[Elecraft] KPA500 Power In Digital Modes

[Jim Brown]

On Tue,11/11/2014 3:26 AM, Nick-VE3EY wrote:
> This happened with my KPA500 until I realized that my Microham double-six antenna switch is only rated to max 30MHz.

Nothing specific about this antenna switch -- getting any matrix switch 
like that to have low SWR at 6M is quite tricky to do. I had a similar 
problem with a different 2x6 switch on 6M -- rather high SWR. My 
solution was to not run my SteppIR through that switch. Instead, I feed 
it directly into one output of my KAT500. The matrix switch feeds a 
different input of the KAT500.

I also found that other "stuff" I had in series with the path between 
the KPA500 and the tuner was increasing to the SWR -- a not very good 
power/SWR meter and a tapoff for a monitor scope. I also found a few 
junk connectors connecting that stuff.

Bottom line -- when I cleaned up the signal path, SWR went from slightly 
more than 2:1 down to 1.1:1.

73, Jim K9YC