[Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 sometimes no output and error E216 or E232 :: serialno. 4037
-- Elecraft K2/10 with KAT2 error :: serialno. 4037 -- Hello, Sometimes my KAT2 built-in antenna tuning unit gives erroneous behaviour. It goes like this: Normally nothing is wrong. Nor in ATU AUTO mode nor in ATU CALS mode. But sometimes after using the KAT2 auto-tuner (setting ATU AUTO) there's no RF signal on the ANT1/ANT2 sockets and the SWR reading is infinite. Yes, when I check on the original "Antenna 50 Ohm"-socket there IS signal but nothing comes out of the ANT1 (or -in case selected- ANT2) socket. In some cases I'm able to recover the normal desirable behavour bij disconnecting the KAT2 unit from the RF-board and reconnect. There really are times there's nothing wrong with the ATU and I'm able to tune different loads on different bands. But all of the sudden the error kicks in again. When the error has happened I can get an error-code from the KAT2 settings menu. Normally (when error-free operating) the error code is E000 In case of error it gives E216 or E232, depending on whether de ATU is in mode AUTO or CALS. What things do I have to check / where is my error likely to exist? Regards, Frank Talens PF5T The Netherlands -- Dutch PACC Contest is starting february 11th @ 1200 UTC, Everyone's invited! __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 receive 4.7v voltage out on U4 pin 1 and 7
Chris, If I understand you correctly, you have a very low voltage on U4 pin 3 during receive, and the 4.6 volts on pin 1 did not decrease after you transmitted. (pin 1 and pin 2 should be at the same voltage). I believe what is happening is that the charge on U4 pin 1 had no where to bleed off, so it stayed at greater than 4 volts. If that is the case, I do not think there is any problem - that behavior will cease when you install R6.. U4 is wired as an op amp buffer. Normally the voltage on pins 1 and 2 will be the same as the voltage on pin 3. 73, Don W3FPR On 7/14/2013 11:05 PM, ChrisM wrote: I have finished building the KAT2 got the null to 001 and then checked the voltage at pin 1 at U4 which read at 0 on receive then went into tune at 5W and P1, U4 read about 4.6v. When I went back to receive the voltage at P1 and 7, U4 was 4.7v. Checked voltages on receive and P8, U4 read 6.06v and P3 read 0.01v to 0.02v, P4,5, and 6 of course at 0.00v. P5 of U1 and R1 center also read between .01 and .02v. Assuming U4 was bad I replaced U4 with another LM358 (not 100% sure if good, never used before.) and now have 4.8v on 1 and 7 with all other voltages the same as before. Could U4 be good and am I missing something or do I need to buy a new LM358 that I know is good (have another LM358 how can I check it before I install it?)? Any help or Ideas would be appreciated. The K2 itself passed all tests once I got a good Dummy load. Just been listening and limited to 20m to 10m due to size of my hobby room. Have yet to make any contacts as I still have to get a mic or learn CW. Thanks, Chris KD0WDK __ 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
[Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 receive 4.7v voltage out on U4 pin 1 and 7
I have finished building the KAT2 got the null to 001 and then checked the voltage at pin 1 at U4 which read at 0 on receive then went into tune at 5W and P1, U4 read about 4.6v. When I went back to receive the voltage at P1 and 7, U4 was 4.7v. Checked voltages on receive and P8, U4 read 6.06v and P3 read 0.01v to 0.02v, P4,5, and 6 of course at 0.00v. P5 of U1 and R1 center also read between .01 and .02v. Assuming U4 was bad I replaced U4 with another LM358 (not 100% sure if good, never used before.) and now have 4.8v on 1 and 7 with all other voltages the same as before. Could U4 be good and am I missing something or do I need to buy a new LM358 that I know is good (have another LM358 how can I check it before I install it?)? Any help or Ideas would be appreciated. The K2 itself passed all tests once I got a good Dummy load. Just been listening and limited to 20m to 10m due to size of my hobby room. Have yet to make any contacts as I still have to get a mic or learn CW. Thanks, Chris KD0WDK -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-KAT2-receive-4-7v-voltage-out-on-U4-pin-1-and-7-tp7576738.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 trouble shooting
Brian, Yes, you can separate the two halves and use only the Control Board. Before you separate them, make certain ANT1 is selected - then power off and separate them. Put a long jumper between J4 pin 2 and J6 pin 15 (that is next to the last pins on both ends). If you still cannot balance the wattmeter in that configuration, you most likely problem is with T1 - it must be EXACTLY like shown in the manual diagram including the winding direction, and the leads must be in the correct holes. If the tests go OK without the L-C section, suspect an unsoldered relay pin on the L-C board. You will have the repeat the bridge null adjustment once the L-C section is back in place to account for any residual reactance. 73, Don W3FPR On 5/6/2013 11:27 PM, Brian Denley wrote: Don: Built a KAT2 and all went well but no response at the first test. Question: can I separate the two halves and remove the L-C board and still power the KAT2 for trouble shooting? Should the processor board still respond? Any tips? __ 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
[Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 trouble shooting
Don: Built a KAT2 and all went well but no response at the first test. Question: can I separate the two halves and remove the L-C board and still power the KAT2 for trouble shooting? Should the processor board still respond? Any tips? Thanks Brian Denley KB1VBF Sent from my iPad __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 Question
Hi All, To follow up on this thread for the archives...my problems are resolved. I actually had two issues: 1 - I had mis-wired J7 on both ends originally! The instructions are clear, and the proper orientation of the cable is even imprinted on the card, but I looked at the picture and interpreted the floppy-looking conductor as the ground strap ... not the center conductor. 2 - I stared hard for a while at my toroids and solder joints, and slapped my head in disgust when I noticed that one of the relays was in backwards. Fixed that, was able to complete the tuning section of the manual, works great now! On to the KSB2 module ... that's another email. Cheers Brian Handy AE7JW From: Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com To: Brian Handy holy_tire_i...@yahoo.com Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 12:53 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 Question Brian, Are you certain you had the J7 connector backwards? The coax shield should be toward the right side panel. The results you are now getting indicate that you have something wrong with what you changed. That power reading is likely coming from the K2 RF board RF output detector rather than from the KAT2. If that is the case, the KAT2 is not being recognized - check the connector to the Control Board. An inability to achieve a null on C55 is usually an indication of a problem with T1. Check that it is wound in the same direction as shown in the manual. Check that the proper color leads are in the right holes. Look at the solder side of T1 - there should be no rings in the solder around the leads - that is an indication that the leads were not well stripped and tinned. I would suggest removing T1 and re-winding it. It MUST look just like the diagram in the manual or it will not function properly. 73, Don W3FPR On 2/14/2013 9:18 AM, Brian Handy wrote: Hey all, I've been working on the KAT2 module for my K2. Mostly making progress but stumped in the bridge null adjustment. I was having problems with C55, and getting silly readings on U4 Pin1, so after staring at my board for a while, I went to the web for a while and read about other folks' problems and figured out I had wired J7 backwards on the control board. I fixed that, which brings us to my problem... I set ATU CALn in the menu, exit, hit 'TUNE' like I did before, and instead of getting the mV reading like I was before, I just get a power reading - e.g. P 4.5. I can't seem to get back to what I was looking at before. I went back and checked the other tests again ... I have everything in ATU mode in the menu, I can make the relays go clicky-click when I run through that set of options in the ATU menu, but I can't get this null mode to work. I was able to get it to work when I had the RF cable J7 wired up wrong. __ 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
[Elecraft] K2-KAT2
K2 - KAT2- Every reading and function seems to be ok UNTIL page 17 – square five in Bridge Null Adjustment (C55): After placing the K2 in CALn and exiting that setting by pressing MENU twice, I’m ready to put the K2 in TUNE mode: With the R1 and R2 set fully clockwise, and C55 positioned parallel to the rear panel edge and pressing TUNE I get: ”000 followed briefly by HI-cur + atu. Thereafter HI + atu disappears and 000 stays on. The adjustment of C55 does not affect the display at all.” +++ A further DMM-check of voltage on pin1 of U4 gives 0,00 volts, and still reads 0,00 volts in tune mode. (not the reading in the range of 3 to 4 volts, as advised ) Please advise, Hans, OZ5RB __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2-KAT2
Hans, If you are getting HiCur messages, you may not have a proper connection through the KAT2 to the dummy load. Be certain the crimp pins of J7 are inserted correctly. Looking at the rectangular holes in J7, you should see the crimp pins flat against the inside of the housing (no space), and the latching tabs on the crimp pins should be visible if you push on the wires. If the crimp pins are inserted correctly, you should be able to move the crimp pins slightly and see the ends of the latching tabs. If there is not a small bit of movement, the pins are not inserted correctly. The shield side of J7 must be closer to the K2 right side panel than the center conductor. The 000 indication may be due to no power through the wattmeter (T1 and associated components) of the KAT2 (that will also cause HiCur messages from the K2), and that condition could be due to either incorrect connections at J7 or improper winding and connection of T1. Note, the C55 null adjustment requires that power is flowing through the wattmeter. Check T1 against the diagram in the manual - it must be *exactly* as indicated. Make certain it is not wound in reverse from the diagram and that the leads are in the correct solder pads. The 1 turn winding (green wire) must also be correctly in place. Incorrect winding of T1 is the most common builder error for the KAT2. Try inserting wires into the J7 housing to make contact with the crimp pins and measure the resistance with your DMM. The resistance should be the same as your dummy load. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/13/2013 10:23 AM, Hans Elfelt Bonnesen wrote: K2 - KAT2- Every reading and function seems to be ok UNTIL page 17 – square five in Bridge Null Adjustment (C55): After placing the K2 in CALn and exiting that setting by pressing MENU twice, I’m ready to put the K2 in TUNE mode: With the R1 and R2 set fully clockwise, and C55 positioned parallel to the rear panel edge and pressing TUNE I get: ”000 followed briefly by HI-cur + atu. Thereafter HI + atu disappears and 000 stays on. The adjustment of C55 does not affect the display at all.” +++ A further DMM-check of voltage on pin1 of U4 gives 0,00 volts, and still reads 0,00 volts in tune mode. (not the reading in the range of 3 to 4 volts, as advised ) __ 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
[Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 Question
Hey all, I've been working on the KAT2 module for my K2. Mostly making progress but stumped in the bridge null adjustment. I was having problems with C55, and getting silly readings on U4 Pin1, so after staring at my board for a while, I went to the web for a while and read about other folks' problems and figured out I had wired J7 backwards on the control board. I fixed that, which brings us to my problem... I set ATU CALn in the menu, exit, hit 'TUNE' like I did before, and instead of getting the mV reading like I was before, I just get a power reading - e.g. P 4.5. I can't seem to get back to what I was looking at before. I went back and checked the other tests again ... I have everything in ATU mode in the menu, I can make the relays go clicky-click when I run through that set of options in the ATU menu, but I can't get this null mode to work. I was able to get it to work when I had the RF cable J7 wired up wrong. Ideas? Thanks, Brian Handy AE7JW __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 Question
Brian, Are you certain you had the J7 connector backwards? The coax shield should be toward the right side panel. The results you are now getting indicate that you have something wrong with what you changed. That power reading is likely coming from the K2 RF board RF output detector rather than from the KAT2. If that is the case, the KAT2 is not being recognized - check the connector to the Control Board. An inability to achieve a null on C55 is usually an indication of a problem with T1. Check that it is wound in the same direction as shown in the manual. Check that the proper color leads are in the right holes. Look at the solder side of T1 - there should be no rings in the solder around the leads - that is an indication that the leads were not well stripped and tinned. I would suggest removing T1 and re-winding it. It MUST look just like the diagram in the manual or it will not function properly. 73, Don W3FPR On 2/14/2013 9:18 AM, Brian Handy wrote: Hey all, I've been working on the KAT2 module for my K2. Mostly making progress but stumped in the bridge null adjustment. I was having problems with C55, and getting silly readings on U4 Pin1, so after staring at my board for a while, I went to the web for a while and read about other folks' problems and figured out I had wired J7 backwards on the control board. I fixed that, which brings us to my problem... I set ATU CALn in the menu, exit, hit 'TUNE' like I did before, and instead of getting the mV reading like I was before, I just get a power reading - e.g. P 4.5. I can't seem to get back to what I was looking at before. I went back and checked the other tests again ... I have everything in ATU mode in the menu, I can make the relays go clicky-click when I run through that set of options in the ATU menu, but I can't get this null mode to work. I was able to get it to work when I had the RF cable J7 wired up wrong. __ 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
[Elecraft] K2: KAT2 Assembly
I am assembling the KAT2 auto tuner. Everything is going OK but I am having trouble with the following statement: 'On the bottom of the KAT2 control board, locate a pad labeled B. Just to the left of this pad you'll see the round pad for pin 1 of U4 (LM358). (You'll know you have the right round pad if it's part of a group of 8 pads, 7 of which are square.) Touch your DMM's (+) probe to this pad. Connect your DMM's (-) probe to any ground point on the K2.' Touch the probe to which pad? T he one labeled 'B' or the little round one next to it? Anyone? Thanks Brian KB1VBF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: KAT2 Assembly
Measure at U4 pin 1. 73, Don W3FPR On 2/16/2012 1:31 PM, b.den...@comcast.net wrote: I am assembling the KAT2 auto tuner. Everything is going OK but I am having trouble with the following statement: 'On the bottom of the KAT2 control board, locate a pad labeled B. Just to the left of this pad you'll see the round pad for pin 1 of U4 (LM358). (You'll know you have the right round pad if it's part of a group of 8 pads, 7 of which are square.) Touch your DMM's (+) probe to this pad. Connect your DMM's (-) probe to any ground point on the K2.' Touch the probe to which pad? T he one labeled 'B' or the little round one next to it? Anyone? Thanks Brian KB1VBF __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: KAT2 Assembly
Don Wilhelm-4 wrote Measure at U4 pin 1. Which is the small round soldered pad southwest of the B (BTW not upside down). I just went through this myself. Sometimes writer's directions remind me of my XYL's...she forgets that right and left depend on which way you're driving on the road! Women drive by landmarks...men drive by road signs and the compass. Women are from Venus...men are from Mars. :-) 73, Bill W4ZV -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-KAT2-Assembly-tp7291897p7292498.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: KAT2 Assembly
Which is exactly why one should always use a pre-determined common frame of reference. In the fire service, it wasn't left flank of the fire, it was the [N/S/W/E] flank. On radios, it should start with something akin to With the front panel towards you. Most of the time Elecraft has already taken care of this. On the other hand, being well rested and clear in thought helps too. ;o) Rick WA6NHC -Original Message- From: Bill W4ZV Sometimes writer's directions remind me of my XYL's...she forgets that right and left depend on which way you're driving on the road! Women drive by landmarks...men drive by road signs and the compass. Women are from Venus...men are from Mars. :-) __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2: KAT2 Assembly
Thanks Don and to all who responded. Brian KB1VBF - Original Message - From: Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com To: b denley b.den...@comcast.net Cc: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 1:49:28 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2: KAT2 Assembly Measure at U4 pin 1. 73, Don W3FPR On 2/16/2012 1:31 PM, b.den...@comcast.net wrote: I am assembling the KAT2 auto tuner. Everything is going OK but I am having trouble with the following statement: 'On the bottom of the KAT2 control board, locate a pad labeled B. Just to the left of this pad you'll see the round pad for pin 1 of U4 (LM358). (You'll know you have the right round pad if it's part of a group of 8 pads, 7 of which are square.) Touch your DMM's (+) probe to this pad. Connect your DMM's (-) probe to any ground point on the K2.' Touch the probe to which pad? T he one labeled 'B' or the little round one next to it? Anyone? Thanks Brian KB1VBF __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2][KAT2] Is it working as well as can be expected?
