how the K3 ATU works, but from the manual, it looks like the 
KAT500 works differently.

He is using the configuration in Figure 1 (all DB15 cables) with his K3, 
KPA500 and the KAT500.

 From my reading of the manual, one must tap the KAT500 TUNE button to 
put it in tune mode, then apply RF from the K3.  Does that mean that if 
I'm in SSB mode on the K3 (my friend is almost entirely an SSB op), that 
I must either switch to a mode like CW to do this, followed by key-down, 
or use the TUNE (Hold XMIT) button on the K3 to get the required RF? 
Then tap the K3 TUNE/XMIT button again to put the K3 back in receive? 
That looks like 3 button pushes to do a KAT500 tune.  Right?  Or can the 
required RF be supplied in SSB mode by just speaking into the mic?

Sorry, I know this would be easy if I could just try it!  Thanks!

73,
Randy, KS4L