The K3, KPA500, and KAT500 all have new beta firmware releases available. All three must be updated to take advantage of these major improvements to the KAT500 and KPA500. All known problems with unwanted re-tuning and faults have been fixed.
We've also added a new feature that allows the KAT500's network settings to automatically track the K3's VFO frequency. The K3 will send frequency information over the K3's AUXBUS line, and the KAT500 will select previously memorized tuner settings as you move across the band, or when you “point and shoot” to work a packet spot. If you have any difficulty with the instructions below, please post a question to the Elecraft list, or contact customer support. 73, Wayne N6KR * * * Instructions 1. Download the new beta firmware for each device from the applicable software pages on our web site. NOTE: Follow the instructions for beta firmware releases when installing software in subsequent steps. 2. Using K3 Utility, save your K3's configuration. Then install K3 rev. 4.83. 3. Using KPA Utility, save your KPA500's configuration. Then install KPA500 rev. 1.37. 4. Using KAT500 Utility, save the KAT500's configuration. Then install KAT500 rev. 1.58. -------- 5. (OPTIONAL) Set up the K3 to send VFO information to the KAT500: (a) Make sure the K3 and KAT500 (and KPA500, if applicable) are connected via the accessory cable. The AUXBUS line must be connected, as well as the four BAND lines, which we use to “qualify” the AUXBUS frequency data. If you've built your own cable and omitted the AUXBUS or BAND lines, you may need more wires for this to work. (b) At the K3, locate the CONFIG:KAT3 menu entry. Tap the numeric keypad '1' button (also labeled "A/B"). You should see “KAT500Y” or “KAT500N” with successive taps. Leave it on "KAT500Y" (the Y means "Yes, send VFO info to the KAT500"). Exit the menu. (c) Verify that as you tune the K3's VFO, the KAT500 selects the appropriate LC settings. This occurs after you *stop* moving the K3's VFO for about 1/2 second. You should hear one or more relays clicking at the KAT500 when entering segments that have different LC settings. -------- 6. (OPTIONAL) In conjunction with the new VFO tracking feature, you may find it a good idea to “retrain” your ATU on 8 or 10 kHz boundaries on 160 meters, and every 20 kHz on 80 meters, particularly if the antennas have sharp SWR curves. (a) Use the KAT500 Utility, Configuration tab, Edit Configuration, Erase Memories to erase memories on bands that have sharp SWR curves (e.g. 160 and 80 m). (b) While you're in the Edit Configuration dialog, make sure the Amplifier Key Interrupt power setting is 1500 for a KPA500. If not, click "Optimize for KPA500", then "Apply". (c) Change the tuner's mode to MAN. In mode AUTO, the KAT500 will start a "full search tune" whenever the SWR reaches a threshold. If you're pretuned, that should be unnecessary and is probably undesirable. Mode AUTO is useful for remote tuners where it is inconvenient to press the ATU TUNE button when you need to. (d) Using exciter power only, perform a full search tune at 10 kHz increments on 160 and 20 kHz increments on 80 meters. Do this for frequencies where you don't want the ATU to enter "full search tune" when you next QSY there. This is best done by setting the K3's TUN POWER to about 20 watts, HOLD the K3 TUNE button to generate carrier, then tap the KAT500 TUNE button. It may take a while for a few settings, but often it will start "close" and won't take long at all. It depends on the SWR curve of the antenna on that band. (e) IMPORTANT: When you first visit a new frequency, the ATU will first "snap in" a setting from a nearby memory. It may be a memory you've used before with a different antenna. If the setting is inappropriate for the current antenna, the SWR will be high, and in mode AUTO, the tuner will need to retune, which requires more or less constant carrier, not SSB speech, not high speed CW. ______________________________________________________________ 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
