[Elecraft] KPA500 installtion with ICOM 7300

2018-05-10 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"That's the point. The ALC cable protects the KPA-500 when the operator "spaces" and leaves the exciter power control at full power (100+ Watt) level." My experience, and I have 10 Hz logger data, shows that the amp alarms, sets fault FL06, and drops into standby mode with no change in the ALC

Re: [Elecraft] K3 - FT8

2018-05-13 Thread ANDY DURBIN
I should have said that this explanation is only valid with WSJT-X split mode is not in use. When split mode is used the situation is either simpler or more complex depending on your perspective. In WSJT-X split mode the audio frequency is constrained to the range 1500-2000 Hz. If the TX

[Elecraft] K3 - FT8

2018-05-13 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"What is really confusing is that WSJT-X leaves the tune frequency at whatever it was when you last transmitted, so if you tune around, click on some signals, have a listen and then try using TUNE the audio frequency could be anywhere unless you take specific action." Nothing to get confused

[Elecraft] K3 - PA- Temp

2018-05-08 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"46C = 118F" 46 deg C = 114.8 deg F. Maybe it was a typo? 73, 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

[Elecraft] KPA1500 fan speed interrogation

2018-05-19 Thread ANDY DURBIN
The KPA500 provides a serial interface command ^FS; which returns the fan speed. This command is not included in the KPA500 Programmer's Reference but is mentioned in a firmware release note. The KPA1500 Programming Reference does not mention the ^FS; command. Is fan speed interrogation

Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 fan speed interrogation

2018-05-20 Thread ANDY DURBIN
to date as new commands have been added. 73, Andy k3wyc From: ANDY DURBIN <a.dur...@msn.com> Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2018 7:47 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: KPA1500 fan speed interrogation The KPA500 provides a serial interface command ^FS;

[Elecraft] KPA1500 fan speeds and fan noise

2018-05-21 Thread ANDY DURBIN
>From the KPA500 kit build manual: "If airflow arrows are visible on the fan housing, they will show that air will be blown out of the back of the KPA500." It was a bit surprising to me that the KPA500 fan airflow is the opposite of natural convective flow but I accepted that was the intended

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 cooling and efficiency

2018-05-22 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"That's perfectly normal at that low power output. The 50% spec is at full output." Thanks for pointing that out. I did a spot check on the same band with KPA500 indicated output of 490 W (LP-100A 500W) and found the efficiency was 60.6% (61.9% if LP-100A power is used). 73, Andy k3wyc

[Elecraft] KPA500 cooling and efficiency

2018-05-21 Thread ANDY DURBIN
___ From: Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcg...@blomand.net> Sent: Monday, May 21, 2018 6:57 PM To: ANDY DURBIN Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 fan speeds and fan noise Andy: There are basically two types of radial blade fans and specific application for each one. Those that "blow" and thos

[Elecraft] Does KPA1500 have these KPA500 characteristics?

2018-05-25 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"The KPA500 actually runs cooler at just-below-fault power output than it does at either 500 or even 400 watts output." I ran a quick test to see if I saw the similar results with my KPA500. The quality of the data is limited by the low resolution of power returned by the ^WS command but it

[Elecraft] No Tune Power Output While Split in Data Mode

2018-05-24 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"Simple logic. One should (is supposed to) listen on the frequency before transmitting. Can't do this if one is configured to receive on a different frequency. " Sorry, but that's a very "old school" way of thinking. With digital modes that use VFO split operation the usual way to check if

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 WS power resolution

2018-05-18 Thread ANDY DURBIN
Sorry, there was a typo in the table. It should read: WS pwr LP100 pwr 0024.9 1025.8 2526.4 < 2528.7 3029.8 3039.6 4040.3 73, Andy k3wyc From: ANDY DURBIN <

[Elecraft] KPA500 WS power resolution

2018-05-18 Thread ANDY DURBIN
The KPA500 provides the ^WS; serial interface interrogation which returns output power and SWR. The power and SWR are reported for STBY and OPER modes. In OPER mode the power seems to have a resolution of 1 Watt. In STBY, if I increment my drive power in 1 Watt steps the power reported by

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 WS power resolution

2018-05-18 Thread ANDY DURBIN
30 33.9 30 34.6 30 35.8 30 36.5 30 37.7 30 38.4 30 39.6 30 40.3 40 The question remains the same. Is the low resolution of WS indicated power intended? 73, Andy k3wyc From: ANDY DURBIN

[Elecraft] KAT500 maual tuning?

