[Elecraft] KPA500 Coax size requirements

[Jack Brindle]

Carter;

Welcome to the world of higher power. The information you have received from others is very good. There is one other thing to watch for, it is something that most hams who upgrade to higher power experience. When we operate at low power, there are a lot of things we can get away with such as relatively poor connectors, cheap coax and the like. When we add power, things change, and many of these things start having problems. Things like arcing across connectors (watch the elbows), whether at the antenna or along the path, heating of components (low-power baluns are especially bad), and many other things can give you fits. These will be noticed as faults, either in the ATU or the KPA, and make you wonder what is going on. 

The answer is to use good quality components in your antenna path from the ATU all the way to, and including the antenna. That will make the system, including the KAT and the KPA much happier, and with it, your use of it. 

As for the KPA500, it can indeed run at 120V quite well. Both of mine (which includes the first prototype) have run that way for many years. Both the KPA and the KAT monitor their environment extensively, and will report issues if they see any problems with the antenna system, usually in the form of high reflected power. Many hams use the units daily. We believe you will enjoy them as well!

If you have any questions, just ask!

73,
Jack Brindle, W6FB
Elecraft Engineering

> On Aug 20, 2019, at 12:11 PM, Carter Craigie <carterwc128 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hello friends,
> 
> I am contemplating buying a KPA500 amplifier/tuner Combo, and driving it
> from my Elecraft K2/100 rig. I hope I would be able to do that!
> 
> From what I have read on eHam Reviews, it appears that I can run the
> amp/tuner combo on 117v. from the convenient wall socket. Is that correct,
> as well?
> 
> I cannot find any mention of the coax requirements, from the radio/combo
> out to our 80-meter wire loop antenna. Right now, using only my K2/100 I am
> able to use  8X coax.
> 
> Will I still be able to use that coax cable with up to 500 Watts output?
> 
> What other considerations do I need to make?
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Carter Craigie, N3AO
> Blacksburg, VA
> 
> 
> -- 
> Carter, N3AO
> Blacksburg, VA
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