[Elecraft] KPA500: SWR protection

[Fred Jensen]

On 10/16/2013 12:45 PM, jkhooper at rockisland.com wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> Am I understanding KPA500 specs correctly?    It looks like if I were
> to get a KPA500 and loaded it up inadvertently on an antenna with an
> SWR on the high side, the KPA500 would protect me from my error by
> reducing power and/or faulting?

Yes.
>
> Does this mean that the KPA500 is close to "fool proof" in protecting
> itself from errors that I might make?    Heaven only knows that I
> make enough as it is !

Yes.  I have operated my KPA500 into an open circuit, and it faults and 
quits making RF.  A lot of us are afflicted with the "errors we make" 
syndrome. :-)

> A different take on the same question is
> whether I could postpone a KAT500 purchase until later.

The KAT500 offers me several advantages:

1.  I need it using my large sloping Vee, and it does well

2.  I'm not enamored with SWR LED's that actually light up when I go 
key-down, even if the KPA500 accepts it.  KAT500 solves that.

3.  I have 3 antennas, different combinations of bands, the KAT500 has 3 
SO-239's on the back, and lets me configure which antennas will be 
available on each band and which one is the preferred.

I've run my KPA500 at 500W in RTTY contests, in this last CQP, most of 
the CW ops in the Alpine County expedition were running it to about 
600W.  At one point, I changed bands, forgot to hit the antenna switch, 
and it faulted and the ICOM 7600 folded back, all just like it all should.

I think you'll find that it is hard to break Elecraft gear.  My K3 is #642.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 2014
- www.cqp.org