Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 tuning problem

2016-02-05 Thread Bill 

That was my first thought - so I laid out a new coax to the antenna.

That said, this morning everything works just fine. I can only figure 
the KAT500 heard me say that it was leaving and it decided to work. Be 
interesting to see how long this holds.


Bill W2BLC
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[Elecraft] KAT500 tuning problem

2016-02-04 Thread Bill 
For the past month I have been experiencing tuning problems with the 
KAT500.


The antenna in question is a simple 75 meter dipole fed with coax. You 
tune the antenna at 3922, 2955 and 3975 - just for example. When you 
return to those frequencies, a few hours later, the tuning is all off 
and the KPA500 demos its displeasure by beeping and flashing lights. 
Retuning will again hold for a few hours, then all goes haywire again.


I have given shake test to the antenna/halyards -  with an analog SWR 
bridge in line - and see nothing to indicate breaks or damage. I 
replaced the feed line and it still does everything the same. All coax 
lines inside have also been changed out - to no avail.


I should mention that this problem exists on an alternate antenna also. 
The alternate is also a dipole type. No remote baluns, nothing other 
than simple center insulators. Chances are they are built properly - 
been doing it for over 55 years and have never experienced anything like 
this.


I have reset the KAT500 to default a couple of times - reinstalled the 
software - all the things you do with black boxes - went through the 
training thing. I spoken with Elecraft and followed their instructions 
to the letter also (which were the same as what I had been doing). It 
all holds well for a few hours, then goes wacko.


If I have to push the buttons every time I QSY, there is little reason 
to continuing using the KAT500. Of course that makes using the KPA500 
more difficult or impossible.


Shipping is expensive and so are service charges - the tuner is way out 
of warranty.


Anyone have experiences such as these or suggestions?

I am seriously considering regressing to a manual tuner.

Thanks,

Bill W2BLC K-Line



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Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 tuning problem

2016-02-04 Thread Keith Onishi 
Have you checked your KAT500 with a dummy load instead of feed line? 
This would tell you either your KAT500 or feed line to antenna (and antenna) is 
in trouble.

73 de JH3SIF, Keith

> 2016/02/05 6:17、Bill  のメール：
> 
> For the past month I have been experiencing tuning problems with the KAT500.
> 
> The antenna in question is a simple 75 meter dipole fed with coax. You tune 
> the antenna at 3922, 2955 and 3975 - just for example. When you return to 
> those frequencies, a few hours later, the tuning is all off and the KPA500 
> demos its displeasure by beeping and flashing lights. Retuning will again 
> hold for a few hours, then all goes haywire again.
> 
> I have given shake test to the antenna/halyards -  with an analog SWR bridge 
> in line - and see nothing to indicate breaks or damage. I replaced the feed 
> line and it still does everything the same. All coax lines inside have also 
> been changed out - to no avail.
> 
> I should mention that this problem exists on an alternate antenna also. The 
> alternate is also a dipole type. No remote baluns, nothing other than simple 
> center insulators. Chances are they are built properly - been doing it for 
> over 55 years and have never experienced anything like this.
> 
> I have reset the KAT500 to default a couple of times - reinstalled the 
> software - all the things you do with black boxes - went through the training 
> thing. I spoken with Elecraft and followed their instructions to the letter 
> also (which were the same as what I had been doing). It all holds well for a 
> few hours, then goes wacko.
> 
> If I have to push the buttons every time I QSY, there is little reason to 
> continuing using the KAT500. Of course that makes using the KPA500 more 
> difficult or impossible.
> 
> Shipping is expensive and so are service charges - the tuner is way out of 
> warranty.
> 
> Anyone have experiences such as these or suggestions?
> 
> I am seriously considering regressing to a manual tuner.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Bill W2BLC K-Line
> 
> 
> 
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Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 tuning problem

2016-02-04 Thread Don Wilhelm 

Bill,

After you do the initial TUNE (training the ATU), do you switch it to 
MAN?  If not try that and see if it corrects your situation.