2018-06-16 Thread ANDY DURBIN
Can the KAT500 L and C values be manually incremented and decremented? There appear to be no controls on the front panel to allow this and I was unable to download the KAT500 utility to see if manual control is supported there. Thanks and 73, Andy, k3wyc

Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 maual tuning?

2018-06-16 Thread ANDY DURBIN
Andy k3wyc From: Michael Blake Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2018 7:12 AM To: ANDY DURBIN Cc: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 maual tuning? Yes, the KAT500 Utility provides this function. Michael Blake k9...@mac.com<mailto:k9...@icloud.com> On Jun 16, 2018, at 10:07

Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 maual tuning?

2018-06-16 Thread ANDY DURBIN
Thanks! My search for KAT500 utility took me to http://www.elecraft.com/KAT500/kat500_software.htm.old and I did not notice the "old"! 73, Andy k3wyc From: d...@elecraft.com Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2018 7:21 AM To: 'ANDY DURBIN'; 'Michael Blak

[Elecraft] power requirements for a K3S, KPA500, KAT500, P3?

2018-06-14 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"Will 15A house line supply enough juice for the K3S, KPA500, KAT500, and in the future a P3 Panadaper?" When I added my KPA500 to my TS-590S station I found the drop in mains voltage unacceptable. I made some changes in power distribution and now have a web power switch connected directly to

[Elecraft] OT - Source for Air Variable Capacitors

2018-06-17 Thread ANDY DURBIN
If you are making a home-brew loop why not make the capacitor too?My loop works fine at 100 W input but not yet tested at 500 W. I borrowed the capacitor design concept but the implementation details are mine. Capacitor components are hardware store copper pipe, copper pipe couplers, and

[Elecraft] Out of band data?

2018-06-07 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"I'm pretty sure I am seeing people running data WELL beyond the band plan into the SSB section of several bands... 20m for almost certain." Quite possibly the RF second harmonic of an in-band 40 m signal. It's unlikely that anyone would hope to work a data mode QSO far away from the accepted

[Elecraft] PA DISS fault and relationship to SWR

2018-05-26 Thread ANDY DURBIN
Up until this weekend I had experienced 3 PA DISS faults with my new KPA500. I provided data to Elecraft and, after a fairly long and informative email exchange, I was told the fault is very rare and most likely caused by some problem at my station. I developed a 10 frames per second data

[Elecraft] Ham radio as a side dish

2018-05-26 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"Drag a wire behind you like they tow banners." If it were as simple as you suggest then I think a few of us would be doing it. Picking up banners with an aircraft in flight is a skill that most pilots don't have. It would be far better to use a retractable antenna. However, a legal

Re: [Elecraft] PA DISS fault and relationship to SWR

2018-05-28 Thread ANDY DURBIN
. However, I found nothing in the documentation that suggested the KPA500 would fault frequently with a reported SWR of 1.4:1 and with power and SWR never peaking in to the amber regions. 73, Andy k3wyc From: ANDY DURBIN <a.dur...@msn.com> Sent: Saturday,

Re: [Elecraft] PA DISS fault and relationship to SWR

2018-05-28 Thread ANDY DURBIN
, Andy k3wyc From: Michael Blake <k9...@mac.com> Sent: Monday, May 28, 2018 6:10 AM To: ANDY DURBIN Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] PA DISS fault and relationship to SWR Andy, I have seen this too. My remote tuner will sometimes quit wi

Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 ATU not working well

2018-06-22 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"It might be but the amp is designed to work with radios other than K3s." The KPA1500 and KPA500 are both capable of receiving frequency from transceivers other than the K3S, so is the KAT500. I don't see how not using a K3S puts any limitation on my proposal. 73, Andy k3wyc

[Elecraft] KPA-1500 ATU not working well

2018-06-22 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"If 1.5:1 does this, then that's good enough in my book.  Furthermore, a better match might entail higher tuner losses.  So why worry about it? My test data for my KPA500 show there is a very significant difference in PA dissipation and also in harmonic output for loads giving indicated 1.4:1

