[Elecraft] K3/KAT500 Field test of RX tracking FW

[Jim Sheldon]

With permission, I'm posting a brief synopsis of my Field Test experiences with the new KAT500 and K3 firmware that allows the KAT500 to track the receiver's VFO.  Once it becomes generally available (shortly) be sure to read the FW release notes carefully and follow the instructions.  (I didn't and thought I'd broken it right out of the box.)

I don't know if it's really necessary, but I loaded the KAT500 first and then the K3.  Once the FW is in the K3 you have to go to the menu item KAT3 and tap the "1" key on the keypad to enable the KAT500 (this is a new menu item in this version of the FW).  You MUST have the proper 15 pin aux cable connected between the K3 and KAT500 for this feature to work.

Once that's done, use the KAT500 Utility Program and clear the memories in the KAT500.  Re-train the KAT500 at various points on the bands so you have a good starting point.  Then, as you are tuning from one point to another, as you cross a frequency the KAT500 had been trained to, about a half second or so AFTER you stop tuning, the K3 will send the frequency data to the KAT500 over the accessory cable.
If the LC combination changes from the previous point, you'll hear the KAT500's relay(s) click and know that it's tuned for that segment.

I ran it really hard on 160 and 80 meters this morning and it worked just like I'd hoped it would.  There were several places out of the area where I'd trained the KAT500 and it didn't have any memory data to work from that it initiated a "tune" sequence with the "MODE" set to AUTO as it should have.  Once that tune finished and the data was stored in a memory BIN in the KAT500, the next time I came past that frequency, the ATU tuned itself and no further tuning was needed or initiated.  This is going to be absolutely great for contests!

Jim - W0EB