On 8/21/2011 5:35 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: I do not know what the algorithm is (that is a question for Wayne), but what I do know is that in the KAT2, there are 2 levels - the normal algorithm which is fast to find a match, and the ALT which is slower, but will often find a match in difficult times. Hmmm ... my K2 is currently in its Kopp Kase, but I'll get it out this afternoon and see what the ATU is set at. I don't recall ever changing that from the default, but then, I don't remember what we had for dinner last night either. I *do* know that my KAT2 matches just about anything long, thin, and conductive, so Chip's should too. 73, Fred K6DGW Auburn CA __ 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
[Elecraft] [K2][KAT2] Is it working as well as can be expected?
I recently bought a K2 (s/n 3873) with KAT2 module (f/w 1.06) on Ebay. The K2 is working well, but I'm not sure the KAT2 is. Here is what I get tuning into a 25 ft vertical wire with 16 ft counterpoise on the ground: f SWR L C Net 3.540 1.2 18.2 0.66 N1 7.050 1.6 3.9 0.24 N1 10.106 1.1 1.6 0.05 N2 14.100 2.6 2.6 0.04 N1 18.089 1 1.9 0.15 N1 21.100 9.4 1.3 0.09 N1 24.900 1.1 1.2 0.1 N1 28.100 1.2 0.5 0 N1 My AA-230 analyzed this antenna this way: f SWR R X LC Z 3.54 19 465 -478 93pf 668 7.05 15 105 -252 89pf 273 10.106 4.2 166 85 1333nh 186 14.1 15 750 78 876nh 760 I can see that the antenna is pretty close to 1/2 wave for 15m so would be hard to tune to. And I can also see that the impedance of 760 ohms is very high for 20 meters, so maybe I can't expect an SWR of 2:1 when we're starting off at 15:1, but my KX1 gets 1.2:1 using the same inductance but .02 nF. Perhaps the 22 pf capacitor or relay is bad on the KAT2, but would welcome any comments. I do hear relay action as I move to each inductor, capacitor, n1, and n2. Thanks, Chip AE5KA __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2][KAT2] Is it working as well as can be expected?
Chip, The KAT2 and the KX1 use a similar tuning algorithm, it searches for the lowest SWR - but the KX1 capacitor and inductor selections are much more limited than those of the KAT2. I am surprised that the KX1 gives you a match, but the KAT2 cannot handle the same antenna. Try setting the K2 ATU menu to ALT before giving up - that uses a slower but more critical algorithm. If the ALT setting still does not produce a good match, yes, you may have some inductor or capacitor in the L-C section of the KAT2 that is not doing its job properly. Even though the relays click when going through the various menu settings, that only means that the relays are operating properly. Whether the relays actually add the inductor or capacitor is quite another matter. If the inductor leads are not well stripped or a capacitor is not well soldered, it will not function as expected even though its relay is engaged. There are ways to determine externally whether the inductor or capacitor are actually placed 'in-circuit' by the relay, but that requires an antenna analyzer or VNA or similar instrument. I would suggest that you first do a visual examination of the inductor and capacitor soldering on the L-C board, and check each relay to assure that all pins are well soldered. 73, Don W3FPR On 8/21/2011 11:38 AM, Chip Stratton wrote: I recently bought a K2 (s/n 3873) with KAT2 module (f/w 1.06) on Ebay. The K2 is working well, but I'm not sure the KAT2 is. Here is what I get tuning into a 25 ft vertical wire with 16 ft counterpoise on the ground: f SWR L C Net 3.540 1.2 18.2 0.66 N1 7.050 1.6 3.9 0.24 N1 10.106 1.1 1.6 0.05 N2 14.100 2.6 2.6 0.04 N1 18.089 1 1.9 0.15 N1 21.100 9.4 1.3 0.09 N1 24.900 1.1 1.2 0.1 N1 28.100 1.2 0.5 0 N1 My AA-230 analyzed this antenna this way: f SWR R X LC Z 3.54 19 465 -478 93pf 668 7.05 15 105 -252 89pf 273 10.106 4.2 166 85 1333nh 186 14.1 15 750 78 876nh 760 I can see that the antenna is pretty close to 1/2 wave for 15m so would be hard to tune to. And I can also see that the impedance of 760 ohms is very high for 20 meters, so maybe I can't expect an SWR of 2:1 when we're starting off at 15:1, but my KX1 gets 1.2:1 using the same inductance but .02 nF. Perhaps the 22 pf capacitor or relay is bad on the KAT2, but would welcome any comments. I do hear relay action as I move to each inductor, capacitor, n1, and n2. Thanks, Chip __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2][KAT2] Is it working as well as can be expected?
I would suspect Chip has some sort of problem Don, my KAT2 has never failed to get a match to anything conductive :-). Actually, it won't load an end-fed half-wave on 40, but does with a 1.3:1 SWR on 20. Go figure. Just out of curiosity, is the KAT2 some sort of steepest descent algorithm? ... or maybe that's proprietary. At any rate, both my KX1 and KAT2 ATU's really do work. Fred K6DGW Auburn CA On 8/21/2011 4:06 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Chip, The KAT2 and the KX1 use a similar tuning algorithm, it searches for the lowest SWR - but the KX1 capacitor and inductor selections are much more limited than those of the KAT2. I am surprised that the KX1 gives you a match, but the KAT2 cannot handle the same antenna. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2][KAT2] Is it working as well as can be expected?
Fred, I do not know what the algorithm is (that is a question for Wayne), but what I do know is that in the KAT2, there are 2 levels - the normal algorithm which is fast to find a match, and the ALT which is slower, but will often find a match in difficult times. 73, Don W3FPR On 8/21/2011 7:24 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: I would suspect Chip has some sort of problem Don, my KAT2 has never failed to get a match to anything conductive :-). Actually, it won't load an end-fed half-wave on 40, but does with a 1.3:1 SWR on 20. Go figure. Just out of curiosity, is the KAT2 some sort of steepest descent algorithm? ... or maybe that's proprietary. At any rate, both my KX1 and KAT2 ATU's really do work. Fred K6DGW Auburn CA On 8/21/2011 4:06 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Chip, The KAT2 and the KX1 use a similar tuning algorithm, it searches for the lowest SWR - but the KX1 capacitor and inductor selections are much more limited than those of the KAT2. I am surprised that the KX1 gives you a match, but the KAT2 cannot handle the same antenna. __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2][KAT2] Is it working as well as can be expected?
On Sun, Aug 21, 2011 at 6:24 PM, Fred Jensen k6...@foothill.net wrote: ...is the KAT2 some sort of steepest descent algorithm? ... ... = Fred, I don't know that answer, but the little research I've done into auto-tuner algorithms suggests that it doesn't have to be too fancy -- some version of Newton's method, or just a binary search. For a concrete example, go to: http://fermi.la.asu.edu/w9cf/tuner/tuner.html It has a link to the Java code for a simple T-Network autotuner, so you can follow the code and see exactly the algorithm used. 73, Tony KT0NY __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2][KAT2] Is it working as well as can be expected?
I've tried ALT, that did not improve the match on 20m and 15m. I have also very critically examined and re-flowed some solder joints without improved results. I can't identify by inspection any problems with the capacitors and inductors on the LC board. I do have a high quality antenna analyzer, a RigExpert AA230Pro, used to obtain the antenna figures in the second chart in my original post. I've also attached that analyzer to the antenna port of the KAT2, and activating each of the inductors and capacitors noted a change in the impedance with each change, but I did not look at this in a quantitative fashion. Don, is there a regular procedure for using the antenna analyzer to analyzer the KAT2? Thanks, Chip AE5KA On Sun, Aug 21, 2011 at 7:35 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: Fred, I do not know what the algorithm is (that is a question for Wayne), but what I do know is that in the KAT2, there are 2 levels - the normal algorithm which is fast to find a match, and the ALT which is slower, but will often find a match in difficult times. 73, Don W3FPR On 8/21/2011 7:24 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: I would suspect Chip has some sort of problem Don, my KAT2 has never failed to get a match to anything conductive :-). Actually, it won't load an end-fed half-wave on 40, but does with a 1.3:1 SWR on 20. Go figure. Just out of curiosity, is the KAT2 some sort of steepest descent algorithm? ... or maybe that's proprietary. At any rate, both my KX1 and KAT2 ATU's really do work. Fred K6DGW Auburn CA On 8/21/2011 4:06 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Chip, The KAT2 and the KX1 use a similar tuning algorithm, it searches for the lowest SWR - but the KX1 capacitor and inductor selections are much more limited than those of the KAT2. I am surprised that the KX1 gives you a match, but the KAT2 cannot handle the same antenna. __ 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 __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2][KAT2] Is it working as well as can be expected?
