[Elecraft] KPA500-KAT500 tuning settings

[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

On Sun, May 9, 2021 at 9:33 AM Wes <wes_n7ws at triconet.org> wrote:

> This despite the claim: "The KAT500 Automatic Antenna Tuner is designed to
> be
> closely integrated with the Elecraft K3 transceiver and the Elecraft
> KPA500
> amplifier although it may be easily used with other transceivers and
> amplifiers."
>
> The last part is simply not true, IMHO, of course.
>

I guess that depends on how you define "easily".   Plug and play cables and
plus some menu configuration seems pretty easy to me, if you have a Kenwood
rig.

IMHO, the KAT500 and KPA500 *is* very easy to use with Kenwood radios, with
VFO A auto-track, once connected property.  It's all well documented
in the KAT500
Owner's Manual
<https://ftp.elecraft.com/KAT500/Manuals%20Downloads/E740183%20Rev%20D1%20KAT500%20Owner's%20Manual.pdf>
(pages 16 - 18), and Elecraft can supply KPA500/KAT500 interface cables for
a long list of non-Elecraft transceivers, listed here:

https://elecraft.com/products/75-discount-on-a-kpa500-kat500-power-combo

The S-BOX <https://bit.ly/S-BOX> can provide plug and play interfaces in
more complex environments, when you need even more devices connected to the
Kenwood serial port, such as SteppIR controllers and Bandmaster band
decoders.

Some combinations (Icom, Yaesu) do not provide frequency auto-track with
just cables, though Yaesu support should be easy to add to the KAT500 /
KPA500 firmware since they've already done the code for the KPA1500.  In
the meantime, N4PY Pegasus Plus software
<http://www.n4py.com/pegasus-plus.html> can transform any supported
transceiver's frequency into Kenwood format for the KAT500 as well, plus
there are Icom/Yaesu/Kenwood translating hardware solutions available in
some microHAM devices such as the MK2R+.

73,
Bob, N6TV
https://bit.ly/S-BOX