If not, then it is time to contact support.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/4/2016 4:17 PM, Bill wrote:
For the past month I have been experiencing tuning problems with the 
KAT500.


The antenna in question is a simple 75 meter dipole fed with coax. You 
tune the antenna at 3922, 2955 and 3975 - just for example. When you 
return to those frequencies, a few hours later, the tuning is all off 
and the KPA500 demos its displeasure by beeping and flashing lights. 
Retuning will again hold for a few hours, then all goes haywire again.


I have given shake test to the antenna/halyards -  with an analog SWR 
bridge in line - and see nothing to indicate breaks or damage. I 
replaced the feed line and it still does everything the same. All coax 
lines inside have also been changed out - to no avail.


I should mention that this problem exists on an alternate antenna 
also. The alternate is also a dipole type. No remote baluns, nothing 
other than simple center insulators. Chances are they are built 
properly - been doing it for over 55 years and have never experienced 
anything like this.


I have reset the KAT500 to default a couple of times - reinstalled the 
software - all the things you do with black boxes - went through the 
training thing. I spoken with Elecraft and followed their instructions 
to the letter also (which were the same as what I had been doing). It 
all holds well for a few hours, then goes wacko.




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Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 tuning problem

2016-02-04 Thread Jim Miller 
Since you are running KPA500 along with the KAT500 and you stated you don't
have a balun, I assume you don't have a common mode choke either.

I suggest a trip to http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf as I suspect
you have RF in the shack.

73

jim ab3cv



On Thu, Feb 4, 2016 at 7:11 PM, Wes (N7WS)  wrote:

> After a good tune, I would use the KAT500 utility to examine and record
> the selected component values.
>
> When the failure occurs, before retuning I would look at them again and
> see if they are the same.
>
> Also after a good tune, I would run up and down the band to cycle the
> relays and see if things are the same when returning to a previously tuned
> band segment.
>
> On 2/4/2016 2:17 PM, Bill wrote:
>
>> For the past month I have been experiencing tuning problems with the
>> KAT500.
>>
>> The antenna in question is a simple 75 meter dipole fed with coax. You
>> tune the antenna at 3922, 2955 and 3975 - just for example. When you return
>> to those frequencies, a few hours later, the tuning is all off and the
>> KPA500 demos its displeasure by beeping and flashing lights. Retuning will
>> again hold for a few hours, then all goes haywire again.
>>
>> I have given shake test to the antenna/halyards -  with an analog SWR
>> bridge in line - and see nothing to indicate breaks or damage. I replaced
>> the feed line and it still does everything the same. All coax lines inside
>> have also been changed out - to no avail.
>>
>> I should mention that this problem exists on an alternate antenna also.
>> The alternate is also a dipole type. No remote baluns, nothing other than
>> simple center insulators. Chances are they are built properly - been doing
>> it for over 55 years and have never experienced anything like this.
>>
>> I have reset the KAT500 to default a couple of times - reinstalled the
>> software - all the things you do with black boxes - went through the
>> training thing. I spoken with Elecraft and followed their instructions to
>> the letter also (which were the same as what I had been doing). It all
>> holds well for a few hours, then goes wacko.
>>
>> If I have to push the buttons every time I QSY, there is little reason to
>> continuing using the KAT500. Of course that makes using the KPA500 more
>> difficult or impossible.
>>
>> Shipping is expensive and so are service charges - the tuner is way out
>> of warranty.
>>
>> Anyone have experiences such as these or suggestions?
>>
>> I am seriously considering regressing to a manual tuner.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Bill W2BLC K-Line
>>
>>
>>
>> __
>> 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 w...@triconet.org
>>
>>
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Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 tuning problem

2016-02-04 Thread Bill 
I have done the reading of the printout - some really crazy SWR numbers 
for the antenna that I know are not correct.


So far as RF in the shack - I might consider that - if things had not 
been working correctly until abut a month ago. Nothing has changed until 
then, causing all the efforts and modifications to isolate the problem. 
Other rigs - with ATUs - are working just fine with the entire station.


