[Elecraft] K3 Ant2 Issue With KPA500

[Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO]

Yes, it's not good to operate with the protective relay clicking. 
However, I think the separation between a vertical and horizontal 
antenna should be adequate.

I suspect at least part of the problem is that there is RF flowing on 
the coax to the Hustler. It would be worth trying a choke either at the 
base of the Hustler, on its feedline at the shack entrance, or in both 
places.

DX Engineering makes a well-regarded receiver protection device, but you 
can't transmit through it. You would have to make one of your antennas 
receive only.

73,
Vic, 4X6GP/K2VCO
Rehovot, Israel
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/


On 5 May 2015 06:57, James Bennett wrote:
> The situation: I've got an 88 foot long doublet at 45 feet, fed with
> 110 feet of ladder line, a 4:1 balun, and six feet of RG8-X connected
> to ANT1. Also got a Hustler 6BTV mounted on the ground in the back
> yard with 75 feet of RG8 running to the ANT2 connector.
>
> When running the K3 on low power I have no problem using diversity
> mode. However, when the power is increased, the internal relays start
> chattering in the K3. I understand that this the K3's way of
> protecting itself from too much RF on ANT2 - it temporarily
> disconnects ANT2. The amount of K3 output needed to cause the relay
> chatter depends on the band I'm on. Sometimes 20 watts will do it,
> other times I'm good at 100 watts - depends on the band. When I turn
> on the KPA500 it'll chatter on EVERY band. Obviously it's because the
> vertical (ANT2) is less than 50 feet from the doublet - I get that.
>
> My question(s) - can I assume that this relay chatter is not good,
> that it will cause problems if I continue running QRO in diversity
> mode?
>
> If this in fact is a bad thing, how do others run QRO and diversity?
> Are there devices on the market that can be put in the ANT2 line that
> can handle the RF? I could do it with a manual coax switch but that
> kinda puts a crimp in QSK operating.
>
> Jim / W6JHB Folsom, CA
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