[Elecraft] Antenna switching question

[Don Wilhelm]

Chuck,

Since you have a manual switch for your antennas --
Consider your operating habits.
Connect the 2 antennas you most frequently use to their own KAT500 port, 
then connect the others through your switch.

Since you have the vertical which covers all bands, and other bands that 
overlap band coverage, put the vertical on one KAT500 port.
Then put either the 160m or the 6 meter (whichever band you use most) on 
another port.  Connect the 3rd port to the antenna switch.
Select the vertical and the other antenna connected to the dedicated 
port with the ANT 1,2,3 selection on the KAT500, then with the antenna 
switch port selected, you switch between the other antennas.

Don't worry about the number of memories and antenna ports.  The KAT500 
will remember the tuning settings easily.  Just don't forget to operate 
the manual switch when you change to a particular band.

Another idea if it appeals to you and you have the subRX - use the 
vertical to connect to the AUX RX antenna on the K3 for the sub.  That 
allows you to use the vertical along with another horizontal antenna for 
diversity reception.

73,
Don W3FPR


On 2/22/2018 10:56 AM, Chuck Chandler wrote:
> Currently I have five antennas connected to my K3S via a manual switch:
> 
> LPDA, 20 through 10
> Vertical, CW on 80, low end of 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10.
> Dipole, Phone on 75, phone on 40, 20, 15
> Inverted-L on 160
> Yagi on 6
> Mostly the antennas are below 2:1, but they need some flattening on 160, 80
> and 40 if I have to go beyond their sweet spots.
> 
> When I build the KAT500, what is the best use of the 3 ports available to
> maximize it's tuning algorithm?  In other words, how can I maximize the
> likelihood that a band change or QSY will result in a rapid tune due to
> prior memorization, versus a somewhat longer full tune?
> 
> My thoughts were perhaps to put the 6 and 160 antennas each on their own
> KAT500 port, then use the manual switch for the three that would cover HF.
> Fine, except there could be a situation where the KAT500 had memorized a
> tune for 7.100 that might be fine for the vertical but different for the
> dipole.  The vertical is omni, so at times it would be a better choice than
> the dipole.
> 
> Or, perhaps experienced users can tell me that the tuning works quick
> enough that even if I try to confuse it the KAT500 will be quick enough
> that it isn't an issue.