[Elecraft] KAT500 Antenna Grounding

[Cliff Frescura]

I'm in a similar situation.  Love the KAT500 (especially with the KPA500 and Kenwood TS-940).  Already have an Ameritron remote antenna switch, so not using the switching on the KAT500 (except for a  switching in a dummy load).

The solution I've come up with is to have an Arduino monitor the radio frequency/band data and have it switch the antenna.  However, I doubt that the Ameritron switch grounds the unused ports.  The DX Engineering remote switches appear to have this as an option.

73,

Cliff K3LL/6

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jack Brindle
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2015 5:42 PM
To: David Ahrendts
Cc: Elecraft List
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 Antenna Grounding

I can answer that. The KPA500 does not ground unselected antennas. Nor does it ground selected antennas. ;-) (OK, it’s Friday. Even we Elecrafters let our hair down on Friday…)

- Jack Brindle, W6FB


> On May 8, 2015, at 5:18 PM, David Ahrendts <davidahrendts at me.com> wrote:
> 
> I’m considering stacking the Cushcraft A503S 6M yagi with my MA5B mini-beam rather closely — like five-feet vertical separation (Rohn five-foot tripod on the roof in a tight lot). Cushcraft recommends using an antenna switch to ground the unused antenna since the two would react with each other at 17M. Both would be connected to the KAT500. So here’s the question: are the un-selected antennas out of the three on the KAT500 grounded  through the KAT500 or do they remain just unattached but active? Do I need to mount an external antenna switch to ground the unused antenna, which is not desirable because of the KAT500’s ability to memorize frequencies and tuner corrections per antenna?
> 
> David A., KC0XT, Los Angeles    
> 
> 
> 
> David Ahrendts   davidahrendts at me.com   
> 
> 
> 
> 
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