Chip, There is no regular procedure for using an antenna analyzer with the KAT2, but if you saw a change in impedance with each of the manual settings and those changes were consistent with adding (subtracting) the amount of reactance equal to the particular inductor or capacitor selected, then you have verified that the tuner is selecting the inductors and capacitors correctly. You will have to figure the reactance change from the manual inductor/capacitor values for the frequency that your antenna analyzer is using. 73, Don W3FPR On 8/21/2011 9:10 PM, Chip Stratton wrote: I've tried ALT, that did not improve the match on 20m and 15m. I have also very critically examined and re-flowed some solder joints without improved results. I can't identify by inspection any problems with the capacitors and inductors on the LC board. I do have a high quality antenna analyzer, a RigExpert AA230Pro, used to obtain the antenna figures in the second chart in my original post. I've also attached that analyzer to the antenna port of the KAT2, and activating each of the inductors and capacitors noted a change in the impedance with each change, but I did not look at this in a quantitative fashion. Don, is there a regular procedure for using the antenna analyzer to analyzer the KAT2? Thanks, Chip __ 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
[Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 and SWR calibration
I have a recently obtained K2 with KAT2 module that I am trying to get up to speed. I'll have more questions and data later, but to start with I have a question about calibrating the SWR readings. After going through the procedures in the manual, I find that the KAT2 under reads SWR. When the load is 50 ohms resistive, it shows 1:1. When SWR is higher, e.g. an almost purely resistive 7:1 (according to a Rig Expert AA-230) the KAT2 reads 4.5:1 I've calibrated forward power with a DL1 dummy load. Is there any problem adjusting R2 such that SWR on the KAT2 corresponds more closely to what the AA-230 reads? Chip AE5KA __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 and SWR calibration
Chip, I have found many KAT2s that underreport the SWR. There is no harm in setting the REFL pot to maximum if that is what it takes. The KAT2 is not a precision wattmeter when it comes to SWR - the reflected power detected allows it to tune for an SWR minimum, no matter what that value may be - so the tuner function is not hurt even though the SWR reported is less than actual. 73, Don W3FPR On 8/15/2011 10:40 PM, Chip Stratton wrote: I have a recently obtained K2 with KAT2 module that I am trying to get up to speed. I'll have more questions and data later, but to start with I have a question about calibrating the SWR readings. After going through the procedures in the manual, I find that the KAT2 under reads SWR. When the load is 50 ohms resistive, it shows 1:1. When SWR is higher, e.g. an almost purely resistive 7:1 (according to a Rig Expert AA-230) the KAT2 reads 4.5:1 I've calibrated forward power with a DL1 dummy load. Is there any problem adjusting R2 such that SWR on the KAT2 corresponds more closely to what the AA-230 reads? Chip AE5KA __ 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 __ 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
[Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 and KAT100 living happily together?
I'm considering purchasing a KPA100+KAT100-2 and building both in a separate EC2 case. My current K2 already has a KAT2 and KIO2 installed. I control the K2 with HRD via the KIO2. If I connect the K2 to the KPA100+KAT100-2, will I have to remove the KAT2 or is there a way to bypass it? What about the KIO2 that's installed in the K2? Where do I connect my computer (the KIO2 in the K2 or the one in the KPA100+KAT100-2)?? Thanks! 73 N5BCN - Brian - K2 #6800 KSB2 KAT2 KIO2 KNB2 -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-KAT2-and-KAT100-living-happily-together-tp5922472p5922472.html Sent from the [K2] mailing list archive at Nabble.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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 and KAT100 living happily together?
Brian, The external KPA100/KAT100 will co-exist nicely with the KAT2. You must connect the BNC cable to the KAT100 RF in jack to ANT1, and the KAT2 is automatically bypassed and forced to ANT1. Build the cable that is specified for the KAT100. The connector with two cables plugs into the KIO2. Connect the other non-computer end to either the KAT100 or the KPA100 DB-9 connector. There is no path to the computer (RXD and TXD signals) from the KPA100 when it is mounted externally. 73, Don W3FPR On 1/14/2011 11:41 AM, Brian - N5BCN wrote: I'm considering purchasing a KPA100+KAT100-2 and building both in a separate EC2 case. My current K2 already has a KAT2 and KIO2 installed. I control the K2 with HRD via the KIO2. If I connect the K2 to the KPA100+KAT100-2, will I have to remove the KAT2 or is there a way to bypass it? What about the KIO2 that's installed in the K2? Where do I connect my computer (the KIO2 in the K2 or the one in the KPA100+KAT100-2)?? Thanks! 73 N5BCN - Brian - K2 #6800 KSB2 KAT2 KIO2 KNB2 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 and KAT100 living happily together?
Here is a link to everything you need to know.. http://www.kk7p.com/k2kpa100.html Jim, W4ATK On Jan 14, 2011, at 10:41 AM, Brian - N5BCN wrote: I'm considering purchasing a KPA100+KAT100-2 and building both in a separate EC2 case. My current K2 already has a KAT2 and KIO2 installed. I control the K2 with HRD via the KIO2. If I connect the K2 to the KPA100+KAT100-2, will I have to remove the KAT2 or is there a way to bypass it? What about the KIO2 that's installed in the K2? Where do I connect my computer (the KIO2 in the K2 or the one in the KPA100+KAT100-2)?? Thanks! 73 N5BCN - Brian - K2 #6800 KSB2 KAT2 KIO2 KNB2 -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-KAT2-and-KAT100-living-happily-together-tp5922472p5922472.html Sent from the [K2] mailing list archive at Nabble.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 JIM ROGERS w4...@bellsouth.net http://web.me.com/jimrogers_w4atk __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 QRP Tuner in EC2 - Elecraft K2 line ;-)
hi Bob, Bob Nielsen schrieb am 8 Nov 2010 um 18:09: The K2 top cover has enough room for a KAT2, KBT2 and KIO2 all at the same time. Have you installed something else in that space? yes - a TRX PTC Pactor controller. http://oe9fwv.shacknet.nu/oe9fwv/bilder/trxptc_innen_fertig.jpg 73! de Werner OE9FWV Bob, N7XY On Nov 8, 2010, at 2:28 PM, Dr. Werner Furlan wrote: I would like to add a EC-2 with the KAT2 built in. My K2 has no room for the KAT2 this is why I need a separate housing. The KIO2 is built in. The KAT2 is powered from the K2 KIO2, right? I'll have to connect the KIO2 and HF to the tuner, that's all? I'll have to find out the correct pinout for the K2 BUS - hope the numbers are like on the D-SUB connector. I plan to connect the K2 RS232 with a D-Sub on the ECS and HF with a BNC cable through a nice Daiwa SWR meter which fits perfectly into the EC2. 73! de Werner OE9FWV -- I'm desperately trying to figure out why kamikaze pilots wore helmets. Email powered by Pegasus Mail free at http://www.pmail.com Homepage: http://www.qsl.net/oe9fwv/ Fone +43 5522 75013 Fax +43 5522 22505 Mobile +43 664 6340014 Fax-Email Gateway +43 820 220262990 __ 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
[Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 QRP Tuner in EC2 - Elecraft K2 line ;-)
I would like to add a EC-2 with the KAT2 built in. My K2 has no room for the KAT2 this is why I need a separate housing. The KIO2 is built in. The KAT2 is powered from the K2 KIO2, right? I'll have to connect the KIO2 and HF to the tuner, that's all? I'll have to find out the correct pinout for the K2 BUS - hope the numbers are like on the D-SUB connector. I plan to connect the K2 RS232 with a D-Sub on the ECS and HF with a BNC cable through a nice Daiwa SWR meter which fits perfectly into the EC2. 73! de Werner OE9FWV -- In my electric bill I found this: We would be de-lighted if you pay your bill. However, if you don't, you will be. Email powered by Pegasus Mail free at http://www.pmail.com Homepage: http://www.qsl.net/oe9fwv/ Fone +43 5522 75013 Fax +43 5522 22505 Mobile +43 664 6340014 Fax-Email Gateway +43 820 220262990 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 QRP Tuner in EC2 - Elecraft K2 line ;-)
The K2 top cover has enough room for a KAT2, KBT2 and KIO2 all at the same time. Have you installed something else in that space? Bob, N7XY On Nov 8, 2010, at 2:28 PM, Dr. Werner Furlan wrote: I would like to add a EC-2 with the KAT2 built in. My K2 has no room for the KAT2 this is why I need a separate housing. The KIO2 is built in. The KAT2 is powered from the K2 KIO2, right? I'll have to connect the KIO2 and HF to the tuner, that's all? I'll have to find out the correct pinout for the K2 BUS - hope the numbers are like on the D-SUB connector. I plan to connect the K2 RS232 with a D-Sub on the ECS and HF with a BNC cable through a nice Daiwa SWR meter which fits perfectly into the EC2. 73! de Werner OE9FWV __ 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
[Elecraft] K2 -- KAT2 Question
I just finished my KAT2 for my K2 #6980. According to p. 19 of the instructions, my KAT2 is supposed to automatically reduce power to 3 watts if my power control is set higher during the autotune, if my firmware revision is higher than 1.05 on the K2 Main Microcontroller. My firmware is Revision 2.4. But it doesn't look like the KAT2 is reducing power during the autotune. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced a similar situation. No big deal; I can just do it myself, but thought I'd ask. Other than the above, the KAT2 seems to be working very, very well especially since it was able to resolve a 12:1 SWR on a 40 meter dipole that was resonant on 6.6 mHz. Don't ask...that's another story. Stan Levandowski WB2LQF HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years! QCWA #35038 OOTC #4558 NAQCC #4740 SKCC #6488 FISTS #14992 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 -- KAT2 Question - Disregard
Sorry, folks, the instruction manual clearly stated BAR graph and when I switched to it everything worked just fine!! Elecraft - 1; WB2LQF - 0 Stan Levandowski WB2LQF HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years! QCWA #35038 OOTC #4558 NAQCC #4740 SKCC #6488 FISTS #14992 On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 6:21 PM, stan levandowski wrote: I just finished my KAT2 for my K2 #6980. According to p. 19 of the instructions, my KAT2 is supposed to automatically reduce power to 3 watts if my power control is set higher during the autotune, if my firmware revision is higher than 1.05 on the K2 Main Microcontroller. My firmware is Revision 2.4. But it doesn't look like the KAT2 is reducing power during the autotune. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced a similar situation. No big deal; I can just do it myself, but thought I'd ask. Other than the above, the KAT2 seems to be working very, very well especially since it was able to resolve a 12:1 SWR on a 40 meter dipole that was resonant on 6.6 mHz. Don't ask...that's another story. Stan Levandowski WB2LQF HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years! QCWA #35038 OOTC #4558 NAQCC #4740 SKCC #6488 FISTS #14992 __ 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 __ 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
[Elecraft] K2, KAT2? and P6
See page 2 of the parts list in the K2 manual for a picture of P6. Then go to appendix F (Parts placement drawing, top) There you will see how it is to be installed. Your going to love this rig and the auto tuner really works great. Geo/W2BPI __ 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
[Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 Tuner and Alpha Delta DX-EE Dipole
Hi Stan: Do you already have the Alpha Delta? I had a DX-DD for years, then purchased a DX-LB. Both worked well, and were EXTREMELY robust. These things are built to survive a nuclear attack. Consequenty, they are heavy. The wires kink and no ammount of stretching seems to make them unkink. The 160 coils are even heavier! I have a small tower, and was always afraid that these antennas would pull it down! The KAT3 worked fine with both of them, even enabling operation everywhere on 160. My MFJ998 would not tune more than 60kHz of 160 on the DX-LB, but 80 and 40 worked fine on both of the tuners. I have since removed both of these antennas, given up on 160m from within my small city lot and now have a Carolina Windom 80LP which I traded the DX-LB for. This very light, very easy to send aloft antenna works surprisingly well. It is an off-center fed dipole that has a 22 foot RG8X coax transition piece. The coax radiates in the vertical plane. This coax it then attached to a choke to which you attach your coaxial feedline. I feed mine with 100ft of RG8X, 30feet of which is in a coil at my antenna interface panel to act like a choke. The ends of the 134 foot long wires are folded down and weighted with fishing line sinkers to make it fit in the 100ft of horizontal space I have available. This doesnt seem to bother it, and may be helpful in a bobtail curtain sort of way (although I dont believe in RF VooDoo!) Its somewhat expensive for a chunk of wire (like all of these manufactured dipoles are), but I continue to be amazed at how well it works for me. And it has stayed up through lots of wind and weather. Supposedly designed for low heights (mine is at 38 feet at the highest point) it has the advantage over the Alpha Delta of being useable on 80 through 10 meters INCLUDING the WARC bands. The KAT3 or the MFJ998 has never had a problem anywhere with this antenna. The other advantage for me is that this model (the 80LP) is built with smaller parts than the normal Carolina Windoms. Its really light and the uninsulated wire is nearly invisible, so it makes my wife much happier than the crooked #12 solid grey on the Alpha Deltas. The key to this antenna apears to be keeping the vertical radiation feeder coax as vertical as possible and away from metal. I tried to slope the radiating coax feeder away, and it didnt work very well. Mine is 15 feet away from my tower, the nearest metal, and drops down above my pool patio. I then run the RG8X coax from the shack in a conduit along a sidewalk, exit the conduit and go about 6 feet up to the choke unit. My tribander is 2 feet directly above its highest point (not the feedpoint, BTW), and this does not seem to bother either antenna, although I bet there is some interaction. You do the best that you can with the space that youre given! -lu-W4LT- K3 # 3192 --- From: stan levandowski sjl...@optonline.net To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Sun, September 19, 2010 8:49:48 PM Subject: [Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 Tuner and Alpha Delta DX-EE Dipole I would like to correspond with a K2/KAT2 owner who is actually using an Alpha-Delta DX-EE dipole.? This is a rather pricey limited-space antenna and would like to hear directly from some real world users. My guess is that there won't be too many of you out there but I thought I'd ask anyway. My fundamental question: Does the KAT2 get along with the DX-EE on all bands? 73, Stan Levandowski WB2LQF HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years! QCWA #35038? OOTC #4558? NAQCC #4740? SKCC #6488? FISTS #14992 __ 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
[Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 Tuner and Alpha Delta DX-EE Dipole
I would like to correspond with a K2/KAT2 owner who is actually using an Alpha-Delta DX-EE dipole. This is a rather pricey limited-space antenna and would like to hear directly from some real world users. My guess is that there won't be too many of you out there but I thought I'd ask anyway. My fundamental question: Does the KAT2 get along with the DX-EE on all bands? 73, Stan Levandowski WB2LQF HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years! QCWA #35038 OOTC #4558 NAQCC #4740 SKCC #6488 FISTS #14992 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 Tuner and Alpha Delta DX-EE Dipole
I have used an Alpha-Delta DX-DD for 40 and 80 at Field Day using a TS-480HX. It worked very well on 40 but was tuned for the SSB band on 80 and we were working CW, so not so good on 80. I don't think the band was in good shape for 80 anyway. The quality of construction is very good in my opinion. The 40 performance is what you would expect from a 40 dipole. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke K5EWJ From: stan levandowski sjl...@optonline.net To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Sun, September 19, 2010 8:49:48 PM Subject: [Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 Tuner and Alpha Delta DX-EE Dipole I would like to correspond with a K2/KAT2 owner who is actually using an Alpha-Delta DX-EE dipole. This is a rather pricey limited-space antenna and would like to hear directly from some real world users. My guess is that there won't be too many of you out there but I thought I'd ask anyway. My fundamental question: Does the KAT2 get along with the DX-EE on all bands? 73, Stan Levandowski WB2LQF HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years! QCWA #35038 OOTC #4558 NAQCC #4740 SKCC #6488 FISTS #14992 __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 Tuner and Alpha Delta DX-EE Dipole
Stan, I have one that's used for a general purpose (mostly for diversity receiving) antenna in my SO2R station. It works like what it is ... a fan dipole. It's -extremely- well made and the over-all quality is top-notch, but it's -heavy-, requiring my 150# to pull it tight, and it still sags a bit. Mine is supported with 3/8 Dacron rope, and I wouldn't want to use anything smaller. I can't imagine the nylon cord supplied with it supporting it . It does not cover 30M, but the tuners in the my K2 and K3 handle it OK. The 80M loading coils are detuned when wet or snow-covered. It isn't a nice looking antenna, if that's important to you. The neighbors -will- see it. The heavy, solid conductors need to be fussed with to even come close to being straight. Like all fan dipoles, it will need several trips up and down for adjusting the interacting adjustments. (:-) I also have an 80M Zepp fed with 2-spaced #14 open wire line that works all bands very easily and is a -lot- simpler. It's been in place for 35 years. (:-) It's fed via a 4:1 2KW HB balun. Both the antennas are between towers at the 65' level. Probably more than you wanted to know 73! Ken Kopp - K0PP elecraftcov...@rfwave.net __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 Tuner and Alpha Delta DX-EE Dipole
Ken and Brett, thanks for your responses. It's all helpful. I have to think this through now. Thanks again, Stan Levandowski WB2LQF HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years! QCWA #35038 OOTC #4558 NAQCC #4740 SKCC #6488 FISTS #14992 On Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 10:40 PM, Brett Howard wrote: The DX-EE isn't going to play all that well on 160 and 80. I can tune it there with the K3's tuner but you don't hear all that much and they hear even less of you. On 40 the DX-EE has a very high Q and you can only get it to actually be ok at a very small section of the band. Beyond that you can expect some pretty low return loss figures. Nothing that the tuner can't make look reasonable to the radio but you're starting to get toward the same performance that you'd see on 160 and 80. The antenna does pretty well on 20, 15 and 10 and can be tuned to work on the WARC bands. I know it'll get stripped off when I send this to the reflector but I'm attaching some plots of the DX-EE. SWR WIDE is an SWR plot from 2Mhz to 60Mhz (not sure why I started so high but it doesn't matter). I have this same plot showing return loss but most hams are more familiar with SWR so I send that one. I personally prefer return loss plots. I'm also attaching a smith chart of the antenna. The numbered markers are on the same frequencies that were shown in the previous plot. These plots were taken using a $20,000 very recently calibrated Agilent VNA with the antenna strung between two trees about 30ft up. Now I just need to go up and tune the antenna to come up into the bands where I want them I'm a bit low on each but that just means they are good on the CW portions. I think part of the reason they are about the same amount low on every band is because of stretching over time. Anyway hopefully some of this information helps. ~Brett (N7MG) On Sun, 2010-09-19 at 21:49 -0400, stan levandowski wrote: I would like to correspond with a K2/KAT2 owner who is actually using an Alpha-Delta DX-EE dipole. This is a rather pricey limited-space antenna and would like to hear directly from some real world users. My guess is that there won't be too many of you out there but I thought I'd ask anyway. My fundamental question: Does the KAT2 get along with the DX-EE on all bands? 73, Stan Levandowski WB2LQF HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years! QCWA #35038 OOTC #4558 NAQCC #4740 SKCC #6488 FISTS #14992 __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Issues/Questions
Paul, Good to hear you were successful. Yes, many amateur grade wattmeters are not accurate at low power. Remember that those with analog meters have an accuracy spec based on percentage of full scale - that is even true of the much revered Bird meters which are speced at 5% of full scale - immediately after calibration (many amateur grade meters are speced at 20%) On a 100 watt scale, 5% is 5 watts *anywhere* on the scale! That fact makes measuring a 2 watt signal level problematic. The meter can read anywhere between 2 watts (plus or minus) 5 watts and still be correct - the student should do the math. :-) 73, Don W3FPR Paul Locker wrote: Don, I followed your steps outlined and it looks good. The issue could be me trusting my watt meter. I think it's time I invested in a new watt meter. Tomorrow I hope to spend some time testing it on the air. Thank you again for your help. Paul k4pml __ 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
[Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Issues/Questions
I have just finished the installation of my kat2 I got at Dayton. I am seeing a high current warning for any band I use above 2 watts. I tried the other antenna position and noticed it resulted in a different swr. I changed my ground and that didn't improve the high current warning as I read in the manual that it could be an issue. Is there anything specific I need to check or do to start my troubleshooting? Paul k4pml Don't forget to take the right Path -JRDL __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Issues/Questions
Paul, Not quite enough information yet to give you a positive answer. Are you using the KAT2 in the ATU CAL menu setting? If not, what do you have connected to the ANT jack(s) - hopefully a dummy load. If it is other than a dummy load, what happens with a dummy load attached? Did you obtain a good null when you balanced the KAT2 wattmeter? If not, that is the starting point, even if that is not the problem source. 73, Don W3FPR Paul Locker wrote: I have just finished the installation of my kat2 I got at Dayton. I am seeing a high current warning for any band I use above 2 watts. I tried the other antenna position and noticed it resulted in a different swr. I changed my ground and that didn't improve the high current warning as I read in the manual that it could be an issue. Is there anything specific I need to check or do to start my troubleshooting? Paul k4pml Don't forget to take the right Path -JRDL __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Issues/Questions
Don et all, I've had a dummy load connected and still get a high current message. With the same dummy load, the ATU struggles to find a match for ant1, however for ant2 it finds a match with out issues.For my null, I got 006. This evening I'm going to go back and redo the CALn setting. Thank you for your time on the list. Paul Don't forget to take the right Path -JRDL From: Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com To: Paul Locker pmlo...@yahoo.com Cc: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Fri, July 16, 2010 8:01:57 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Issues/Questions Paul, Not quite enough information yet to give you a positive answer. Are you using the KAT2 in the ATU CAL menu setting? If not, what do you have connected to the ANT jack(s) - hopefully a dummy load. If it is other than a dummy load, what happens with a dummy load attached? Did you obtain a good null when you balanced the KAT2 wattmeter? If not, that is the starting point, even if that is not the problem source. 73, Don W3FPR Paul Locker wrote: I have just finished the installation of my kat2 I got at Dayton. I am seeing a high current warning for any band I use above 2 watts. I tried the other antenna position and noticed it resulted in a different swr. I changed my ground and that didn't improve the high current warning as I read in the manual that it could be an issue. Is there anything specific I need to check or do to start my troubleshooting? Paul k4pml Don't forget to take the right Path -JRDL __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Issues/Questions
Paul, If you got a null reading of 006, there is no sense in re-doing it - that is sufficiently low. Do the procedures below in the order listed. Stop when one does not produce the expected result. Each step depends on the one prior to it. Put the KAT2 in CALn, CAL P or CAL S and then remove the coax from the K2 RF Board (but connect a 50 ohm dummy load to ANT1. Measure the resistance between the KAT2 input coax and ground - it should read 50 ohms (just like your dummy load). If that is not the case, you likely have a soldering problem at one of the relays. Ignoring the potential relay problem for a bit, it would be a good idea to verify the wattmeter. Set the KAT2 to ANT1 and then power off and separate the KAT2 Control Board from the LC board and set the LC board aside. Make a jumper wire that extends from J4 pin 2 to J5 pin 15 (this is a long jumper that plugs into the 2nd pin from the extreme ends of J4 and J5). That bypasses the L/C section of the KAT2 completely. Measure the resistance between the center conductor of the input coax and the center conductor of the ANT1 jack - it should be very low resistance. If that is true, then go on to the next step - otherwise stop and let me know what you find. Now, connect a dummy load to the ANT1 jack. As a sanity check, measure the resistance from the center conductor of the input coax and the shield - it should be 50 ohms, if it is not, find the problem before proceeding. If you measured 50 ohms in the step above, connect the input coax to the RF Board and try a TUNE with the Power knob set to greater than 2 watts. You should have about 2 watts output. Next set the menu ATU parameter to CAL P and connect a wattmeter that you trust at the 2 watt level between the ANT1 jack and the dummy load, and do a TUNE. Adjust R1 (FWD) to make the K2 display match your external wattmeter. If the above procedure is successful, remove the jumper and mate the L/C board to the control board and repeat the procedure. The results should be almost the same, but you may have to tweak the R1 pot a bit because there is some residual impedance in the L/C section of the KAT2. If you got this far, you are almost done (and all is OK). Set the REFL pot to the same physical position as the FWD pot and put everything back in order - you are done. Let us know where the steps above fail. What works as well as where it fails is important. 73, Don W3FPR Paul Locker wrote: Don et all, I've had a dummy load connected and still get a high current message. With the same dummy load, the ATU struggles to find a match for ant1, however for ant2 it finds a match with out issues.For my null, I got 006. This evening I'm going to go back and redo the CALn setting. Thank you for your time on the list. Paul Don't forget to take the right Path -JRDL From: Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com To: Paul Locker pmlo...@yahoo.com Cc: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Fri, July 16, 2010 8:01:57 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Issues/Questions Paul, Not quite enough information yet to give you a positive answer. Are you using the KAT2 in the ATU CAL menu setting? If not, what do you have connected to the ANT jack(s) - hopefully a dummy load. If it is other than a dummy load, what happens with a dummy load attached? Did you obtain a good null when you balanced the KAT2 wattmeter? If not, that is the starting point, even if that is not the problem source. 73, Don W3FPR Paul Locker wrote: I have just finished the installation of my kat2 I got at Dayton. I am seeing a high current warning for any band I use above 2 watts. I tried the other antenna position and noticed it resulted in a different swr. I changed my ground and that didn't improve the high current warning as I read in the manual that it could be an issue. Is there anything specific I need to check or do to start my troubleshooting? Paul k4pml Don't forget to take the right Path -JRDL __ 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 __ 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 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Issues/Questions
