[Elecraft] KAT-500 auto-tuning issue with SSB vs. CW

[Fred Jensen]

I will verify that this works exactly as Don relates.  You must "train" 
it by transmitting in every segment for each band/antenna combo you 
have, but once trained, it's solid. The segments are small on 160 and 80 
[10 KHz? I don't remember, someone on the list probably knows], and get 
larger as you go up in frequency becoming 100 KHz or so at 10 m and 
maybe twice that on 6.  With the KAT500 in AUTO, tune to the center of 
each segment, and press ATU TUNE if you have a K3, or just transmit if 
you are using a non-Elecraft transceiver.  It takes anywhere from 20 - 
25 or so watts to tune.

Once you have hit every segment with every antenna that works on that 
segment, switch to MAN and leave it there.  The KAT500 utility will let 
you specify which of the 3 antennas are usable on each band and won't 
put others in the antenna selection cycle.  To switch antennas, just tap 
the button to get the desired antenna. The selection of tuning 
parameters is as fast as it takes for the relays to close when you first 
transmit.  It worked fine for me when I still had my KAT500 on CW, SSB, 
and RTTY.  IMI: Operate in MAN, not AUTO.

If you have a K3/K3s and the cable between them installed and the KAT500 
connected, the tuner will follow your receive QRG, selecting the correct 
parameters as you tune, but the RF sense is nearly instantaneous without 
the cable or a K3/K3s.  IMI: Operate in MAN, not AUTO.  Every time 
someone has asked me to help them, and despite the "Operate in MAN, not 
AUTO" advice from this list and others, I get there and find they're 
operating in AUTO.

73,
Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 11/19/2018 4:43 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
> The KAT500, will do the same for any transceiver - except for 
> following the receive frequency.
> After training the tuner, when the KAT500 receives a burst of RF, it 
> will tune to the remembered L/C combination for the frequency 
> received, it will go immediately to that combination.
> Train in AUTO mode, then switch to MAN for reliable operation.
>
> 73,
> Don
> W3FPR