[Elecraft] Connecting a K2 to a KPA500

[Ariel Jacala]

Jack

Yes, there is an asterisk that appears on the KPA display after transmit.  PA key line checks out OK.  Open when unkeyed and shorted to ground when keyed - checked with ohmmeter.  By the way the K2 has no problem keying my Drake L4B and I have used it on the Drake since August of last year.

Thanks for your help

Ariel NY4G

Sent from my iPad

> On Jan 10, 2014, at 9:23 PM, "Jack Brindle" <jackbrindle at me.com> wrote:
> 
> OK, so let me understand better. You have a coax cable going from the K2/100 ANT jack to the KPA500 RF Input jack. You also have a phono cable connected to the K2/100 PA KEY OUT jack going to the PA KEY jack on the KPA500. When you have things connected this way the receive signals in the K2 go away when the KPA500 is set to OPER. Correct?
> And, when you disconnect the phono cable the receive audio comes back.
> 
> Are you sure the PA KEY OUT on the K2/100 is operating properly? Is there an asterisk on the left side of the KPA500 LCD screen when the phono cable is connected? If so, check the phono cable then the PA KEY OUT to make sure they are OK. This would indicate that the KPA500 is being held in transmit, which would indeed block the receive signals.
> 
> Let me know what you find. You should be able to test the PA KEY OUT connection with an ohmmeter. When the K2 is keyed, the PA KEY OUT will pull the signal to ground (conducting) otherwise it should be open.
> 
> Jack B, W6FB
> 
>> On Jan 10, 2014, at 6:08 PM, Ariel Jacala <ny4g at hotmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Jack
>> 
>> I am driving it with the KPA100 on the K2
>> 
>> Ariel
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>> On Jan 10, 2014, at 9:03 PM, "Jack Brindle" <jackbrindle at me.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Are you driving the KPA from a K2 or K2/100? If the former, do you have the external Key interface installed in the K2?
>>> 
>>> Jack B, W6FB
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Jan 10, 2014, at 5:58 PM, Ariel Jacala <ny4g at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Jack
>>>> 
>>>> The problem appears to be in the keying interface.  Disconnecting the keying cable enables receive while in operate - per Lyle's comment.
>>>> 
>>>> Ariel NY4G
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>> 
>>>>> On Jan 10, 2014, at 8:49 PM, "Jack Brindle" <jackbrindle at me.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> You may want to talk to tech support when they open on Monday. You can connect the KPA to the K2 using a serial cable, but be sure to follow the K2 rules and only connect pins 2, 3 and 5. DO NOT connect the other pins on the KPA -0 that is, do not use a straight-through 9 conductor cable. Set the KPA’s RADIO menu setting to SERIAL and the data rate to 4800.
>>>>> 
>>>>> This won’t solve the receive problem, though. The problem sounds serious enough that Customer Support will need to help you.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Jack Brindle, W6FB
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Jan 10, 2014, at 5:24 PM, Cady, Fred <fcady at ece.montana.edu> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Hello Ariel,
>>>>>> Does the KPA500 show the same band that the K2 is on?  If not, try tapping your key to send a little RF to the amp when in operate mode so it can measure the frequency and switch in the correct band pass filters.
>>>>>> Cheers,
>>>>>> Fred KE7X
>>>>>> "The Elecraft K3: Design, Configuration, and Operation, 2nd Ed"
>>>>>> "The Elecraft KX3 -- Going for the Summit"
>>>>>> Coming soon: "The Elecraft KPA500 and KAT500"
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ariel Jacala
>>>>>> Sent: Friday, January 10, 2014 5:24 PM
>>>>>> To: elecraft reflector
>>>>>> Subject: [Elecraft] Connecting a K2 to a KPA500
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Hi to the Elecraft Reflector
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I just acquired a KPA500 and connected it to a K2.  I  have the output of the K2 connected to the input of the KPA500.  Things checked out through a dummy load in terms of loading the amplifier.  The KPA500 is then connected to a resonant antenna.  When on standby, I can hear signals through the antenna.  When I press operate - I can no longer hear the signals.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> When I press the tune button on standby, the KPA500 does not measure  SWR.  Is this normal?  The KPA500 was previously operated with a K3 with the K3 cable to the KPA500.  I can key the KPA500 with the K2 and it produces expected power with the recommended drive levels.  I am worried about not hearing signals when in operate mode.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Do I need to update the firmware?  Why can't I hear signals from the antenna with the KPA500 in "operate"?  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Any help is appreciated.  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Thanks 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Ariel NY4G
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sent from my iPad
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