Re: [Elecraft] K3 with KPA500 and KAT500 setup (Training the KAT500)
Thanks, Fred! This is what I was missing: the Tune button in the K3. Didn't realize it was there, since I was using the ATU Tune before I got the KAT/KPA500 installed. I guess I should order the rest of your books (I got the K3 book long before I actually bought the rig). And I did notice that on SSB sometimes it starts tuning for no apparent reason. Thanks to all folks who responded! Slava Baytalskiy sla...@nullserv.com W2RMS On Jun 9, 2014, at 9:22 AM, "Cady, Fred" wrote: > Hi Sal, > Here is a method to train your KAT500: > > Here is a procedure to set-up the tuner for all bands so that you do not have > to go through a Full Search Tuning cycle each time you change to a frequency > or band that requires retuning. > *Select the desired band on the K3 and find a clear starting frequency > near the bottom of the band. > *If you are using the KPA500 amplifier, tap OPER to put the amp into STBY > mode. > *Set up your K3 so it will output between 20 and 100 watts when holding > TUNE. > *If you are using basic band switching, tap your key to allow the tuner > to measure the present band. You must do this before selecting an antenna. > If using enhanced band switching, the tuner reads the band automatically. > *Tap the KAT500 ANT to select the required antenna. > *Tap the KAT500 MODE to select AUTO or MAN. > oTap the KAT500 TUNE. The AUTO or MAN LED will start to flash. > oHold the K3's TUNE to apply power to the KAT500 and it will find the > best match that it can and then stop. The SWR LEDs will show the tuning > progress and the tuner will stop clacking its relays when it finds the best > VSWR. > oTap the K3's TUNE to stop transmitting. > *After training the tuner, you should save the configuration file. If > you have trouble with your tuner, the configuration file can be sent to > Elecraft Support of in-depth analysis. > > Hint: When training your tuner for various operating frequencies, it is > useful and instructive to monitor the tuner's operation with the KAT Utility > Operate screen. > > After doing this on all your favorite frequencies, run the tuner in MAN mode > to avoid the sometimes false tuning that occurs when running SSB in AUTO mode. > > (Above is from Chapter 3 of "The Elecraft KPA500 Amplifier and KAT500 Tuner" > by KE7X, now available from Elecraft part number E740244.) > > Cheers and 73, > Fred KE7X > > "The Elecraft K3: Design, Configuration and Operation 2nd ed" > "The Elecraft KX3 - Going for the summit" > "The Elecraft KPA500 and KAT500 - the K-Line Dream Station") > All now available from www.elecraft.com > and > KPA500 and KAT500 Quick Set Up Guide > http://www.ke7x.com/home/k-line-introduction-and-set-up-guide > > > >> -----Original Message- >> From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of >> Slava Baytalskiy >> Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2014 6:55 PM >> To: Elecraft >> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 with KPA500 and KAT500 setup >> >> Hello everyone! >> Today i've finished my K-Line! >> K3/100 with a P3/SVGA with a KAT500 with a KPA500 with a W2 (although >> W2 has not yet been put in line). >> I think i got everything to play together nicely (not that its >> difficult, the way Elecraft makes it...) I've put the KAT3 in "bypass" >> on all the bands that i'm using. >> I've selected the per-band power setting. >> I'm currently setting all bands to about 15 watts of drive and getting >> around 300W out to the antenna (a K4KIO HexBeam). >> My question is about the operation of the tuner: >> when does it actually auto-tune? When the Auto light is flashing or >> when the relays are clicking? >> Sometimes it seems to start clicking right in the middle of a QSO. Is >> that normal? Does that interrupt my signal? >> Is there a way to teach it using SCAN or something? Or do i have to PTT >> and talk into the mic on every frequency in order for it to memorize >> the LC values? >> How do people normally do this? >> >> Thanks a bunch in advance! >> >> __ >> Slava (Sal) B, W2RMS >> w2...@arrl.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 >> Message delivered to fc...@ece.montana.edu __ 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] K3 with KPA500 and KAT500 setup (Training the KAT500)
Hi Sal, Here is a method to train your KAT500: Here is a procedure to set-up the tuner for all bands so that you do not have to go through a Full Search Tuning cycle each time you change to a frequency or band that requires retuning. * Select the desired band on the K3 and find a clear starting frequency near the bottom of the band. * If you are using the KPA500 amplifier, tap OPER to put the amp into STBY mode. * Set up your K3 so it will output between 20 and 100 watts when holding TUNE. * If you are using basic band switching, tap your key to allow the tuner to measure the present band. You must do this before selecting an antenna. If using enhanced band switching, the tuner reads the band automatically. * Tap the KAT500 ANT to select the required antenna. * Tap the KAT500 MODE to select AUTO or MAN. o Tap the KAT500 TUNE. The AUTO or MAN LED will start to flash. o Hold the K3's TUNE to apply power to the KAT500 and it will find the best match that it can and then stop. The SWR LEDs will show the tuning progress and the tuner will stop clacking its relays when it finds the