[Elecraft] KPA500 Band Tracking

Sun Aug 7 20:02:21 EDT 2016

Success!!

Mark, WB9CIF, and Hank, K7HP, both suggested a combination of things including resetting the F/W files, swapping cables around to bypass the KAT, unplugging and reseating all of the aux plugs . . . 

Hard to say what the winner was, but after doing all the cable things and then reloading the F/W in both the K3 and KPA500, it all works!  Now back to the day’s principal objective – getting the K3 on 30 meters.

I have no idea why just adding one band to the band map caused those mysterious faults.  And, to quote Mark Musick commenting on his once resetting his aux cables, “I don’t know why that solved the problem . . . “

But then, understanding how sacred rituals effect happy outcomes has defied greater minds than mine.

Last point, which I have said before and will say again:  This reflector is an outstanding community of first-class ops.  Many thanks to all who helped me this time.

Ted, KN1CBR

Edward A. Dauer,  LL.B.  M.P.H.
Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Law
University of Denver

On 8/7/16, 4:52 PM, "Mark E. Musick" <markmusick at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

    My K3S and KPA500 track correctly on 30 meters. If I select 30 meters from the KPA500 front panel both go to 30 meters. When I select 30 meters on the K3S the KPA500 goes to 30. I routinely use the KPA500 to run 200 Watts on 30. This was also true for the K3 I had before the K3S.
    Check your cables again connecting the K3 aux port to the KPA500. Remove them and reset them and see if that changes anything. I had a similar issue and that solved the problem. I don't know why that solved the problem, but the issue has not reoccurred.
    Also, after you added 30 to the band map, did you turn the K3 off then back on as suggested in the manual when making changes in the menu? 

    Mark Musick, WB9CIF

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Cliff Frescura
    Sent: Sunday, August 7, 2016 10:20 PM
    To: 'Dauer, Edward' <edauer at law.du.edu>; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
    Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Band Tracking

    "But the KPA doesn’t track the K3’s band choice correctly."

    ...it's by design.

    In the US the maximum power on 30m is 200W PEP.

    http://www.arrl.org/frequency-allocations

    73,

    Cliff K3LL/6

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dauer, Edward
    Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2016 2:50 PM
    To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
    Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 Band Tracking

    I must have done something I didn’t mean to do.

    Just put up a 30 meter antenna today.  It works fine.  Until today I had the K3 band map set to include only 80-40-20-15-10.  The KPA500 tracked it automatically perfectly.  I then went into the config menu for band map and set 30 meters to IN.   The K3 works perfectly – band switching gives me, in MHz, 3.5 – 7.0 – 10.1 – 14.0 – 21.0 – 28.0 and then cycles back to 3.5  That is also exactly what I expected.

    But the KPA doesn’t track the K3’s band choice correctly.  For 80 I get 80.  For 40 on the K3 I get 80 on the KPA500. For 30 on the K3 I get 5.3MHz on the KPA500.  For 20 I get 20.  For 15 I get 15.  And for 10 on the K3 I get 24.9 MHz on the KPA500. 

    Interestingly, the “Band” buttons on the KPA500 have the same errors.  In MHz, pressing 1.8 yields 5.3.  3.5 is OK.  Pressing 7.0 produces 3.5.  14 and 21 are OK.  And pressing 28 produces 24.9.

    The frequency sampling, however, works perfectly.  A single dit on any band switches the KPA500 to the correct band, as defined by the K3.

    The cables are all Elecraft issue.  They are all connected correctly – witness that everything worked perfectly, on every band, until I added 30M into the K3’s band map.  Because both the K3 auto tracking feature and the Band buttons on the KPA500 yield the same errors, I think I must have messed up something in the amp.

    I have, by the way, already RdTFM.

    Any ideas about what I might have done?  Equally useful would be, how do I undo it?

    Many thanks for whatever anyone can suggest . . . 

    Ted, KN1CBR

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