[Elecraft] KAT500 as a remote-controlled tuner

[David Bunte]

I have dreamed about remoting my KAT500, but since it won't match my 30'
vertical on 80 or 160, I went with a tuner that will do so. It is a remote
tuner but not automatic. For a variety of reasons I have it sitting under a
"Fake" rock that I got at a big box home improvement center. I think it
cost about $28 and protects the tuner from UV and lots of other stuff...
PLUS my XYL thinks it looks great compared to the tuner box sitting there.
I also have a smaller fake rock over the conduit where it comes up by the
tower base... a couple of real rocks (small boulders) helps 'balance' the
look at the base of the antenna.

If I recall correctly, AB2TC remotely controls his KAT500. He may weigh in
on this discussion. What I recall of his setup is well thought out.

Dave - K9FN

On Sun, Nov 4, 2018 at 12:06 PM ANDY DURBIN <a.durbin at msn.com> wrote:

> Ok, warnings noted.   I like having my TS-590 interface controlling my
> local KAT500 so, if I were to try a KAT500 as a remote tuner, I'd look at
> the feasibility of making a control interface with a wifi link.  That link
> would include the capability to remote the keying interrupt.
>
>
> Andy, k3wyc
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Jack Brindle <jackbrindle at me.com>
> Sent: Saturday, November 3, 2018 7:07 PM
> To: ANDY DURBIN
> Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 as a remote-controlled tuner
>
> The answer is yes. But then it won’t tune and the cores will overheat from
> excess power trying to use a now-invalid solution. You must disable the
> amplifier to perform a tune or anytime the ATU needs to do any switching.
> It determines when it needs to do that (say from a QSY where it needs to go
> to a different solution). If you have fixed-frequency operation and can
> guarantee that the ATU won’t need to change the relays while power is high,
> then your analysis may be correct. Why risk it?
>
> So what is wrong with hot switching? You get arcs across the relay
> contacts greatly reducing their lives. Having to replace the relays isn’t
> fun, but having to replace a coil because the relay won’t make contact is
> even worse.
>
> There is a reason we designed the key line interrupt into the ATUs.
>
> Jack, W6FB
>
>
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