Don, I followed your steps outlined and it looks good. The issue could be me trusting my watt meter. I think it's time I invested in a new watt meter. Tomorrow I hope to spend some time testing it on the air. Thank you again for your help. Paul k4pml Put the KAT2 in CALn, CAL P or CAL S and then remove the coax from the K2 RF Board (but connect a 50 ohm dummy load to ANT1. Measure the resistance between the KAT2 input coax and ground - it should read 50 ohms (just like your dummy load). If that is not the case, you likely have a soldering problem at one of the relays. ## Ant1 measures 51 ohms resistance at the KAT2 input coax,ground Ignoring the potential relay problem for a bit, it would be a good idea to verify the wattmeter. Set the KAT2 to ANT1 and then power off and separate the KAT2 Control Board from the LC board and set the LC board aside. Make a jumper wire that extends from J4 pin 2 to J5 pin 15 (this is a long jumper that plugs into the 2nd pin from the extreme ends of J4 and J5). That bypasses the L/C section of the KAT2 completely. Measure the resistance between the center conductor of the input coax and the center conductor of the ANT1 jack - it should be very low resistance. If that is true, then go on to the next step - otherwise stop and let me know what you find. ## The resistance between the center conductor of the input coax and the center conductor of the ANT1 jack is .1 ohms. Now, connect a dummy load to the ANT1 jack. As a sanity check, measure the resistance from the center conductor of the input coax and the shield - it should be 50 ohms, if it is not, find the problem before proceeding. ## The resistance between the center conductor of the input coax to the shield is 50 ohms. If you measured 50 ohms in the step above, connect the input coax to the RF Board and try a TUNE with the Power knob set to greater than 2 watts. You should have about 2 watts output. Next set the menu ATU parameter to CAL P and connect a wattmeter that you trust at the 2 watt level between the ANT1 jack and the dummy load, and do a TUNE. Adjust R1 (FWD) to make the K2 display match your external wattmeter. If the above procedure is successful, remove the jumper and mate the L/C board to the control board and repeat the procedure. The results should be almost the same, but you may have to tweak the R1 pot a bit because there is some residual impedance in the L/C section of the KAT2. ## This worked fine this time. Don't forget to take the right Path -JRDL From: Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com To: Paul Locker pmlo...@yahoo.com Cc: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Fri, July 16, 2010 10:30:59 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Issues/Questions Paul, If you got a null reading of 006, there is no sense in re-doing it - that is sufficiently low. Do the procedures below in the order listed. Stop when one does not produce the expected result. Each step depends on the one prior to it. Put the KAT2 in CALn, CAL P or CAL S and then remove the coax from the K2 RF Board (but connect a 50 ohm dummy load to ANT1. Measure the resistance between the KAT2 input coax and ground - it should read 50 ohms (just like your dummy load). If that is not the case, you likely have a soldering problem at one of the relays. Ignoring the potential relay problem for a bit, it would be a good idea to verify the wattmeter. Set the KAT2 to ANT1 and then power off and separate the KAT2 Control Board from the LC board and set the LC board aside. Make a jumper wire that extends from J4 pin 2 to J5 pin 15 (this is a long jumper that plugs into the 2nd pin from the extreme ends of J4 and J5). That bypasses the L/C section of the KAT2 completely. Measure the resistance between the center conductor of the input coax and the center conductor of the ANT1 jack - it should be very low resistance. If that is true, then go on to the next step - otherwise stop and let me know what you find. Now, connect a dummy load to the ANT1 jack. As a sanity check, measure the resistance from the center conductor of the input coax and the shield - it should be 50 ohms, if it is not, find the problem before proceeding. If you measured 50 ohms in the step above, connect the input coax to the RF Board and try a TUNE with the Power knob set to greater than 2 watts. You should have about 2 watts output. Next set the menu ATU parameter to CAL P and connect a wattmeter that you trust at the 2 watt level between the ANT1 jack and the dummy load, and do a TUNE. Adjust R1 (FWD) to make the K2 display match your external wattmeter. If the above procedure is successful, remove the jumper and mate the L/C board to the control board and repeat the procedure. The results should be almost the same, but you may have to tweak the R1 pot a bit because there is some residual impedance in the L/C section of the KAT2
[Elecraft] K2 KAT2 tuner SWR readings
With a little help from Don W. I seem to have my KAT2 up and going pretty good and it sure is nice to have a built-in auto tuner again. My last QRP rig was a Icom 703 which also has a nice auto tuner. Here is my question. There are three ways to see SWR from what I understand. 1) holding the tune button putting the tuner into tune mode and seeing where the SWR ratio ends. 2) holding RF/ALC Tune putting it into Pout mode and seeing forward/reflected power. 3) going into the menu X.X-1 mode. On my off center fed dipole I read on 20M the following in the above mentioned order. 1.8 - 1 5.4 f - .8r 1.8 - 1 So I guess the x.x-1 is directly re-displaying what was displayed at the end of a tune function, but I don't understand why I get two different readings between the Pout reflected .8 and the other two 1.8. Is it just my own mis-understanding of what is being shown? .8 and 1.8 is exactly 1 off, but I'm obsessed right now with wanting to be sure the tuner is working as it should and I can trust that it is doing it's job. As soon as I am confident things are working right I want to go out in the FREEZING outdoors and try my random wire. I can't wait to get out into the woods again and enjoy the tuner. Thanks as always. Ivin W9ILF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 tuner SWR readings
Ivan, Note the f and the r in the display. That tells that the display is showing both forward power and reflected power - and not SWR. The other 2 displays are the computed SWR. All is well, go try your random wire (but stay warm). 73, Don W3FPR Ivin Flint wrote: With a little help from Don W. I seem to have my KAT2 up and going pretty good and it sure is nice to have a built-in auto tuner again. My last QRP rig was a Icom 703 which also has a nice auto tuner. Here is my question. There are three ways to see SWR from what I understand. 1) holding the tune button putting the tuner into tune mode and seeing where the SWR ratio ends. 2) holding RF/ALC Tune putting it into Pout mode and seeing forward/reflected power. 3) going into the menu X.X-1 mode. On my off center fed dipole I read on 20M the following in the above mentioned order. 1.8 - 1 5.4 f - .8r 1.8 - 1 So I guess the x.x-1 is directly re-displaying what was displayed at the end of a tune function, but I don't understand why I get two different readings between the Pout reflected .8 and the other two 1.8. Is it just my own mis-understanding of what is being shown? .8 and 1.8 is exactly 1 off, but I'm obsessed right now with wanting to be sure the tuner is working as it should and I can trust that it is doing it's job. As soon as I am confident things are working right I want to go out in the FREEZING outdoors and try my random wire. I can't wait to get out into the woods again and enjoy the tuner. __ 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
[Elecraft] K2 KAT2 P-out readings?
I recently decided to give my K2 (#3490) a tune-up. I hadn't done any alignment on it since I built it in June of 2003. Realigning the bandpass filters produced a noticeable improvement in receive performance. I have the KAT2 antenna tuner option in it, so I re-did the bridge null and power calibration adjustments. However, now I notice that the power output as indicated in the forward reading in ATU Pout mode is sometimes quite far off of the power set with the POWER control. For example: POWER Pout 0.10.1 0.20.5 0.30.8 0.50.5 1.01.9 2.01.9 3.04.0 4.03.4 5.06.6 7.08.6 10.0 10.7 12.0 12.2 These are all into a known good 50-ohm dummy load. I'm particularly concerned that requesting 0.3 W with the POWER control puts out more power than when I request 0.5 W. Same between 3.0 W and 4.0 W. I don't remember noticing this 6 years ago when I first built the rig (and I didn't make any notes to that effect in my log), but then I don't remember if I compared requested vs. measured power output back then. I've checked continuity of the control cable between the KAT2 and the control board and all conductors are OK. Before I dig deeper, I wanted to ask if these reading might indicate a problem, or is this just the nature of the beast? 73 -- Joe KB8AP __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 P-out readings?
Joe, Are you using the TUNE button when you make those measurements, or are you doing CW and send 3 or 4 dots to assist in leveling the power and then measure during a key-down period. There is a difference. The K2 must have a bit of output before the power levels out. With TUNE, there are no breaks to level out the power and you get whatever came up when the button was pressed - that will be close, but try 3 or 4 dots of keying before measuring and I believe you will find the power much closer and less erratic. If the power does not then follow the power requested knob, tweak the KAT2 forward power pot a bit - that is the indication of power output that is being fed back to the K2 microprocessor. 73, Don W3FPR Joe Planisky wrote: I recently decided to give my K2 (#3490) a tune-up. I hadn't done any alignment on it since I built it in June of 2003. Realigning the bandpass filters produced a noticeable improvement in receive performance. I have the KAT2 antenna tuner option in it, so I re-did the bridge null and power calibration adjustments. However, now I notice that the power output as indicated in the forward reading in ATU Pout mode is sometimes quite far off of the power set with the POWER control. For example: __ 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
[Elecraft] K2 KAT2 pad B problem
Hello, I'm having a problem with my KAT2. I have built the board and I'm on page 17 of the manual where you measure the voltage at pin B. I always get 0 volts here. Here are some other observations: I have the ATU menu set to CALn, Power set to 5.0, frequency set to 7.100Mhz. After pressing tune: pin B = 0V U4 pin 5 = 3.8V U4 pin 4 = 0V C55 setting 009 With an external wattmeter between the dummy load and Ant 1, it reads 6.5W. Any ideas where to look for the problem? Thanks 73 Jay W9IUF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 pad B problem
I'm sorry, I mean U1 (the PIC 16C77), not U4. U1 pin 5 is 3.8V (forward), U1 pin 4 is 0V (reflected). Thanks Jay On Sun, Jun 7, 2009 at 9:17 PM, Jay Sissomjsis...@gmail.com wrote: Hello, I'm having a problem with my KAT2. I have built the board and I'm on page 17 of the manual where you measure the voltage at pin B. I always get 0 volts here. Here are some other observations: I have the ATU menu set to CALn, Power set to 5.0, frequency set to 7.100Mhz. After pressing tune: pin B = 0V U4 pin 5 = 3.8V U4 pin 4 = 0V C55 setting 009 With an external wattmeter between the dummy load and Ant 1, it reads 6.5W. Any ideas where to look for the problem? Thanks 73 Jay W9IUF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 pad B problem
Jay, Read the instruction again. You do *not* measure the voltage at pad B - that is only a reference point to help you find U4 pin 1. It is the voltage at U4 pin 1 that is to be measured. 73, Don W3FPR Jay Sissom wrote: Hello, I'm having a problem with my KAT2. I have built the board and I'm on page 17 of the manual where you measure the voltage at pin B. I always get 0 volts here. Here are some other observations: I have the ATU menu set to CALn, Power set to 5.0, frequency set to 7.100Mhz. After pressing tune: pin B = 0V U4 pin 5 = 3.8V U4 pin 4 = 0V C55 setting 009 With an external wattmeter between the dummy load and Ant 1, it reads 6.5W. Any ideas where to look for the problem? Thanks 73 Jay W9IUF __ 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 No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.339 / Virus Database: 270.12.55/2160 - Release Date: 06/07/09 05:53:00 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 pad B problem
I have been stuck on that step for such a long time. Once I read it wrong, every time I got the KAT2 out and thought I'd fix it, I read it the same way. I have resoldered all the parts in the SWR reading circuit multiple times and replaced T1 at least twice. If I had just read properly, I would have known that the board is fine. My complete K2 is now assembled and working! It has been working fine without the antenna tuner, but now it is complete. Thanks again for your help with this. 73 Jay W9IUF On Sun, Jun 7, 2009 at 10:16 PM, Don Wilhelmw3...@embarqmail.com wrote: Jay, Read the instruction again. You do *not* measure the voltage at pad B - that is only a reference point to help you find U4 pin 1. It is the voltage at U4 pin 1 that is to be measured. 73, Don W3FPR Jay Sissom wrote: Hello, I'm having a problem with my KAT2. I have built the board and I'm on page 17 of the manual where you measure the voltage at pin B. I always get 0 volts here. Here are some other observations: I have the ATU menu set to CALn, Power set to 5.0, frequency set to 7.100Mhz. After pressing tune: pin B = 0V U4 pin 5 = 3.8V U4 pin 4 = 0V C55 setting 009 With an external wattmeter between the dummy load and Ant 1, it reads 6.5W. Any ideas where to look for the problem? Thanks 73 Jay W9IUF __ 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 No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.339 / Virus Database: 270.12.55/2160 - Release Date: 06/07/09 05:53:00 __ 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
[Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 mods or not?
