[Elecraft] KPA500 shutting down

Tue Nov 22 16:44:40 EST 2016

Mike I totally agree with this assessment.  As you know I have a remote contest site. As you are probably aware the systems in a remote site can go long periods with no problems, but usually if all the telemetry looks ok there are various other factors that may require eyes on check.  Most of the time I have discovered to "trust my instruments".  Fortunately my remote KPA-500/KAT-500 combo have provided years of very reliable service in a less than hospitable environment at K6LRG.

I wish you the best of luck in tracking this down!

Chris
N6WM
________________________________________
From: Elecraft [elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] on behalf of Rick Bates (WA6NHC) [wa6nhc at gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2016 1:35 PM
To: Guy Olinger K2AV
Cc: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 shutting down

It could also be tiny livestock nibbling at the wiring, making nests etc. (or large livestock tripping, kicking ...)  Just because you didn't do anything doesn't mean they're idle.  Natural events such as lightning, icing of the antennas or something else could make things go wonky (usually a reset of power clears electrical issues and it might NOT be KPA related if one of the other connected devices went whack).  If you haven't been there in a year, perhaps loneliness?  ;-)

If you are using a remote computer, the readings you seek to know (voltage, current, SWR) are available via the utility program (that's how I control mine remotely).

I'd be VERY curious if shutdown was truly random as opposed to happening when the transmitter was on.  But that would tend to point to a non-RF issue.

Ultimately, it appears you'll have to take a day trip to investigate.

73,
Rick

Spell Czech happens

> On Nov 22, 2016, at 11:04 AM, Guy Olinger K2AV <k2av.guy at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Perhaps outdoors you have had a ground go bad, or a connector go bad, to
> all of a sudden have RF in the shack. Connection work loose, that kind of
> thing. These could happen without your seeing SWR on the line you are
> transmitting on.
>
> 73, Guy K2AV
>
> On Tue, Nov 22, 2016 at 8:53 AM, Michael Walker <va3mw at portcredit.net>
> wrote:
>
>> I run a remote base with a KPA500.  The Amp is a 3 hour drive away.
>>
>> I can control just about everything remotely without effort.  The
>> installation has been rock solid for years (Flex 6300 / KPA500)  and lots
>> of chokes everwhere.
>>
>> Last week the unit worked fine.  Today the KPA500 appears to shut down
>> based on the Remote GUI.
>>
>> I will be on SSB, and then I see the bar at the bottom go to PWR OFF, reset
>> and go back to Powering ON/ Amp On.  This is when the amp is only producing
>> about 300 watts peak (about 24 watts drive).
>>
>> There are no error messages displayed at all and the only thing I suspect
>> it might be is low AC voltage into the amp.
>>
>> RF could be the problem, however in 2 years running contests, this is the
>> first time I have seen a shutdown like this.  I run many Mix 43 chokes on
>> all coax and signal lines.
>>
>> Are there other messages I can see by monitoring the Serial port at all?
>> Any thing else I can do remotely?
>>
>> I can recreate this on 160/80/40m.  Those antennas are at least 150 ft from
>> the station.
>>
>> Also, at times, the GUI will seem to freeze.  The buttons work, but the bar
>> graphs are stuck frozen in time at a peak reading.  Yet, I can power off
>> the amp when this happens.
>>
>> Currently, the amp is about 34F ambient temp.  In the past, I have used it
>> well below that (-25F) without issue (last winter).
>>
>> My question is to the Elecraft guru's.  Any thoughts?  I am trying to
>> retrieve more data from the KPA500 remotely.
>>
>> Mike va3mw
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