Re: [Elecraft] Need help with kat500 utility
Hi I believe for some intermittent time the tuner did not move the caps to the antenna side. It is working now though. All these boxes we have are computer controlled. I Thanks all On Wed, Feb 23, 2022 at 4:27 PM Richard Donner wrote: > Hi > Well I checked the antenna and it is just as before the problem. > Is the capacitor setting normally checked by default? > This setting was not chosen automatically. > > After I enabled the capacitor setting the tuner tuned immediately to a > low SWR on the low end of the band. > I noticed that now it is automatically chosen. > This has been a nice study time to figure how this tuner works. It seems > fine now. > Thanks for the help all seems well. > > On another note , my k3 has reached its 15 birthday year > Thanks all > Richard > > > On Wed, Feb 23, 2022 at 1:48 PM Richard Donner > wrote: > >> I have some question about the operate tab in the kat500 utility. >> In the "others" what should be checked off? >> "caps on the Ant side" >> "amp key interrupt" >> "attenuator" >> Not sure what these things do. >> >> I had been using my kat500 for years and all of a sudden low SWR >> matches could not be found on one of my antennas. It was odd because >> everything was fine yesterday. >> I found by checking "caps on the Ant side" Ii could get a match in >> manual mode. >> I wonder if that had been checked and all of a sudden it stopped being >> checked? >> >> Also I wonder if the"amp key interrupt " was ever set properly. >> How should it be set with a KPA500 amplifier all cabled up. >> I did not see a simple explanation what these kat500 setting are for. >> >> Any help would be appreciated. I think I am going for a walk >> Thanks Richard wa6kyr >> >> >> __ 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] Need help with kat500 utility
"Take a look at this reference - https://leleivre.com/rf_lcmatch.html if you can't visualize what Cap Side is doing." I should have added that the upper two topologies are the only ones that can be set in the KAT500. The inductors are always in series and the capacitors are always in parallel. The parameters that change are the values of L and C and the position of the capacitor. Andy, k3wyc __ 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] Need help with kat500 utility
" Is the capacitor setting normally checked by default? This setting was not chosen automatically." Cap Side is set to SIDET (transceiver side) when the KAT500 is in Bypass mode. At any other time is is set to the value corresponding to the current tuning solution. That tuning solution may have been set manually or it may be the result of a previous auto-tune. If you accidentally changed Cap Side from the previously stored value it could result in a huge mismatch and high SWR. Easily fixed by performing an auto-tune and letting the tuner decide the appropriate setting. Take a look at this reference - https://leleivre.com/rf_lcmatch.html if you can't visualize what Cap Side is doing. Andy, k3wyc __ 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] Need help with kat500 utility
Hi Well I checked the antenna and it is just as before the problem. Is the capacitor setting normally checked by default? This setting was not chosen automatically. After I enabled the capacitor setting the tuner tuned immediately to a low SWR on the low end of the band. I noticed that now it is automatically chosen. This has been a nice study time to figure how this tuner works. It seems fine now. Thanks for the help all seems well. On another note , my k3 has reached its 15 birthday year Thanks all Richard On Wed, Feb 23, 2022 at 1:48 PM Richard Donner wrote: > I have some question about the operate tab in the kat500 utility. > In the "others" what should be checked off? > "caps on the Ant side" > "amp key interrupt" > "attenuator" > Not sure what these things do. > > I had been using my kat500 for years and all of a sudden low SWR matches > could not be found on one of my antennas. It was odd because everything > was fine yesterday. > I found by checking "caps on the Ant side" Ii could get a match in manual > mode. > I wonder if that had been checked and all of a sudden it stopped being > checked? > > Also I wonder if the"amp key interrupt " was ever set properly. > How should it be set with a KPA500 amplifier all cabled up. > I did not see a simple explanation what these kat500 setting are for. > > Any help would be appreciated. I think I am going for a walk > Thanks Richard wa6kyr > > > __ 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] Need help with kat500 utility
"I have some question about the operate tab in the kat500 utility. In the "others" what should be checked off? "caps on the Ant side" "amp key interrupt" "attenuator" Not sure what these things do." If you don't have a specific reason for changing these values you should regard these as status indicators rather that user control selections. Cap side will be chosen automatically to achieve the best match. It indicates whether the capacitors of the LC tuning network are on the transceiver side of the inductors or on the antenna side of the inductors. It can be set manually when attempting to manually find, or improve, a tuning solution. Amp key interrupt indicates that the keying line has been opened and a connected amplifier cannot be keyed by the transceiver. It is set automatically in some fault conditions and when an autotune is in progress. Attenuator is a mystery that Elecraft will not respond to. It indicates that the KAT500 internal input attenuator has been activated but the removal of an internal KAT500 resistor that is part of this attenuator seems to make it impossible for the attenuator to work as designed. Andy, k3wyc __ 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] Need help with kat500 utility
Let's start with the basic facts. Rig --> amp --> KAT500 --> antenna/s (with the tuner blocking the amp key in while tuning). 1) The KAT500 was working successfully 'for years' without issue. 2) There was a sudden change in operation. This doesn't necessarily mean it was the tuner; it more likely means that something in your antenna system has changed or failed (a rope or wire, the feed etc). Start there (use an antenna analyzer to see what is different). Take a look at ALL of that system (loose connector?). Caps on either side, depends on the antenna load presented to the tuner; high or low impedance load (grossly simplified). Key interrupt should be used for an amp, so you don't put too high a stress (mostly on the amp) during the tuning process, causing damage. Likewise attenuator kicks in when you overdrive the tuner input, prior to a fault if it doesn't change. At least this is my understanding, subject to confirmation/denial. GL es 73, Rick NK7I On 2/23/2022 1:48 PM, Richard Donner wrote: I have some question about the operate tab in the kat500 utility. In the "others" what should be checked off? "caps on the Ant side" "amp key interrupt" "attenuator" Not sure what these things do. I had been using my kat500 for years and all of a sudden low SWR matches could not be found on one of my antennas. It was odd because everything was fine yesterday. I found by checking "caps on the Ant side" Ii could get a match in manual mode. I wonder if that had been checked and all of a sudden it stopped being checked? Also I wonder if the"amp key interrupt " was ever set properly. How should it be set with a KPA500 amplifier all cabled up. I did not see a simple explanation what these kat500 setting are for. Any help would be appreciated. I think I am going for a walk Thanks Richard wa6kyr __ 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 torick.n...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Need help with kat500 utility
I have some question about the operate tab in the kat500 utility. In the "others" what should be checked off? "caps on the Ant side" "amp key interrupt" "attenuator" Not sure what these things do. I had been using my kat500 for years and all of a sudden low SWR matches could not be found on one of my antennas. It was odd because everything was fine yesterday. I found by checking "caps on the Ant side" Ii could get a match in manual mode. I wonder if that had been checked and all of a sudden it stopped being checked? Also I wonder if the"amp key interrupt " was ever set properly. How should it be set with a KPA500 amplifier all cabled up. I did not see a simple explanation what these kat500 setting are for. Any help would be appreciated. I think I am going for a walk Thanks Richard wa6kyr __ 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