best VSWR. o Tap the K3's TUNE to stop transmitting. * After training the tuner, you should save the configuration file. If you have trouble with your tuner, the configuration file can be sent to Elecraft Support of in-depth analysis. Hint: When training your tuner for various operating frequencies, it is useful and instructive to monitor the tuner's operation with the KAT Utility Operate screen. After doing this on all your favorite frequencies, run the tuner in MAN mode to avoid the sometimes false tuning that occurs when running SSB in AUTO mode. (Above is from Chapter 3 of "The Elecraft KPA500 Amplifier and KAT500 Tuner" by KE7X, now available from Elecraft part number E740244.) Cheers and 73, Fred KE7X "The Elecraft K3: Design, Configuration and Operation 2nd ed" "The Elecraft KX3 - Going for the summit" "The Elecraft KPA500 and KAT500 - the K-Line Dream Station") All now available from www.elecraft.com and KPA500 and KAT500 Quick Set Up Guide http://www.ke7x.com/home/k-line-introduction-and-set-up-guide > -Original Message- > From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of > Slava Baytalskiy > Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2014 6:55 PM > To: Elecraft > Subject: [Elecraft] K3 with KPA500 and KAT500 setup > > Hello everyone! > Today i've finished my K-Line! > K3/100 with a P3/SVGA with a KAT500 with a KPA500 with a W2 (although > W2 has not yet been put in line). > I think i got everything to play together nicely (not that its > difficult, the way Elecraft makes it...) I've put the KAT3 in "bypass" > on all the bands that i'm using. > I've selected the per-band power setting. > I'm currently setting all bands to about 15 watts of drive and getting > around 300W out to the antenna (a K4KIO HexBeam). > My question is about the operation of the tuner: > when does it actually auto-tune? When the Auto light is flashing or > when the relays are clicking? > Sometimes it seems to start clicking right in the middle of a QSO. Is > that normal? Does that interrupt my signal? > Is there a way to teach it using SCAN or something? Or do i have to PTT > and talk into the mic on every frequency in order for it to memorize > the LC values? > How do people normally do this? > > Thanks a bunch in advance! > > __ > Slava (Sal) B, W2RMS > w2...@arrl.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 > Message delivered to fc...@ece.montana.edu __ 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] K3 with KPA500 and KAT500 setup
Slava, You should "train" your tuner. Do it on each band segment for each antenna that you will use. Once that is accomplished, put the KAT500 into Manual and it will not try to re-tune based on the RF. The problem is particularly susceptible to false re-tuning for SSB. Due to the changing amounts of RF in the transmitted speech patterns, if the tuner is left in auto, if the forward power is measured when the RF is low, and the reflected power is measured when the RF is higher, the computation will yield a high SWR even though the SWR is OK. The firmware developer is working on methods to reduce this exposure, but in the meantime, "training" the tuner beforehand and running in Manual mode will help substantially. 73, Don W3FPR On 6/8/2014 8:55 PM, Slava Baytalskiy wrote: Hello everyone! Today i've finished my K-Line! K3/100 with a P3/SVGA with a KAT500 with a KPA500 with a W2 (although W2 has not yet been put in line). I think i got everything to play together nicely (not that its difficult, the way Elecraft makes it...) I've put the KAT3 in "bypass" on all the bands that i'm using. I've selected the per-band power setting. I'm currently setting all bands to about 15 watts of drive and getting around 300W out to the antenna (a K4KIO HexBeam). My question is about the operation of the tuner: when does it actually auto-tune? When the Auto light is flashing or when the relays are clicking? Sometimes it seems to start clicking right in the middle of a QSO. Is that normal? Does that interrupt my signal? Is there a way to teach it using SCAN or something? Or do i have to PTT and talk into the mic on every frequency in order for it to memorize the LC values? How do people normally do this? __ 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
[Elecraft] K3 with KPA500 and KAT500 setup
Hello everyone! Today i've finished my K-Line! K3/100 with a P3/SVGA with a KAT500 with a KPA500 with a W2 (although W2 has not yet been put in line). I think i got everything to play together nicely (not that its difficult, the way Elecraft makes it...) I've put the KAT3 in "bypass" on all the bands that i'm using. I've selected the per-band power setting. I'm currently setting all bands to about 15 watts of drive and getting around 300W out to the antenna (a K4KIO HexBeam). My question is about the operation of the tuner: when does it actually auto-tune? When the Auto light is flashing or when the relays are clicking? Sometimes it seems to start clicking right in the middle of a QSO. Is that normal? Does that interrupt my signal? Is there a way to teach it using SCAN or something? Or do i have to PTT and talk into the mic on every frequency in order for it to memorize the LC values? How do people normally do this? Thanks a bunch in advance! __ Slava (Sal) B, W2RMS w2...@arrl.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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