OK just ordered the KAT2 auto tuner for my K2. Is there anything special that I should do with it when I build it or just build it stock? Thanks, Mike WE0H __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] KAT2 mods or not?
Mike, AFAIK, there have never been any mods to the KAT2. If there have been, it would have been for some special purpose that does not apply to most station setups. 73, Don W3FPR Mike-WE0H wrote: OK just ordered the KAT2 auto tuner for my K2. Is there anything special that I should do with it when I build it or just build it stock? Thanks, Mike WE0H __ 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
[Elecraft] K2: KAT2 Calibration Results, typical?
Hi folks, I've finally had time to recalibrate my K2's KAT2 automatic antenna tuner module using 25 and 100 Ohm loads on 40m. Please take a look at my results and let me know if this is typical or if you think I have a problem. 25 Ω (2.0:1)50 Ω (1.0:1)100 Ω (2.0:1) 1900 kHz2.1:1 1.0:1 1.9:1 3700 kHz2.1:1 1.0:1 1.9:1 7150 kHz2.0:1 1.0:1 2.0:1 10125 kHz 1.9:1 1.0:1 2.0:1 14172 kHz 1.8:1 1.0:1 2.2:1 18110 kHz 1.6:1 1.0:1 2.3:1 21200 kHz 1.5:1 1.0:1 2.4:1 24900 kHz 1.4:1 1.1:1 2.5:1 28500 kHz 1.4:1 1.2:1 2.6:1 KAT2 - CALP (Watts) OHR WM-2 (Watts) 1900 kHz5.5 6.0 3700 kHz6.0 6.0 7150 kHz3.9 4.0 10125 kHz 5.2 5.0 14172 kHz 5.2 4.9 18110 kHz 5.5 5.0 21200 kHz 5.5 4.9 24900 kHz 5.0 4.3 28500 kHz 5.0 4.1 Given the VSWR numbers, I thought that performing the 25/100 Ohm calibration on 20m or 30m might give me better overall results. To the contrary, the overall results were much worse than performing the calibration on 40m -- 40m seems to be the sweet spot for CALS. Likewise, attempts to improve on the overall forward power calibration (make 10m a bit better and 160m a bit worse) only yielded results that were worse overall. As with CALS, 40m also seems to be the sweet spot for CALP. Note that my OHR WM-2 Wattmeter was calibrated with lab equipment at 40m. Also, my 25 Ohm and 100 Ohm loads were checked with my MFJ SWR Analyzer. Any comments would be appreciated! Michael N9BDF, K2 #4137 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2: KAT2 Calibration Results, typical?
Michael, I don't believe your results are a lot out of line, but neither can I say that they are normal. The diodes used in the wattmeter can have a frequency dependency - that will be true for both the KAT2 and the OHR WM-2. If the frequency dependency of the KAT2 is opposite that if the OHR WM-2, that will make a greater difference between the two and will make the discrepancies look larger than they actually are. So the bottom line is that you have several variables that could be investigated if you wish. I do not believe you have anything really wrong, just that the wattmeter readings for both the KAT2 and the WM-2 are not up to the level of laboratory measurements - or at least I would not trust them for exact measurements. If I need a measurement that I can really trust, I use known good terminating resistors (dummy loads) and measure the RF Voltage across the resistors with a calibrated oscilloscope and 10X probe - and if the power level is higher, I use a 20 (or 30) dB coupler like the Elecraft CP1 to reduce the RF voltage to a point where I can measure it accurately. Keeping the setup to the basics reduces the number of variables, but it does require more computation - it is often easier just to read a meter, or adjust a tuner for minimum SWR without regard for the precise value of that lowest point, and that is the difference between operating conditions and lab measurements. Your measurements indicate that either the KAT2 or the WM-2 are adequate for operating and should do the job nicely, but they are not adequate for lab measurements unless they are first calibrated at the frequency of interest. 73, Don W3FPR M. Linden wrote: Hi folks, I've finally had time to recalibrate my K2's KAT2 automatic antenna tuner module using 25 and 100 Ohm loads on 40m. Please take a look at my results and let me know if this is typical or if you think I have a problem. 25 Ω (2.0:1)50 Ω (1.0:1)100 Ω (2.0:1) 1900 kHz 2.1:1 1.0:1 1.9:1 3700 kHz 2.1:1 1.0:1 1.9:1 7150 kHz 2.0:1 1.0:1 2.0:1 10125 kHz 1.9:1 1.0:1 2.0:1 14172 kHz 1.8:1 1.0:1 2.2:1 18110 kHz 1.6:1 1.0:1 2.3:1 21200 kHz 1.5:1 1.0:1 2.4:1 24900 kHz 1.4:1 1.1:1 2.5:1 28500 kHz 1.4:1 1.2:1 2.6:1 KAT2 - CALP (Watts) OHR WM-2 (Watts) 1900 kHz 5.5 6.0 3700 kHz 6.0 6.0 7150 kHz 3.9 4.0 10125 kHz 5.2 5.0 14172 kHz 5.2 4.9 18110 kHz 5.5 5.0 21200 kHz 5.5 4.9 24900 kHz 5.0 4.3 28500 kHz 5.0 4.1 Given the VSWR numbers, I thought that performing the 25/100 Ohm calibration on 20m or 30m might give me better overall results. To the contrary, the overall results were much worse than performing the calibration on 40m -- 40m seems to be the sweet spot for CALS. Likewise, attempts to improve on the overall forward power calibration (make 10m a bit better and 160m a bit worse) only yielded results that were worse overall. As with CALS, 40m also seems to be the sweet spot for CALP. Note that my OHR WM-2 Wattmeter was calibrated with lab equipment at 40m. Also, my 25 Ohm and 100 Ohm loads were checked with my MFJ SWR Analyzer. Any comments would be appreciated! Michael N9BDF, K2 #4137 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Lo P
Clark Macaulay wrote: I think the KAT2 is acting wierd. When to to TUNE with a dummy load, * the display flashes in sequence ATU, then 10:1, then Lo P. If the KAT2 * is in CAL P or CAL S to bypass the little critter, the same three * messages occur. The classic cause of this is trying to tune in the CW test mode. Even when you have an SSB mode selected, CW test mode still inhibits power when the tune button is pressed. In the ATU mode, when I rotate amongst the various, I do NOT hear * relays clicking in N1, N2, or CAL P. Is this normal? Relays do click in * all the C and L settings as well as for AUTO. The relay clicking is based on the transitions, so it depends on in which direction you went through the settings. Going clockwise, I don't get any changes between CAL S and CAL P, which is reasonable as they are both straight through configurations. I do get transitions going into net1 and net2. No click between net1 and net2 suggests a problem with K17 or its relay coil drive. It looks like the KAT2 is not even trying to tune to the dummy load * unless the reset position for all relays is 50 ohm. I've tried this at * 5w and for all the bands. The reset position is the last remembered one for the band and antenna, so, if you last used the dummy load on the band and antenna, you would not expect any activity, as the reflected power will already be low enough. [ Single, very long line, paragraphs, re-wrapped. ] -- David Woolley The Elecraft list is a forum for the discussion of topics related to Elecraft products and more general topics related ham radio List Guidelines http://www.elecraft.com/elecraft_list_guidelines.htm ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] K2 KAT2 Lo P
Well, I fired up my beloved K2 for the QRP contest this weekend and was treated to a Lo P indication. Bummer. I think the KAT2 is acting wierd. When to to TUNE with a dummy load, the display flashes in sequence ATU, then 10:1, then Lo P. If the KAT2 is in CAL P or CAL S to bypass the little critter, the same three messages occur. In the ATU mode, when I rotate amongst the various, I do NOT hear relays clicking in N1, N2, or CAL P. Is this normal? Relays do click in all the C and L settings as well as for AUTO. It looks like the KAT2 is not even trying to tune to the dummy load unless the reset position for all relays is 50 ohm. I've tried this at 5w and for all the bands. In the interests of full disclosure, the first time I tried TUNE HI Current did flash momentarily. I also did have the KAT2 disconnected last week when trying to install KIO2 (which is not installed and THAT is another story). Both of the connectors from the KAT2 are properly seated. I suspect I may have a cockpit error here as the rig worked fine a few weeks ago when I tried it so I haven't started checking voltages as yet. I'm really wondering about the lack of relays clicking on N1, N2, CALS and CALP and could find nothing in the archives about this. Where should I look next? There will always be another QRP contest... 73 de Clark ke4rq ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] [KAT2]
Ok, I wiggled some wires and now when I press TUNE it goes to the ATU. But I still have the problem of only about 0.02 V at TP B. I've checked both boards (a whole bunch of times) for shorts or unsoldered pins and haven't found any. Any ideas of where to look next? 73, Kristina KE7LUC Kristina Wright wrote: I'm putting together my KAT2 and having trouble with the Bridge Null Adjustment (pg 16). When I first went through it, it worked fine until step four on page 17, where I got well under the specified 3 or 4 volts. So I pulled it apart, checked everything, and reflowed T1. Now I'm trying to adjust C55 again, but I can't seem to get it to go to the ATU when I press TUNE. It flashes ATU briefly, then says Hi Cur, then goes to P 4.3 or so. Any suggestions? Tom Hammond wrote: 1) RE-check your soldering... especially for possibly shorted connections (which do sometimes occur as a result of reflowing previously soldered joints). 2) Ensure that you have the KAT2 re-plugged correctly and that ALL pins of the connectors are properly plugged in. 3) Ensure that the 10-pin cable plug is properly plugged into the connector on the CTRL PCB. Can't be much wrong, but sometimes it doesn't take 'much' to make things LOOK a lot worse that they really are. Kevin Cozens wrote: Some simple things to check are that you have a proper 50-ohm termination on the antenna 1 connection of the KAT2. Check that you haven't accidentally selected antenna 2 while the dummy load is on antenna 1. You can work around the high current warning by reducing power to about 1 watt or so until you get the adjustment close to where it needs to be. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] [KAT2]
Kristina, Are you reading too fast and overlooking a whole sentence in the manual? The 'point B' is only a visual reference. You should actually measure at pin 1 of U4. 73, Don W3FPR Kristina Wright wrote: Ok, I wiggled some wires and now when I press TUNE it goes to the ATU. But I still have the problem of only about 0.02 V at TP B. I've checked both boards (a whole bunch of times) for shorts or unsoldered pins and haven't found any. Any ideas of where to look next? 73, Kristina KE7LUC Kristina Wright wrote: I'm putting together my KAT2 and having trouble with the Bridge Null Adjustment (pg 16). When I first went through it, it worked fine until step four on page 17, where I got well under the specified 3 or 4 volts. So I pulled it apart, checked everything, and reflowed T1. Now I'm trying to adjust C55 again, but I can't seem to get it to go to the ATU when I press TUNE. It flashes ATU briefly, then says Hi Cur, then goes to P 4.3 or so. Any suggestions? Tom Hammond wrote: 1) RE-check your soldering... especially for possibly shorted connections (which do sometimes occur as a result of reflowing previously soldered joints). 2) Ensure that you have the KAT2 re-plugged correctly and that ALL pins of the connectors are properly plugged in. 3) Ensure that the 10-pin cable plug is properly plugged into the connector on the CTRL PCB. Can't be much wrong, but sometimes it doesn't take 'much' to make things LOOK a lot worse that they really are. Kevin Cozens wrote: Some simple things to check are that you have a proper 50-ohm termination on the antenna 1 connection of the KAT2. Check that you haven't accidentally selected antenna 2 while the dummy load is on antenna 1. You can work around the high current warning by reducing power to about 1 watt or so until you get the adjustment close to where it needs to be. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] [K2] [KAT2]
Hello group! I'm putting together my KAT2 and having trouble with the Bridge Null Adjustment (pg 16). When I first went through it, it worked fine until step four on page 17, where I got well over the specified 3 or 4 volts. So I pulled it apart, checked everything, and reflowed T1. Now I'm trying to adjust C55 again, but I can't seem to get it to go to the ATU when I press TUNE. It flashes ATU briefly, then says Hi Cur, then goes to P 4.3 or so. Any suggestions? 73, Kristina KE7LUC ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] [KAT2]
Kristina Wright wrote: So I pulled it apart, checked everything, and reflowed T1. Now I'm trying to adjust C55 again, but I can't seem to get it to go to the ATU when I press TUNE. It flashes ATU briefly, then says Hi Cur, then goes to P 4.3 or so. Some simple things to check are that you have a proper 50-ohm termination on the antenna 1 connection of the KAT2. Check that you haven't accidentally selected antenna 2 while the dummy load is on antenna 1. You can work around the high current warning by reducing power to about 1 watt or so until you get the adjustment close to where it needs to be. -- Cheers! Kevin. http://www.ve3syb.ca/ |What are we going to do today, Borg? Owner of Elecraft K2 #2172 |Same thing we always do, Pinkutus: | Try to assimilate the world! #include disclaimer/favourite | -Pinkutus the Borg ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] K2 - KAT2 K2 20W Internal Auto Tuner
