[Elecraft] Connect KPA-500, TS-480 and MicroKeyer II

[Jack Brindle]

The KPA500 does NOT have a pass-through mode. It DOES have a serial port dedicated to communicating with Kenwood radios to extract the operating frequency. It can just monitor the serial link or it can also poll for the needed data. You will need to provide a Y cable that connects the signal coming from the radio to the computer, connecting the KPA’s XCVR port to the branch of the cable. The PC port on the KPA500 is only for controlling the amplifier. The two ports are not related in function.

Use the RS232 X menu setting to select the port data rate to match the radio’s serial port. If you need for the KPA500 to poll the radio for the frequency, the set SER POLL to ON.

For other cabling, connect the KEY line coming from the transceiver to one of the KAT500’s PTT RlY connectors, then connect the other PTT RLY connector to the KPA500’s PA KEY connector. These connections are shown on page 12 of the KAT500 manual. 

With this configuration the KAP500 will switch bands based on the data it receives from the transceiver, while the KAT500 will need RF to select the LC combination needed for tuning (as well as the desired antenna for that band). The KPA500 and KAT500 do not communicate, so there is no way for the KPA500 to tell the KAT500 the band. 

Note also that the KPA500 and KAT500 will switch bands quite well without the transceiver data connection as K9YC describes. 

Andy, K3WYC has created a pretty cool system with a small controller that monitors the system and sends control data to both the KAT500 and KPA500 to set them upper operation. I’lllet Andy describe that.

I am amazed that we do not properly describe KPA500/KAT500 operation with Kenwood transceivers. I will try to bug the right people to get this fixed.

73!
Jack, W6FB


> On Mar 6, 2019, at 6:48 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV <lists at subich.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Apparently the KPA-500 includes the ability to operate in a CAT
> pass through mode (like the P3) with Elecraft and Kenwood rigs
> (see Menu items RS232 P, RS232 X, RADIO, and SER POLL).
> 
> *UNFORTUNATELY* the Kenwood configuration is not documented in the
> KPA-500 Owners Manual (unlike the Icom "band voltage" and Yaesu BCD
> control configurations).
> 
> It would greatly assist non-Elecraft owners if the KPA-500 Owners
> Manual included explicit diagrams and configuration settings for
> Icom, Yaesu and Kenwood (RS-232 CAT ONLY) transceivers along the
> lines of Figure 4 on page 13 for the K3 using "KPAK3AUX Cable and
> Separate Key Line".
> 
> Without documentation (including information showing if RTS/CTS is
> passed through from the transceiver as expected by Kenwood rigs
> or whether the KPA-500 provides a CTS "pull up" on the RS-232 (XCVR)
> jack) from Elecraft or access to a KPA-500 for "hands on engineering"
> it is not possible for third party suppliers to provide any support
> for (Kenwood) configurations that include KPA-500/KAT500 .
> 
> 73,
> 
>   ... Joe, W4TV
> 
> 
> On 2019-03-06 8:00 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
>> The KPA500 and KAT500 both detect transmitting frequency with as little as a tap on the mic or a dit at 35 wpm, and switch almost instantaneously. All they need is PTT (Amp Key) from the rig to an RCA jack that loops through the KPA500 to the KAT500 with an RCA-RCA jumper. That "loop-through" allows the KPA500 to prevent auto-tuning while the power amp is active. The KAT500 has three operating modes that can be programmed from Elecraft's control program -- Auto, Manual, and Bypass. In general, the KAT500 remembers the last settings you used the last time you were on that band, and for which of the three outputs.
>> 73, Jim K9YC
>> On 3/6/2019 12:37 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
>>> I have
>>> no information about adding the KPA500/KAT500 into the mix as I
>>> do not know if/how the KPA500/KAT500 acquires frequency/band data
>>> from the TS-480.
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