[Elecraft] KAT500 operation?

[Dick Dievendorff]

If the ACC cable is working as expected, the KAT500 and KPA500 will both bandswitch using the 4 band data lines from the K3.  The KAT500 utility operate page shows the band the KAT500 is on and it should change as you change K3 bands.  In addition, relatively new K3 and KAT500 firmware can work together to bandswitch and select ATU memories as the K3 is tuned across the band.  This uses the AUXBUS, one of the wires in that 15-pin ACC cable. From your description, it sounds like the band line mechanism may not be working.  I'd try checking the cables and look for additional devices that may be loading the band lines. Some, including me, have found that swapping the cables can help. There aren't KAT500 configuration options to choose band line band switching. It's always on.  There is a K3 menu option to choose the AUXBUS mechanism, described in K3 firmware release notes.

73 de Dick, K6KR

> On Jun 14, 2014, at 16:44, Mike Hagele  AC6JA via Elecraft <elecraft at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> 
> I have to transmit for a brief second after I switch bands for the tuner to 
> switch to the new setting.  I'll usually just hear a click and it's  done.
> But I thought I read somewhere that the tuner would update to the new  
> settings when switching bands/frequencies automatically without having to  
> transmit a carrier.
> I have the Elecraft auxilliary cables and the K3 and KPA500 bands track  
> properly.
> 
> Mike  AC6JA
> 
> 
> In a message dated 6/14/2014 4:29:46 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
> k6dgw at foothill.net writes:
> 
>> On  6/14/2014 12:11 PM, Mike Hagele AC6JA via Elecraft wrote:
>> I am using a  K3 and KPA500 with the KAT500. I also have the KAT500
>> mode set to MAN.  I thought that the firmware was supposed to switch
>> the tuner  automatically when you switch bands? After I go to a new
>> band, I need  to tap my key  momentarily to get the tuner to tune to
>> the new  frequency. Is this  normal? Let me know as I thought the
>> tuner  would remember the presets when  QSY'ing to a new frequency?
>> Any  help would be appreciated. Thanks.
> 
> Hmmm ... I have the control cables  ... K3-->KAT500/KAT500-->KPA500,
> I've trained my KAT500 for all 3  antennas on all the bands that each of 
> them work on, and I run the KAT500  in MAN.  All indications are that the 
> KAT500 recalls the correct  solution for the frequency when I QSY to a 
> new frequency or  band.
> 
> I'm hardly an expert on the insides of Elecraft firmware, and I  suppose 
> it could be recalling on very first sign of RF and doing so very  quickly 
> so that I don't notice it, but I really don't think so.
> 
> I  do notice when changing bands that the K3 power control sometimes 
> takes a  dit or two to settle to the correct drive power ... often that 
> first dit  will blink the 600 [occasionally 700] watt LED.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Fred  K6DGW
> - Northern California Contest Club
> - CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party  4-5 Oct 2014
> -  www.cqp.org
> 
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