Anyone have an assembled tuner or unassembled kit available excess to their needs? I can do PayPal or a Money Order. Please reply off the list. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Vy 73, Bob WU5T/DJ0MBC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.5/1148 - Release Date: 23-Nov-07 19:39 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
Hello all, A few weeks ago I asked for advice on the use of the KAT2 feeding a length of coax, followed by a balun connected to the balanced feeder of my doublet. In my case 15 metre of coax is needed between the K2 and the balun/open wire feeders. Quite a few people seem to have a similar situation and are happy with the KAT2 and balun. I used the program dipole3.exe from the late G4FGQ to run a simulation on several bands. From 80 to 10 m the efficiency was about 50 - 60 procent, which is not really bad. However it is not very good either and I decided to try a balanced tuner, before installing a KAT2 (which I will eventually). I purchased a MFJ 974HB and though I did not have very high expectations of it, I was pleasantly surprised. It matches the doublet fine, but that is not the point. The balance seems to be excellent as most of my local noise is now gone, compared to using a 1:4 balun. Even the LAN crud on 14.030 MHz is almost gone. This complies with earlier findings that at my location the better part of local noise is contained inside the houses. The centre of the antenna is mounted on a 5 metre long fibre glass pole, dropping to 1.5 metre at the ends. It runs above the semi-flat roof of a block of 5 houses. I live in the middle one. When the balance is less than perfect common mode noise is introduced in the system. The difference is amazing; on 80 I can listen again to the band noise going up and down as waves on the seashore. Though this works for me at the moment, it should be nice if someone (Elecraft?) could come up with a stand alone truely balanced automatic antenna tuner. 73, Roelof Bakker, pa0rdt Middelburg, Netherlands JO11tm -- Mijn Postvak In wordt beschermd door SPAMfighter. 325 spam-mails zijn er tot op heden geblokkeerd. Download de gratis SPAMfighter via deze link: http://www.spamfighter.com/lnl ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
On Thu, 6 Sep 2007 20:07:02 -, Roelof Bakker wrote: When the balance is less than perfect common mode noise is introduced in the system. The difference is amazing; Yes, it is. But there is a FAR easier way to achieve that with plain ordinary coax and a good common mode choke formed by winding the coax around suitable ferrite cores. http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf See the section on transmitting chokes and the Choke Cookbook. 73, Jim Brown K9YC ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
I had exactly the same experience as Roel and reached the same conclusions. I agree that a commercial BALANCED autotuner would be the best solution for an all-band dipole, if there were such a thing. Like Roel, I attempted to use a KAT2 and balun arrangement for all- band feeding of a simple dipole at the center with open wire line. I put the balun right at the output of the KAT2--no coax at all. However, both with actual measurements and with simulations using dipole3.exe, I could find no combination of feedline length and antenna length for my QTH that would present an acceptable match for the balun (either 1:1 or 4:1) on all bands. High reactance was usually the problem, although in some cases the overall impedance was too high for the tuner. With the best of compromises, I determined from measurements that on some bands about half of my power was heating the balun. True, that's only 3 db, about half an S unit. However, it's like degrading my KPA100 to 50 watts, and not many of use would accept that. The KAT2 alone, with balanced lines connected to the SO239 and ground, didn't have sufficient range to match some bands, and the balance was terrible on others. Maybe I'm overlooking something, and I'd sure appreciate a response from someone with difference experience or more knowledge. Before getting my KAT2 I used a link-coupled tuner I'd built, and it would match anything with high efficiency and excellent balance. But band changing with plug-in coils was a pain. Then, like Roel, I acquired an MFJ-974H balanced tuner, and I am also most pleased with the results. I built a twin current meter to measure balance in the feedline, and balance and efficiency is as good with the MFJ tuner as with my link-couple tuner. I can tune the MFJ tuner for a new band in a few seconds from a chart of settings I developed. Also, I keep a noise bridge in the antenna line, with capability to switch it in when I want it, and that will allow a quick fine tuning (a couple seconds, usually) without transmitting on the air. However, it would be so nice to have a wide-range balanced autotuner. I couldn't find one on the amateur market. Dick, K0KK On Sep 6, 2007, at 3:07 , Roelof Bakker wrote: I purchased a MFJ 974HB and though I did not have very high expectations of it, I was pleasantly surprised. It matches the doublet fine, but that is not the point. The balance seems to be excellent as most of my local noise is now gone, compared to using a 1:4 balun. Though this works for me at the moment, it should be nice if someone (Elecraft?) could come up with a stand alone truely balanced automatic antenna tuner. 73, Roelof Bakker, pa0rdt Middelburg, Netherlands JO11tm -- Mijn Postvak In wordt beschermd door SPAMfighter. 325 spam-mails zijn er tot op heden geblokkeerd. Download de gratis SPAMfighter via deze link: http:// www.spamfighter.com/lnl ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
Lamb, Dick Judy wrote: I had exactly the same experience as Roel and reached the same conclusions. I agree that a commercial BALANCED autotuner would be the best solution for an all-band dipole, if there were such a thing. Oh, there is all right. It's just a bit expensive! http://www.hamware.de/hardware/tuner502/at502-e.htm -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
I had to design and build my own because I wanted to run up to a KW through it. If I had to buy new matched roller inductors they alone would cost over 400 dollars. I found most of what I needed in my junkbox or on Ebay but even so the parts and materials alone were well over 300 dollars ... and I laid out and built my own circuit board, bent my own aluminum, and made many component compromises. Any commercially built balanced autotuner for a KW would be *very* expensive. Many hundreds of man-hours later for construction and software programming have finally got me what I wanted and I am very happy with it. But I don't ever expect to see one on the market that is easily affordable for most hams. Don K7FJ - However, it would be so nice to have a wide-range balanced autotuner. I couldn't find one on the amateur market. Though this works for me at the moment, it should be nice if someone (Elecraft?) could come up with a stand alone truely balanced automatic antenna tuner. 73, Roelof Bakker, pa0rdt Middelburg, Netherlands JO11tm ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
Dick, Warning, a bit of theory talk follows: I believe your post combined two different aspects of tuners. Matching range limitations are a fact of life with any tuner design whether auto-tuner or manual and whether a balanced tuner or an unbalanced tuner. In my attic I do have an old homebrew, link coupled, tapped plug-in coil tuner that I can use to match most any load that I can through at it - it has straps to configure it for series tuning if the impedence is low and when configured for parallel tuning, will match a very high impedance. BUT, it is not very good at bandswitching, and if I change the antenna, I have to set things up again. Those were the 'good old days' and it worked very well when I was confined to one or two antennas. As far as balance from a balun output goes, theoretically the output should be very well balanced if the balun is a proper balun. If you do not have good balance from a balun, I believe you really should be asking how your installation differs substantially from the theoretical model of a balun and solve the problem at its source. With a good balun at the output of a good unbalanced autotuner, the balance *should* be perfect. The task of finding out why it may not be perfect in any one installation may indeed be more difficult than giving up and simply using a modern balanced tuner even with the drawbacks of any of the currently available balanced tuners. For myself, I choose the easy solution for portable operation - the KAT2 followed by a balun works great for me, and at home I have all resonant antennas so a tuner is not required except for a minor 'touch-up' on the high end of 75 meters (and I don't operate there very often), so an unbalanced tuner works fine for my applications. 73, Don W3FPR Lamb, Dick Judy wrote: I had exactly the same experience as Roel and reached the same conclusions. I agree that a commercial BALANCED autotuner would be the best solution for an all-band dipole, if there were such a thing. snip... ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
In a message dated 9/6/07 6:07:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: With a good balun at the output of a good unbalanced autotuner, the balance *should* be perfect. The task of finding out why it may not be perfect in any one installation may indeed be more difficult than giving up and simply using a modern balanced tuner even with the drawbacks of any of the currently available balanced tuners. One big reason for unbalance is the wide variety of impedances that the balanced load may present. What balun can do its job with resistive part varying from a few ohms to several thousand, and reactive part from a few thousand capacitive to a few thousand inductive? And do the job over a 10:1 HF frequency range? This is why the unbalanced tuner/balun combo works so well for some and so poorly for others - or even both, depending on band. If the impedance and frequency to be matched are such that the balun can do its job, great! But that's not always the case. 73 de Jim, N2EY ** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
I have been thinking of doing the same thing, but good for 600 watts of AM carrier plus modulation. I would wind the coils out of copper tubing, and make the coils tapped with a switch, only the best roller inductors hold up over time. The coils would have a link input from the rig side. http://www.cebik.com/link/link.html Sort of like the old Johnson matchboxes. They also had a switch instead of a roller inductor, the roller allows too wide a range, its sometimes hard to repeat settings as there are to many variables. I have a heathkit tuner now with the roller inductor, and its a real pain, a switch for the band would be better, even though the match might be slightly off. Brett N2DTS -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Don Ehrlich Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2007 6:05 PM To: Lamb, Dick Judy; Roelof Bakker Cc: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed I had to design and build my own because I wanted to run up to a KW through it. If I had to buy new matched roller inductors they alone would cost over 400 dollars. I found most of what I needed in my junkbox or on Ebay but even so the parts and materials alone were well over 300 dollars ... and I laid out and built my own circuit board, bent my own aluminum, and made many component compromises. Any commercially built balanced autotuner for a KW would be *very* expensive. Many hundreds of man-hours later for construction and software programming have finally got me what I wanted and I am very happy with it. But I don't ever expect to see one on the market that is easily affordable for most hams. Don K7FJ - However, it would be so nice to have a wide-range balanced autotuner. I couldn't find one on the amateur market. Though this works for me at the moment, it should be nice if someone (Elecraft?) could come up with a stand alone truely balanced automatic antenna tuner. 73, Roelof Bakker, pa0rdt Middelburg, Netherlands JO11tm ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
