Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 AUTO vs MAN mode
Chad, This is a situation that is the result of the KAT500 useing a single detector for sampling the forward and reverse power. In other words, both cannot be sampled at exactly the same time. If the forward power is sampled when the power is low and then the reverse power is sampled when the power is high the computed SWR will be a higher value than actual. This can occur with the syllabic power change in SSB, but it is also possible to occur with high speed CW. The firmware developer has been working to shorten the sampling interval, but so far he has made improvement, but it may not be possible to completely eliminate the difference without hardware changes to allow simultaneous sampling. The solution is to run the KAT500 in MAN instead of AUTO once you have 'trained' the tuner to any particular antenna. 73, Don W3FPR On 12/10/2014 11:58 PM, Chad WE9V wrote: So I got my new KAT500 yesterday, and got it all trained to each of the segments, without reading a single reflector post on the subject (pat own back). Start operating and finding that it wants to tune again in the middle of a QSO (CW or SSB). (Even when the bypass SWR is 1.5) I wrote up a big post to my local club to ask for help there first, when someone says that's common operation. Need to run in MAN mode, not AUTO. Came here to the reflector archives (I'm not a regular reader) to see lots of suggestions to run in MAN mode. __ 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] KAT500 AUTO vs MAN mode
On Thu, Dec 11, 2014 at 7:01 AM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: The firmware developer has been working to shorten the sampling interval, but so far he has made improvement I can't make a single QSO (CW or SSB) in AUTO mode without it wanting a re-tune and taking the KPA500 off-line. I guess I would have been really disappointed before the improvements were made. The solution is a work-around, not a solution. No where in the manual does it say that for proper operation, the tuner must be left in MAN mode. Very disappointing. Chad WE9V __ 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] KAT500 AUTO vs MAN mode
Hi Chad, Well Don gave the correct reason, as he always does. The nomenclature of auto and manual refers only to the initiation of the tune cycle. Man is in fact automatic after training. Maybe a better term would semiautomatic. It in manual will not initiate a tune cycle but will automatically use stored values for where you are in the band, after training. I do not know what is written up in the latest manuals. My KAT was from the 1st batch (SN 39) and I have old manuals. However when the new software for the K line was introduced Wayne did a write up on it. If you do not have it I can send it to you as a PDF. Manual is where you should be and is stated as such. 73, Bob K2TK ex KN2TKR (1956) K2TKR On 12/11/2014 9:45 AM, Chad WE9V wrote: On Thu, Dec 11, 2014 at 7:01 AM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: The firmware developer has been working to shorten the sampling interval, but so far he has made improvement I can't make a single QSO (CW or SSB) in AUTO mode without it wanting a re-tune and taking the KPA500 off-line. I guess I would have been really disappointed before the improvements were made. The solution is a work-around, not a solution. No where in the manual does it say that for proper operation, the tuner must be left in MAN mode. Very disappointing. Chad WE9V __ __ 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] KAT500 AUTO vs MAN mode
On Wed,12/10/2014 8:58 PM, Chad WE9V wrote: Came here to the reflector archives (I'm not a regular reader) to see lots of suggestions to run in MAN mode. That's exactly right, Chad. Train it as you did, then run it in MAN mode. As it senses your frequency, it will call up your trained settings. The only thing you need to do now is retrain it for the frequencies where it has autotuned. 73, Jim K9YC __ 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] KAT500 AUTO vs MAN mode
So I got my new KAT500 yesterday, and got it all trained to each of the segments, without reading a single reflector post on the subject (pat own back). Start operating and finding that it wants to tune again in the middle of a QSO (CW or SSB). (Even when the bypass SWR is 1.5) I wrote up a big post to my local club to ask for help there first, when someone says that's common operation. Need to run in MAN mode, not AUTO. Came here to the reflector archives (I'm not a regular reader) to see lots of suggestions to run in MAN mode. To me, this sounds like a band-aid workaround. Why do users (and Elecraft) think that running in MAN mode is the acceptable mode of operation? I'd like to suggest that this is a bug that is in need of firmware improvement. If I start a QSO with fine SWR, even on an antenna with less than 1.8:1 SWR, at no point during the QSO should I be in need of a retune, have the KPA500 go into keying bypass mode, and be left with 30 watts out or less due to it trying to tune on every dit and dah. Can this please be fixed so the KAT500 can be left in AUTO mode and only initiate a retune when the SWR is truly above the retune threshold? Respectfully, Chad WE9V __ 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
