[Elecraft] The next generation KAT500

[Al Lorona]

The recent thread on small and inexpensive vector network analyzers made me wonder if and when someone will make either a manual or automatic antenna tuner with something like one of those VNAs used as a front panel display. With the VNA in Smith Chart format, how cool would it be to tune the tuner and watch the antenna impedance move toward the center of the Smith Chart? The calibration coefficients of the VNA could be set at the factory and stored in EEPROM since they wouldn't change much over the life of the tuner other than some temperature and aging effects (but even the cal vs. temperature could be pre-measured at the factory).

To my knowledge all commercially available tuners simply display the measured SWR as a single number; providing a Smith Chart (or rectangular graph if you wish) swept over frequency would be a quantum leap in the information presented to the user.

Maybe if and when Elecraft decides to design the next generation of the KAT500, or maybe this has already been done and I don't know it?

Al  W6LX/4