I have a homebrew G5RV, about 105 feet long, up 40 feet, fed with home made open wire line (#12 wire), into about 25 feet of RG214, then to the station control (multi antenna's, transmitters, receivers,etc.) and into the K2. No baluns. The tuner tunes it great on all bands, highest swr is 1.3:1. I don't have the 160 meter option, might not work on that... Brett N2DTS -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Roelof Bakker Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 9:44 AM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed Hello all, I have just finished K2 # 6177 and with all HF bands to my disposal, I am looking for a more convenient way to feed my doublet wire antenna with open feeder. My shack is in the dining room (my wife is very forgiving) and the antenna feed-in is on the window sil at the opposite side of the room. Hence I use 6 metre coax to get there. Has anyone tried a K2 and KAT2 fed into a substantial length of 50 ohm coax with a choke balun mounted at the other end, connected to an open line feeder? So far I have used a manual balanced tuner on the window sil, but that implies getting up and walking to the tuner when changing bands. Thank you in advance, Roelof Bakker, pa0rdt G-QRP-C 6019 QRP-ARCI 8405 Middelburg, Netherlands JO11tm -- Mijn Postvak In wordt beschermd door SPAMfighter. 203 spam-mails zijn er tot op heden geblokkeerd. Download de gratis SPAMfighter via deze link: http://www.spamfighter.com/lnl ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
Hello Brettet al, Thank you all for the information. I am considering a manual balanced tuner and a KAT2 and a choke balun. Measuring the feeder current should reveal if there is any difference. 73, Roelof Bakker, pa0rdt G-QRP-C 6019 QRP-ARCI 8405 Middelburg, Netherlands JO11tm -- Mijn Postvak In wordt beschermd door SPAMfighter. 232 spam-mails zijn er tot op heden geblokkeerd. Download de gratis SPAMfighter via deze link: http://www.spamfighter.com/lnl ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
Hello all, I have just finished K2 # 6177 and with all HF bands to my disposal, I am looking for a more convenient way to feed my doublet wire antenna with open feeder. My shack is in the dining room (my wife is very forgiving) and the antenna feed-in is on the window sil at the opposite side of the room. Hence I use 6 metre coax to get there. Has anyone tried a K2 and KAT2 fed into a substantial length of 50 ohm coax with a choke balun mounted at the other end, connected to an open line feeder? So far I have used a manual balanced tuner on the window sil, but that implies getting up and walking to the tuner when changing bands. Thank you in advance, Roelof Bakker, pa0rdt G-QRP-C 6019 QRP-ARCI 8405 Middelburg, Netherlands JO11tm -- Mijn Postvak In wordt beschermd door SPAMfighter. 203 spam-mails zijn er tot op heden geblokkeerd. Download de gratis SPAMfighter via deze link: http://www.spamfighter.com/lnl ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed
Roelof, I have used the arrangment you are asking about several times and it has worked well for me. One key point is that baluns are not effective under some load conditions, usually when they are transforming high impedence/highly reactive loads.So if you encounter problems matching the antenna on some bands you can adjust the load that the balun sees (from the antenna) by adding a short piece of transmission line between the balun and the antenna. This technique uses transmission line properties to transform the impedence to a value that the balun is more capable of handling. You may find that you need to add a piece to you transmission line on one or two bands. The specific lengths depend on your specific installation. The ARRL Antenna Book is a good place to learn about transmission line properties and how to use them. There are many other sources of this information as well. I hope this information helps. Robie - AJ4F - Original Message - From: Roelof Bakker [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 8:44 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K2, KAT2 and displaced choke balun feed Hello all, I have just finished K2 # 6177 and with all HF bands to my disposal, I am looking for a more convenient way to feed my doublet wire antenna with open feeder. My shack is in the dining room (my wife is very forgiving) and the antenna feed-in is on the window sil at the opposite side of the room. Hence I use 6 metre coax to get there. Has anyone tried a K2 and KAT2 fed into a substantial length of 50 ohm coax with a choke balun mounted at the other end, connected to an open line feeder? So far I have used a manual balanced tuner on the window sil, but that implies getting up and walking to the tuner when changing bands. Thank you in advance, Roelof Bakker, pa0rdt G-QRP-C 6019 QRP-ARCI 8405 Middelburg, Netherlands JO11tm -- Mijn Postvak In wordt beschermd door SPAMfighter. 203 spam-mails zijn er tot op heden geblokkeerd. Download de gratis SPAMfighter via deze link: http://www.spamfighter.com/lnl ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] K2: KAT2 null adjustment
According to the manual, it should be possible to adjust the null to 000, and it should be a broad null. On mine, it was extremely sharp, and wouldn't get lower than 010, flickering to 011. Does this indicate a problem? I went ahead and finished the installation -- the voltages were fine, and the tuner seems to work just dandy. I'm using a homemade dummy load, which seems to test out ok at least at the lower frequencies, and I don't have a calibrated wattmeter (yet, will borrow one soon). Can/should the null be recalibrated, even though the resister has been installed? Peter N8MHD ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2: KAT2 null adjustment
Peter, Yes, the KAT2 can be nulled without removing R6, and yes, obtaining a minimum reading of 10 or 11 is quite normal. The reason for initially having R6 not installed has to do with checking for shorts - but since the manual calls for a specific voltage range for the check, the null procedure has to be completed first. There is no need to remove R6 when rechecking the null. If you have a good 50 ohm resistive dummy load and have an RF Probe, you can calibrate the forward power with those tools, and they will be more accurate than a run-of-the-mill wattmeter. P=V^2/R - Power equals (RMS voltage squared) divided by the Resistance. Several trials should result in a well calibrated wattmeter inside the KAT2. 73, Don W3FPR Peter Wollan wrote: According to the manual, it should be possible to adjust the null to 000, and it should be a broad null. On mine, it was extremely sharp, and wouldn't get lower than 010, flickering to 011. Does this indicate a problem? I went ahead and finished the installation -- the voltages were fine, and the tuner seems to work just dandy. I'm using a homemade dummy load, which seems to test out ok at least at the lower frequencies, and I don't have a calibrated wattmeter (yet, will borrow one soon). Can/should the null be recalibrated, even though the resister has been installed? Peter N8MHD ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2: KAT2 null adjustment
Peter, One easy check is to make sure all relay pins are soldered. It is easy to miss one, especially near one of the board vias (empty through-holes0 and a missed coil pin gives you a 50% chance of having the relay stuck such that an extra L or C is on the at all times. Others will respond with a more thorough checklist, but this is a really easy visual check. 73, Leigh/WA5ZNU On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 6:27 am, Peter Wollan wrote: According to the manual, it should be possible to adjust the null to 000, and it should be a broad null. On mine, it was extremely sharp, and wouldn't get lower than 010, flickering to 011. Does this indicate a problem? I went ahead and finished the installation -- the voltages were fine, and the tuner seems to work just dandy. I'm using a homemade dummy load, which seems to test out ok at least at the lower frequencies, and I don't have a calibrated wattmeter (yet, will borrow one soon). Can/should the null be recalibrated, even though the resister has been installed? Peter N8MHD ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] K2/KAT2: Problem on Ant Conn 2
Hi Gang, Used my trusty K2 at the K2ZR 2A-Battery FD at the Buffalo Lighthouse again this year. It bagged the lions share of our 1166 HF CW QSO's. Murphy struck at the opening bell. In a nutshell, we had the CF ladder dipole connected to ANT1 and the yagi to ANT2. The first op noticed poor sensitivity (2-4 S-Units) and high noise (S2-5)on the beam. After a huge fire drill, we found that whatever was connected to ANT2 had this trouble. Tuning the antennas on ANT2 and menus checks did not indicate a problem. So we ended up running only ANT1 and switching antennas the old fashioned way. Prior to FD, I had it setup at home in similar manner and did not notice a problem. Any ideas on this one? I opened the radio and did not find anything loose, ajar, amiss, etc.. 73, Mark K2QO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2/KAT2: Problem on Ant Conn 2
Mark, The only electrical thing that could cause a difference between ANT1 and ANT2 is the relay contacts of KAT2 K18. Other than those contact closures and the PC board traces there is nothing different between ANT1 and ANT2. You might want to consult the schematic and do a continuity test to see what may be the real source of the problem. On the surface of things and based on the information you have presented I would say that K18 has a bad set of contacts on the ANT2 contacts. A problem like that could have been caused by a lightning surge - did you have a storm early for FD? 73, Don W3FPR Mark Adams, PE wrote: Hi Gang, Used my trusty K2 at the K2ZR 2A-Battery FD at the Buffalo Lighthouse again this year. It bagged the lions share of our 1166 HF CW QSO's. Murphy struck at the opening bell. In a nutshell, we had the CF ladder dipole connected to ANT1 and the yagi to ANT2. The first op noticed poor sensitivity (2-4 S-Units) and high noise (S2-5)on the beam. After a huge fire drill, we found that whatever was connected to ANT2 had this trouble. Tuning the antennas on ANT2 and menus checks did not indicate a problem. So we ended up running only ANT1 and switching antennas the old fashioned way. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] K2: KAT2 vs. T1
I am going to use an Elecraft antenna tuner with the K2, but I have not decided whether to go with the KAT2 or T1. There was only one review of the KAT2 on eham, but maany on the T1. many of the latter reviews pertained to the FT-817 rather than the K2, however.The few reviews of those who used the T1 with the Argonaut V were perhaps more relevant to the K2. Will anyone with experience using the KAT2 and T1 with the K2 be willing to share their knowledge with me? Mni tnx in advance. Dick K8RBW ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] K2?KAT2 mod idea
I'd like to get opinions from the group on this idea: My K2 has the KAT2 which means the original antenna jack is covered up and not used. I hate waste so I've been thinking how I could use it. Couldn't I install a SPDT switch or relay so I could select either the original jack without the tuner or select the KAT2 with it's two jacks? Of course what would be ideal would be a firmware mod so instead of ant 1/2, you get 1/2/3 and have a relay going between ant 2 and the original jack. Comments welcome. Ken KG0WX - K2 #4913, XG2, Tenna dipper, HLA-150 amp _ Dont just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search! http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] K2?KAT2 mod idea
Ken, Don't do that - leave the original jack covered and just forget that it is there. If you use it with the KAT2 installed, the K2 will not properly control power output (it knows the KAT2 is installed and will be looking for the power output level to come from the wattmeter in the KAT2). There may also be other problems such as impedance concerns since the KAT2 input is connected in parallel with whatever you might connect to that jack. The boot is on there for a reason, if you defeat its purpose, 'all bets are off'. 73, Don W3FPR -Original Message- I'd like to get opinions from the group on this idea: My K2 has the KAT2 which means the original antenna jack is covered up and not used. I hate waste so I've been thinking how I could use it. Couldn't I install a SPDT switch or relay so I could select either the original jack without the tuner or select the KAT2 with it's two jacks? Of course what would be ideal would be a firmware mod so instead of ant 1/2, you get 1/2/3 and have a relay going between ant 2 and the original jack. Comments welcome. Ken KG0WX - K2 #4913, XG2, Tenna dipper, HLA-150 amp ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2?KAT2 mod idea
I considered decoding the xverter select lines for this ... and modding the KAT2 to not override the RF sense, that way you could map a transverter band to the port. After switching to XV series transverters, tho, I don't really have a reason. On Fri, 10 Feb 2006, Ken Bessler wrote: I'd like to get opinions from the group on this idea: My K2 has the KAT2 which means the original antenna jack is covered up and not used. I hate waste so I've been thinking how I could use it. Couldn't I install a SPDT switch or relay so I could select either the original jack without the tuner or select the KAT2 with it's two jacks? Of course what would be ideal would be a firmware mod so instead of ant 1/2, you get 1/2/3 and have a relay going between ant 2 and the original jack. Comments welcome. Ken KG0WX - K2 #4913, XG2, Tenna dipper, HLA-150 amp _ Don�t just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search! http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
