Logan, In the Flex USB cable setup just set the cables for Active TX Slice, so when you switch slices (vfo’s) the amp and tuner will follow the proper TX freq.
Dave wo2x Sent from my iPad > On Mar 21, 2020, at 9:17 PM, lra...@garlic.com wrote: > > I have a Flex 6600 with USB cables to both the KPA500 and KAT500 and the > Flex software allows me to log the USB traffic. I found that the KPA500 > periodically polls the Flex with an IF;FA;FB command and gets an FA and FB > response from the Flex for the frequency currently designated for . The > KAT500, on a separate USB port, waits for a broadcast from the Flex when > there is a change in frequency. The Flex only broadcasts the VFO A frequency > and it may take up to a second for the frequency info to arrive. Change bands > too quickly and chaos may ensue with lots of red lights and relays clacking. > It seems to me that an easy fix is to add the polling command to the KAT500 > firmware, similar to the KPA500 firmware. > > I also think that I could build a modified null modem for the KPA500 with a > couple of diodes to connect the KAT500 RX input and KPA500 RX input in > parallel. Then, when the KPA500 polls for frequency info both the KPA and > KAT will get the data. Sounds like a good "shelter in place" project. Bring > on the schematics... > > And finally there must be a Raspberry Pi solution to periodically poll the > Flex and then rebroadcast the information to both the KPA500 and KAT500. You > would need three serial/USB ports. Might be an interesting Python project. > Bring on the software... > > Similar solutions might be possible with the Kenwood radios. > > 73 > Logan, KE7AZ > > -----Original Message----- > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net <elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net> On > Behalf Of Jeff Hughes > Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2020 10:18 AM > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: [Elecraft] Elecraft KAT500/KPA500 PowerCombo only Partially > Compatible with Modern Kenwood Rigs > > Just a little public service announcement that the Elecraft KAT500/KPA500 > PowerCombo is only partially compatible with modern Kenwood radios. To whit… > the PowerCombo works with VFO A, but not VFO B. > > Most modern rigs come with dual VFO’s, of course. And many come with > outright dual receivers. This ability to quickly monitor and move between > bands/frequencies comes in handy in a variety of scenarios. And most of us > happily bounce between these dual VFO’s without attaching any particular > importance to one over the other. > > The problem lies with the KAT500, which reliably tracks VFO A… but which > cannot track VFO B. The upshot being that if you’re operating VFO A, the > KAT500/KPA500 PowerCombo will work as expected. But as soon as you toggle > over to VFO B the KAT500 will manifest with clacking relays with every Tx > on/off transition and the KPA500 will instantly fault with High Reflected > Power if it is brought online in SWR conditions that required a tuned > solution from the KAT500. > > Said differently, if you’re operating in conditions where native, un-tuned > SWR is low – where you don’t need the KAT500, in other words - the KPA500 > works perfectly. But as soon as you move to a frequency with a > moderate-or-higher SWR – a situation where you need the KAT500 to insert its > tuned solution – it cannot do so, and the KPA500 faults. The behavior is > independent of the best practices usually espoused for the KAT500… always > operate in ‘Manual,’ “train the tuner” to lock in inductor/capacitor settings > in advance, and do that pre-tuning with 25-watts or more for greater accuracy. > > This VFO B problem applies to the Kenwood TS-590SG, TS-890S, TS-990S, and > perhaps others. > > On their own, the KAT500/KPA500 PowerCombo are a remarkable addition to any > shack. Profound is the word I’ve often used to describe their impact. > However, the inability to use VFO B in conjunction with them is a pretty > major failing. > > I have no information one way or the other, but I suspect the KPA1500 also > suffers from this issue. > > Probably the thing that surprises me most is that this issue has apparently > existed for years… and yet has not been socialized anywhere that I’m aware > of. Neither the Kenwood TS-890S User Manual nor the Kenwood TS-890S In-Depth > Manual make mention that their VFO’s A and B implement slightly different > character streams. Elecraft’s KAT500 Automatic Antenna Tuner Owner’s Manual > doesn’t mention that interfacing with Kenwood radios is a problem. Fred > Cady, KE7X (RIP), doesn’t mention it in his KPA500 Amplifier and KAT500 Tuner > manual. And it doesn’t appear to have made its way into any knowledgebase > within Elecraft itself. One wonders how many hours have been spent by > Elecraft staff and Elecraft customers – and how many KAT500 and KPA500’s have > been shipped back for repair – because of this one issue. > > And that’s why I’m posting it here. > > I’d like to thank Bob and Dick from Elecraft for their prompt, professional, > and thoughtful assistance in helping me to look at the anomalous behavior > I’ve always seen, but never could quite pin down, with my KAT500/KPA500. And > I’d especially like to thank Andy Durbin, K3WYC, for finally illuminating > what was actually going on. Andy submitted a defect report last fall and > hopefully Elecraft will prioritize it at some point. > > In the meantime, if you’re running a Kenwood rig and are contemplating adding > the KAT500/KPA500 PowerCombo… be aware that there are issues. > > 73, Jeff K4EI > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 Message > delivered to lra...@garlic.com > > > -- > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > https://www.avast.com/antivirus > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > Message delivered to rocke...@gmail.com ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