[Elecraft] [KX3] QSO of the week (and a re-learned QRP SSB tip

2018-07-02 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"How about "stroke 7" or "slant 7"?" I verbalize k3wyc/7 as k3wyc slant seven. What I'm asking is - why don't stations who are actually operating portable use "slant papa"? I'm suggesting that the reason may be that "portable" is so extensively misused. 73, Andy k3wyc

[Elecraft] [KX3] QSO of the week (and a re-learned QRP SSB tip

2018-07-02 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"/QRP often, but not always, indicates a field operation, and they're sort of fun to work, at least for me." And sometimes it means someone running 5 W to a 6 ele Yagi at 75 ft! That station has far higher ERP that I do running 100 W with my modest antennas. If I was portable in UK, where

[Elecraft] KPA500/K3 AUX bus specification

2018-04-29 Thread ANDY DURBIN
Can someone please point me to a definition or specification for the KPA500 - K3 AUX Bus. I have the KPA500 Programmer's Reference but this appears to only cover the KPA500 - PC interface. Thanks and 73, Andy k3wyc __ Elecraft

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500/K3 AUX bus specification

2018-04-29 Thread ANDY DURBIN
From: Don Wilhelm <donw...@embarqmail.com> Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2018 2:45 PM To: ANDY DURBIN; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500/K3 AUX bus specification The AUXBUS protocol is Elecraft proprietary and is not published. It is the singl

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500/K3 AUX bus specification

2018-04-29 Thread ANDY DURBIN
any damage is to exceed Io max of the 2N7002K. What risks have I overlooked? I don't want to void the warranty while there are still unresolved issues with my KPA500. 73, Andy k3wyc From: Don Wilhelm <donw...@embarqmail.com> Sent: Sunday, April 29, 20

[Elecraft] FT8: "Magic radio"?

2018-07-03 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"How is it any different than the RTTY setups used for DXpeditions that would do essentially the same thing, listen over a wide range and stack the calls heard?" The, in my opinion huge, difference is that FT8 DXpedition mode does not even require the operator to be in the shack to complete

[Elecraft] FT8: "Magic radio"?

2018-07-03 Thread ANDY DURBIN
I have been using WSJT-X since before version 1.0 was made available.  I was also an early adopter of JT9 and FT8.  I have enjoyed using JT65, JT9, and FT8 for HF and 6 m QSO.  Using DXpedition mode to work KH1 was a different experience.  I felt that the operator had been taken much too far

Re: [Elecraft] FT8: "Magic radio"?

2018-07-03 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"That is FT8.  There is no involvement once the contact starts." That is only true is you choose to make it true. In basic FT8 mode "auto sequence" and "Call 1st" are operator options which I sometimes choose to disable. I also sometimes change my TX frequency in the middle of a QSO if I

[Elecraft] KAT500 and KPA500 integration

2018-06-21 Thread ANDY DURBIN
My KPA500 receives serial data (listen only) from my TS-590 and follows TS-590 band changes without needing RF input. If I connect the KPA500 and KAT500 with an AUX cable will the KAT500 be selected to the same band as the KPA500 before receiving RF input? If so, what minimum pin connection

[Elecraft] KAT500 and KPA500 integration

2018-06-21 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"The short answer is that neither the KPA500 or KAT500 can source signals - they can only read them from a transceiver and then follow its direction. This means that they can both read the status information from a Kenwood's COM port and act on it." Now I'm getting confused. Based on earlier

Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 and KPA500 integration

2018-06-21 Thread ANDY DURBIN
It's clear that both the KPA500 and KAT500 must be RS-232 transmitters as well as RS-232 receivers. If that were not true then the PC utilities could not function. My station data logger has been polling, and receiving responses from, my KPA500 since I first built it. Now I know that the

[Elecraft] Seems That 6 Meters is Some What Open

2018-06-21 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"My question would be how any KL7's did you work? 99% of openings do not happen "Up here"." And that is my problem! Only Alaska left to work for 6 m WAS and it seems that even in the best openings there are very few Alaska stations even listening. Yesterday I did see that KL7KY and KL7HBK

[Elecraft] KPA-1500 ATU not working well

2018-06-22 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"Clearly there has to be some hysteresis to stop hunting. 25% of a segment width might width be a good number to choose, but this would require the current frequency counter to have improved resolution." Why wouldn't it be preferable to use the transceiver's exact TX frequency, if available,

