Mark, Menu is set to K3
I've configured the amp 2 different ways, Key Out to PA Key, with 2 different cables....no difference KPA500 AUX from K3 to KPA 500, with a known good cable, ( I have a K3 line already) and the one that came with it....no difference. The band changes all work fine. I'm certainly not a technical guy, but it seems to me the transfer from radio to amp to key the amp is working fine. There is something after key down that is shorting or somehow malfunctioning that shuts the amp down. I can turn the power on the K3 down to 10 watts and tap the paddle and the amp works, but put two dits in a row and it shuts down. I've inspected the inside for transformer damage and there is nothing visible. The one lead that Elecraft gave me was that the screws for the tilt bar were installed backwards, leading to the possibility of a short with the transformer. I had to remove the transformer to reverse those screws, (they sent me the procedure), but that wasn't the problem either. I didn't use a configuration that would require the interrupter. Thanks for your comments and thoughts. 73, Mike AD5A -----Original Message----- From: Mark E. Musick [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 1:11 AM To: 'Mike Crownover' <[email protected]> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] KPA500 problem Mike, First connect the amp to a dummy load and see how it behaves. This eliminates the antenna. Yes, I know the SWR is 1:1, but it eliminates it as a possible problem and you are not putting a signal on the air causing QRM. Go into the KPA500 menu and make sure RADIO is set to K3. Are you using the key out of the K3 to the key in (PA KEY) on the amp for keying the amp or are you keying the amp through the cable connected to the K3 accessory socket? If you are using key out to key in, did you put the keying interrupter for pin 11 on the K3 accessory jack? Try the basic cabling setup as described in the manual. Just connect RF IN from the K3, RF OUT to the dummy load, KEY OUT on the K3 to PA KEY on the KPA500. Leave the cable from the K3 accessory socket to the KPA500 AUX socket disconnected. See if it operates in this configuration. Let us know the results. Mark Musick, WB9CIF -----Original Message----- From: Elecraft [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mike Crownover Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 4:12 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 problem I just bought a lightly used KPA500. It arrived from the seller, well packed and complete with cables, manuals, etc. I turned the amp on, interfaced it with my K3, keyed the radio and the KPA500 immediately shut-off. No fault light or error code, nothing. It shuts down just as if I had pressed the power button, the fan runs, etc... The antenna is resonant 1:1, I've lowered input power to 10 watts, swapped coax, hooked it up to another K3, used RCA to RCA cable, the Elecraft cable, etc.. When down to 10 watts input, I can tap the paddle like a straight key lightly and the amp works, but put two dits together and it shuts down. Has anyone had an experienced anything like this. I keep thinking this has to be something simple. Mike AD5A ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