Everything RF is brought into the house to a well grounded bulkhead. 
Longest run from any rig/amp/tuner is 6 feet to the bulkhead. 
Interconnects are all as short as possible. Equipment is all connected 
to a central grounding point. In other words - been there and done that 
out of habit.


Tonight I am running barefoot with the antenna running direct to the K3 
- all is good. Tomorrow I will try to get everything back to where it 
was before this mess started and tune when I QSO as a routine and forget 
whatever else the tuner is supposed to do. Sure reminds me of what it 
was doing when I first got it.


A manual tuner will be ordered very soon and the KAT500 removed from the 
lineup.


I don't see a magic bullet on this - thanks for all the ideas.

Bill W2BLC




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Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 tuning problem

2016-02-04 Thread john 
It is possible that you have bad coax, a bad connection or water ingress in
your antenna system. It would be interesting to see if a manual tuner
remains stable.

John KK9A



Bill w2blc at nycap.rr.com 
Thu Feb 4 19:39:04 EST 2016
for the antenna that I know are not correct.

So far as RF in the shack - I might consider that - if things had not 
been working correctly until abut a month ago. Nothing has changed until 
then, causing all the efforts and modifications to isolate the problem. 
Other rigs - with ATUs - are working just fine with the entire station.

Everything RF is brought into the house to a well grounded bulkhead. 
Longest run from any rig/amp/tuner is 6 feet to the bulkhead. 
Interconnects are all as short as possible. Equipment is all connected 
to a central grounding point. In other words - been there and done that 
out of habit.

Tonight I am running barefoot with the antenna running direct to the K3 
- all is good. Tomorrow I will try to get everything back to where it 
was before this mess started and tune when I QSO as a routine and forget 
whatever else the tuner is supposed to do. Sure reminds me of what it 
was doing when I first got it.

A manual tuner will be ordered very soon and the KAT500 removed from the 
lineup.

I don't see a magic bullet on this - thanks for all the ideas.

Bill W2BLC

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Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 tuning problem

2016-02-04 Thread Wes (N7WS) 
After a good tune, I would use the KAT500 utility to examine and record the 
selected component values.


When the failure occurs, before retuning I would look at them again and see if 
they are the same.


Also after a good tune, I would run up and down the band to cycle the relays and 
see if things are the same when returning to a previously tuned band segment.


On 2/4/2016 2:17 PM, Bill wrote:

For the past month I have been experiencing tuning problems with the KAT500.

The antenna in question is a simple 75 meter dipole fed with coax. You tune 
the antenna at 3922, 2955 and 3975 - just for example. When you return to 
those frequencies, a few hours later, the tuning is all off and the KPA500 
demos its displeasure by beeping and flashing lights. Retuning will again hold 
for a few hours, then all goes haywire again.


I have given shake test to the antenna/halyards -  with an analog SWR bridge 
in line - and see nothing to indicate breaks or damage. I replaced the feed 
line and it still does everything the same. All coax lines inside have also 
been changed out - to no avail.


I should mention that this problem exists on an alternate antenna also. The 
alternate is also a dipole type. No remote baluns, nothing other than simple 
center insulators. Chances are they are built properly - been doing it for 
over 55 years and have never experienced anything like this.


I have reset the KAT500 to default a couple of times - reinstalled the 
software - all the things you do with black boxes - went through the training 
thing. I spoken with Elecraft and followed their instructions to the letter 
also (which were the same as what I had been doing). It all holds well for a 
few hours, then goes wacko.


If I have to push the buttons every time I QSY, there is little reason to 
continuing using the KAT500. Of course that makes using the KPA500 more 
difficult or impossible.


Shipping is expensive and so are service charges - the tuner is way out of 
warranty.


Anyone have experiences such as these or suggestions?

I am seriously considering regressing to a manual tuner.

Thanks,

Bill W2BLC K-Line



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