[Elecraft] KE7X KX3 Book and Configuring: KX3, K3, KPA500, and KAT500

[Phil Hystad]

Don,

OK, I may be expecting too much.  Actually, I am not sure if I was expecting as much as I was a little bit surprised by the behavior.  I didn't think that the KPA500 and KX3 communicated with each other other than RF and Key line but maybe that was enough of a difference from the K3.  The K3 of course in my case has the AUX cable connections with the KPA500 and KAT500.

It is not a big deal as long as this is the way it is expected to work.  I was not sure if I had done something wrong or not.

But, just picked up W1AW/5 MS QRP power with the KX3.  Actually, it was about 6 watts.  

73, phil, K7PEH


On Apr 22, 2014, at 4:57 PM, Don Wilhelm <w3fpr at embarqmail.com> wrote:

> Phil,
> 
> I think you may be expecting too much.
> Consider a parallel - a computer communicating with a printer.  If you suddenly switch the printer cable to another computer, would you expect the printer to continue printing without any intervention?
> 
> The "printer" in this comparison is the KPA500 and the two "computers" are the K3 and the KX3.
> 
> It is not unreasonable IMHO to expect that a reset of the KPA500 would be required.
> 
> If the KPA500 were simply an amplifier with no communications capability with the driving transceiver, switching from one source of RF input to another should proceed without regard to whatever is the driving device, but your KPA500 is more than "just an amplifier" because it can communicate with the K3 or KX3 driving transceiver. Expecting the KPA500 to switch data streams from two different transceivers with no intervening reset is not realistic.
> 
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
> 
> On 4/22/2014 7:41 PM, Phil Hystad wrote:
>> So, is this normal behavior?  I wasn't expecting any kind of comms between the K3 and the KPA500 that affects the STBY/OPER switching.  It does seem that a power on/off cycle for the KPA500 is required to enable that switch.
>> 
>> Is this designed to work this way or is this a flaw in the design or maybe a missing mini-feature of configuring two different transceivers with the KPA500.  I admit to not scouring all of the documentation yet on the expected functionality of the STBY/OPER switch.
>> 
>> 73, phil, K7PEH
>> 
>> 
>> On Apr 22, 2014, at 4:14 PM, Don Wilhelm <w3fpr at embarqmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Phil,
>>> 
>>> Let me get this straight - the KPA500 is communicating with the K3, then you switch to the KX3 and the KPA500 does not talk with the KX3.
>>> 
>>> If that is what is happening, I would expect that to be the case. The communications with the K3 is not synchronized with the attempted communications with the KX3, so a reset (power cycle) of the KPA500 may be required.
>>> 
>>> 73,
>>> Don W3FPR
>>> 
>>> On 4/22/2014 7:02 PM, Phil Hystad wrote:
>>>> Some follow-up questions:
>>>> 
>>>> OK, I have the KX3 and K3 configured with the KPA500 and KAT500.  Everything seems to work with one little exception.
>>>> 
>>>> The exception:
>>>> 
>>>>     --- initial conditions, K3 is on and switched to use the KPA500 and KAT500.  KX3 is off.
>>>> 
>>>>     --- using K3 and so on works fine with amp on or with amp in standby.
>>>> 
>>>>     --- I turn off K3.  Leave KPA500 on but in STBY mode.
>>>> 
>>>>     --- Switch coax from K3 to KX3 (1x2 switch).
>>>> 
>>>>     --- Turn on KX3.  KPA500 still in STBY mode.
>>>> 
>>>>     --- Attempt to switch KPA500 to OPER from STBY but switch does not work.  If I power off the
>>>>          KPA500 (front panel switch) and power back on then switch works fine.
>>>> 
>>>> I have experimented with all kinds of starting initial conditions and order of events but whenever
>>>> the KPA500 is left on after using the K3 and then switching to the KX3, the switch on the KPA500
>>>> to go from STBY to OPER does not work.  I always have to cycle the power from the front panel on/off
>>>> switch.
>>>> 
>>>> 
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