[Elecraft] K3 - PR6-10 - KPA500 not working together

[Don Wilhelm]

Ken,

It sounds like you are using the "Enhanced Cabling" as shown on page 22 
of the KPA500 manual (and using both the DB15HD cable and the PA Keying 
cable).
If so, have you adhered to the *IMPORTANT* note at the bottom of Figure 
4 and also the last sentence in the text above that figure? In other 
words, do you have the Key Line Interrupter installed?

You may either remove the PA keying cable(s), or install the Key Line 
Interrupter at the K3 end of the DB15HD cable.

If you built your own cable, you may remove the  connection at pin 10 if 
you wish to retain the PA Keying (PTT) cables.  (Make certain your 
homebrew cable does not connect pins 4, 6, 7, and 8)

If that is not your problem, you should contact support for additional 
assistance.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/3/2013 1:41 PM, Ken Kontor wrote:
> Help !
>
> I just added a KPA500 to my K3, P3 setup.
>
> I have an interface question / problem.
>
> I connected the TX keying line connector to my K3, then the Y cable, 
> then the AUX cable to my KPA500. I am using the key out from the K3 to 
> the PA key jack on the KPA500. (All per Elecraft Manual). This seems 
> to be working OK.
>
> I also have a PR6-10 preamp connected to the K3 with the control wire 
> going to the appropriate pin of a separate 15 pin plug and a low band 
> receive antenna connected to the preamp in line. DIGOUT is set to ON 
> for 6m, 10m & 12m and OFF for all other bands. If I connect this plug 
> to the ACC connector of the K3 by itself (no cable connected to the 
> KPA500) it works as it should (preamp on for 6m, 10m, & 12m and off 
> for the other bands) and the external receive ant for 160m works as it 
> should.
>
> When I connect this plug to the Y cable, it still works as it should, 
> but when I add the AUX cable on the other half of the Y cable, the 
> external receive antenna is disconnected, which seems to indicate that 
> a signal from the KPA-500 is turning on the preamp and stopping the 
> low band antenna from passing through. If I disconnect the AUX cable 
> to the KPA500, everything reverts to working as ir should.
>