[Elecraft] Frequency Tracking Revisited

[Jack Brindle]

Richard;

There is good reason to train the KAT500, especially if you use SSB. First, you need to always tune the KAT500 with CW. The K3’s TUNE function takes care of this quite well. Simply tune to a frequency, tap the KAT’s TUNE button, then hit the K3’s TUNE button. When the KAT finishes, drop the transceiver out of tune. This will tune the KAT500 for your antenna on that band segment. You may want to tune again elsewhere within the segment - there might be a better match that satisfies more of the segment than the first one you do. Second, use the KAT500 in MAN (not AUTO) mode. This is especially true with the use of SSB. Because of the characteristics of SSB transmission, the KAT may decide it needs to do a tune when it really does not. This is avoided in MAN mode where you get to decide when you want to do a tune.

One other thing to remember - an antenna changes over time for many reasons - it may behave differently when the feedline becomes wet (especially noted when using ladder-line), or in the rain, or when near-by foliage grows near the antenna. I regularly have to retune my antennas between summer and winter (fewer leaves in winter make a big difference). And yes, I do train my KAT500s (I have two) so that I do not have to stop and tune them in the midst of a contest. I make sure everything is set up and tuned before the contest starts, but I find I may have to retune one of my antennas (fed with ladder line) if it starts raining (or stops) during a contest event.

Enjoy your KAT500. It is a great product if I’m allowed to say so…

73,
Jack, W6FB


> On Jul 11, 2021, at 7:11 PM, Richard <FlatHat at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> K3s/KAT500
> 
> As I now understand Frequency Tracking, it works like this:
> 
> 1. Once the KAT500 is "trained," the frequency segments attributed to each band are places where the KAT500 will look for good SWR matches. In other words, if I happen to have the VFO set on a frequency that is in Segment 5 (my label, just for clarity), the tuner will for for good matches in Segment 5 — correct? 
> 
> 2. If no good matches are found in Segment 5, the KAT500 will do a Full Tune to create one — correct?
> 
> 3. It seems to me that "Training the Tuner" is truly a convenience exercise: populating segments in the band so the tuner will find a good match and not have to do a Full Tune — correct?
> 
> 4. Rather than setting just low, middle, and high tuning solutions on 20 meter SSB, for example, I set a solution in each of the 11 segments, thinking that no matter where I tune in 20 meter SSB, the KAT500 will find a good solution. — correct?
> 
> Have I got this right . . . finally?
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Richard Kunc
> W4KBX
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