[Elecraft] Decoding the Serial Output from a KX3

2018-07-30 Thread ANDY DURBIN
KX3 has the option to output aux bus on ACC2 "TRN CTRL (output; XV-series transverter control using Elecraft auxBus prototcol)". Why wouldn't you connect this directly to the aux bus input pin of the KPA500. Isn't that what it is for? Not discouraging Arduino projects though as I am

[Elecraft] KPA500 hum/buzz

2018-07-29 Thread ANDY DURBIN
When I first started using my KPA500 I found the hum/buzz during high power CW operation to be intolerable. Elecraft support sent me a paper on hum reduction, a longer transformer bolt, and additional rubber washers. I did not use any of this new hardware but now have acceptable hum/buzz

[Elecraft] Noise cancelling headphones

2018-08-05 Thread ANDY DURBIN
Can anyone point me to a specification for any aviation headset that claims the microphone has active noise cancellation?   Can anyone point me to a specification for any non-aviation headset that claims the microphone has active noise cancellation? Many/most aviation headsets use noise

[Elecraft] Using N1MM to Key a K3 with no outboard keyer

2018-08-02 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"but here's my question -- what is the CATA1ASC for?" http://n1mm.hamdocs.com/tiki-index.php?page=Macros As a TS-590 owner it's interesting that KY command as implemented by Elecraft does not conform to the Kenwood definition. The Elecraft implementation is much better since it allows KY

[Elecraft] Survey and summary: Elecraft K3/K3S panadapter solutions

2018-07-26 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"Instead I chose one of SDR-based alternatives which does more, better, at lower cost, and - crucially - continues to evolve. Meanwhile, the P3 falls farther behind. " While my TS-590 panadapter solution is not directly related to K3 integration it may be of interest to those considering how

Re: [Elecraft] KXUSB Signal Levels Was: Re: Connecting a KXUSB to the K2 RS232

2018-08-06 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"but with horrible negative going spikes at each return to zero" I need to correct that. The spikes are somewhat random. For some interrogation responses the data word is completely free of negative going spikes. For other responses there are multiple negative going spikes. When the spikes

[Elecraft] KXUSB Signal Levels Was: Re: Connecting a KXUSB to the K2 RS232

2018-08-06 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"can you confirm that the KXUSB uses TTL signal levels rather than standard RS232 levels? " I just put a scope on a breakout of the signals between a KXUSB and my KAT500. I needed to do this for another purpose anyway. The simple answer seems to be the (my) interface is neither TTL nor

[Elecraft] beta Software: KPA1500 FANticipator - console and fan control

2018-08-09 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"It also seems like this fan logic could be built into the KPA1500 firmware if the result is a quieter and cooler amp. on receive." Actually it seems as though Elecraft chose to go the other way - delay the fan speed increase until a higher temperature.  See KPA1500 firmware release notes:

[Elecraft] KPA-1500 Efficiency As A Function of Input Power

2018-08-17 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"There was a similar post about the KPA500 in the last year or so. Elecraft responded that the amp was designed for 500 Watts running less was less efficient and running amp at low power was doing it no favors. " Here is an example of measured PA dissipation for a KPA500:

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 thermal clicks

2018-07-18 Thread ANDY DURBIN
I placed my Android phone on top of my KPA500 and made a recording while making a few cycles of FT8 TX/RX. The audio files can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/amfy3dz8pgl083n/AAAKi2GYripXyIDjiLpJ2hDwa?dl=0 One file is the raw recording. The second has been processed in Audacity

[Elecraft] Vanity Calls Signs

2018-07-18 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"Gotta unsubscribe. Can’t take 20 emails a day about nothing. " You could, perhaps, try a different way of participating. I receive zero emails from this "list". I simply visit the archive and read the discussions I'm interested in. Try this -

[Elecraft] new owner looking for fuses.

