So, after adding the KAT500, I am enjoying the ever expanding K-Line: K3+P3+KPA500+KAT500 but I seem to be at fault more often lately.
I mean, before I got the KAT500 I relied on my Palstar AT1KM manual tuner and could easily tune to close to 1:1 and always under 1.5:1 for every band and frequency of my operations 80 through 10. Antennas are 80-meter doublet fed with 450-ohm ladder line to 4:1 Balun to Coax for 80-40-30 and then a Traffie Hexbeam for 20-17-15-12-10 (no, usually do not need a tuner with the traffie but it does improve SWR). Using the manual tuner, it was very rare, maybe twice a month or so, that I would fault the KPA500 due to high SWR. Now, using the KAT500, faulting the KPA500 is a daily occurrence. I now almost expect that red fault light to come on the KPA500 and the amp switch into Standby mode. What am I doing wrong? Here is a typical scenario. I am operating on 3970 KHz with a 1.2:1 SWR using the KAT500 and the KPA500 in operation pushing about 475 watts or so. Then, I switch to 3569 KHz for some CW traffic net action and now with key-down (just a brief dit) I get two very closely related events. One, the KPA500 faults due to high SWR and, two, the KAT500 detects the new frequency and changes L&C from memory. These two events are neck-and-neck within one or one-and-a-half seconds time. So, I know how to avoid this. I can put the amp in standby first. Or, I can force the KAT500 to retune which inhibits the amplifier. But, is it necessary to put the amp in standby? Is this what others do? Also, what good is the memory on the KAT500 if I can't make use of it. I am using all the standard recommended cabling for the KAT500 with a K3 and KPA500. Thanks, 73, phil, K7PEH ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
