[Elecraft] K3 / KPA500 / KAT500 Tuning

[Arie Kleingeld PA3A]

Hi all,

Now that we are talking about the tuning of the K3 line. As a matter of 
fact, I have the K3-KPA500-KAT500 combo and when tuned, it workes just 
fine.All is working as it should but still, this combunation can do much 
better. The tuning process is not so smooth as I would expect  it to be. 
The K3 line is supposed to have great integration, and I dare to say: 
yes it has integration BUT up to a certain level.
Yes, we have bandswitching in place (everybody has that)
Yes, the KPA goes off line when tuning and fires immediately after the 
tuning process (good from Elecraft).
Yes, the KAT remembers the setting per band and per band segment (not 
special)
In total: absolutely Good.

Here's what I miss and why.
I often take the K3-line with me to other places, and at home my 
antenna-impedance reacts to rain pretty quick so retuning is often 
necesarry.
The tuning proces is not as I would expect from a well integrated line. 
I have to press two tune buttons to do so, switch on the K3 signal (tune 
button) and then press the tune button on the KAT500. After that, stop 
the signal from the K3 (tune button again)

How smooth would it be that I could press the tune button on the KAT500 
and the KPA500 would go to standby (it does that already) and the K3 
gives the tuning signal automatically as long as the tuning process of 
the KAT500 needs it. This would then work the same way as the tuning of 
the K3 and its internal tuner.

Off course I would like the badsegment info for the KAT500 transferred 
from the K3 via the AUX cable instead of plain RF, but that has been 
discussed many times. I wonder if it could be done like this: send the 
bandsegment info from the K3 as soon as the K3 gives PTT. How is this 
done inside the K3? It switches the tuner to the right bandsegment 
setting when the PTT goes to on.

Does this give an opening to programmers or is it just impossible 
because of the hardware that is involved? Then I'll be silent :-)


73
Arie PA3A