[Elecraft] KAT500 Problem --- switching antennas

[Jim Sheldon]

Check to see which antennas are enabled for that band via the utility.  I have 3 antennas and have them set for auto select only on specific bands.  If I try to use my dipole (antenna 1, which WILL tune) on 15 meters by selecting the antenna (it's not enabled on that band, only the tribander - antenna 2) I get the same results you do.  You will have to (via the utility's configuration tab) enable the antennas you want along with the band(s) you want them on before you can have it work the way you want.  You might also have to select the "Last Used" click box as well.

Jim - W0EB

> More experimenting this afternoon...
>
> I am pretty sure now that it is the switch itself.  If I do a press
> and hold (as if it had one of those famous hold functions) then the
> switch operates just fine.  No problems.  But, if I press as
> pressing a normal switch like I do a hundred times a day on the
> Elecraft gear (OK, maybe 30 times a day) then at times (more than
> half) the switch bounces back.
>
> But, it is strange that this behavior started right after I
> upgraded firmware to 1.63.  I mean, the entire time I have had the
> KAT500 I have not had a problem with this switch until after the
> upgrade.
>
> So, if I were to assume wild things I could assume that the timing
> has changed a little bit on these button pushes.  Maybe the
> software used to detect a button press faster than it does now or
> something like that.  Not sure.  But, the other antenna LED does
> briefly flash on before it bounces back. So, maybe it is a physical
> problem with a double hit on the switch itself.  Just wild guesses
> here.  I have done some PIC coding before with switch sensing so I
> understand that this could be an issue but then again, maybe just a
> funky switch.
>
> 73, phil, K7PEH
>
>
> On Apr 13, 2014, at 4:15 PM, Cady, Fred <fcady at ece.montana.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> Not seeing it here, Phil.
>> KAT firmware 1.63
>> 73,
>> Fred KE7X
>>
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-
>>> bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Phil Hystad Sent: Sunday,
>>> April 13, 2014 3:02 PM To: Elecraft
>>> Subject: [Elecraft] KAT500 Problem --- switching antennas
>>>
>>> Ever since the most recent KAT500/KPA500 firmware updates,
>>> switching between antenna 1 and 2 shows funny behavior.
>>>
>>> For example, on the 20 meter band I have two antennas:
>>>
>>> Antenna #1 -- Wire 80-meter Dipole (ladder line fed)
>>>
>>> Antenna #2 -- Hex beam
>>>
>>> So, I am positioned on antenna #2 for 20 meters.  I switch
>>> manually with the KAT500 to antenna #1.  This works fine.
>>> Then, when I switch from #1 back to #2, the KAT500 briefly goes
>>> to #2 enough to light up the #2 LED but then immediately
>>> bounces back to #1.  Now, if I switch again from #1 to #2,
>>> there is no bounce back and everything is fine.
>>>
>>> This problem is totally repeatable.  Always on a bounce the
>>> first attempt to return to #2 from #1 but the second time (done
>>> immediately) works fine without problems.
>>>
>>> Anyone else see this behavior.
>>>
>>> 73, phil, K7PEH
>>>
>>>
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