2018-07-14 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"Of course 250v fuses are also fine with 120v amp wiring but the amperage will double." There is so much more to learn when the discussion gets back on topic! Andy k3wyc __ Elecraft mailing list Home:

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 thermal clicks

2018-07-17 Thread ANDY DURBIN
17, 2018 6:05 AM To: ANDY DURBIN Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 thermal clicks “Clicks” caused by the “Z” bracket are well documented and normal. Personally, I don’t find this “intolerable” or even slightly annoying. My wall clock “ticks” every second. Sent from

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 thermal clicks

2018-07-17 Thread ANDY DURBIN
If you want to talk about weak signal vs low power please start another thread. Please don't take the discussion away from the topic I started. In that new thread I'll be happy to tell you about my antenna, the signal reports I received, and the QSO I struggled to complete this morning.

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 thermal clicks

2018-07-17 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"I'd appreciate a pointer to any discussions of Z bracket clicks. My search didn't find anything." I looked again and this time found some discussion here - https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/elecraft-kpa500-pinging-during-operating.591521/ and here -

Re: [Elecraft] K3 integration with KPA500 and KAT500

2018-07-16 Thread ANDY DURBIN
The problem with relying on RF detection is that the station is configured after TX starts rather than before TX starts. Perhaps for some owners this is not an issue. For me it is a significant issue. If the band change requires a change of antenna then my LP-100A may alarm on SWR before

[Elecraft] K3 integration with KPA500 and KAT500

2018-07-15 Thread ANDY DURBIN
I'd like to understand all the operational advantages of integrating a K3 with a KPA500 and KAT500 that are not available to those who chose to use a TS-590 instead of a K3. I know about: 1. KPA500 and KAT500 know TX frequency and configure band, antenna, and tuning solution before

Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 Bypassed or Bypass?

2018-07-23 Thread ANDY DURBIN
Thanks Dick. 73, 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

[Elecraft] Elecraft utilities configuration files?

2018-07-23 Thread ANDY DURBIN
An easy way to find and copy the configuration files is as follows: In the utility select Save Configuration - This will open an Explorer window to allow you to specify a file name. Don't specify a file name Pick the file you want to copy and right click it Select Copy Cancel the file save

[Elecraft] KAT500 Bypassed or Bypass?

2018-07-23 Thread ANDY DURBIN
My default KAT500 configuration for 6 meters is Mode - Manual, Antenna -1, Others - Bypassed. If I select Mode - Bypass I hear a relay click but Antenna and Others are unchanged. There is no change in SWR. What changes between Mode - Manual, Others - Bypassed and Mode - Bypass, Others -

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 thermal clicks

2018-07-18 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"I doubt that a phone recording has the proper range to qualify as a test device." I think some people have misunderstood the reason for making the recording. The purpose was to establish a baseline. If any mechanical changes I make change the acoustic signature of the clicks then I have

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 thermal clicks

2018-07-19 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"it is hard to tell if the overall ticking is tracking the temp" It's quite instructive to view the file in Audacity. That shows clearly that the groups of clicks that happen during the heating cycle are about half the amplitude of the group of click that happen during the cooling cycles. The

[Elecraft] KPA500 thermal clicks

2018-07-17 Thread ANDY DURBIN
The clicking of my KPA500 is almost intolerable and I'd like to know if what I'm experiencing is typical. In an FT8 TX/RX cycle with output power 126 W my KPA500 clicks 7-8 times during 15 second transmit and 7-8 times during 15 second receive. In these TX/RX cycles my logger shows the

[Elecraft] KAT500 antenna selection

2018-07-05 Thread ANDY DURBIN
Confirmed as a firmware defect by Elecraft. I don't understand how this has gone unnoticed for so long. Doesn't anyone else use bypass mode? 73, Andy k3wyc From: ANDY DURBIN Sent: Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:02 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: KAT500

[Elecraft] [KX3] RS232 xcvr control when serial ports are occupied

2018-07-08 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"My first thought is that, since the antenna controller just sniffs for data, I could add a DB-9 Y-cable to provide the extra port at the controller serial port location. However, packets could still collide ...does the protocol handle this? Is there some sort of multiplexer available?" If

Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] RS232 xcvr control when serial ports are occupied

2018-07-08 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"TXD is really pin 3." One end's TXD is the other end's RXD. That's obvious to those who have used RS-233 for a while but if someone needs to ask then it may not be obvious. Find the TXD pin on the source and connect it the RXD pin on the destination. Sometimes it's easier to look with a

Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] RS232 xcvr control when serial ports are occupied

2018-07-08 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"No, TXD is TXD all the way through the path.  Yes, the DTE TXD will have the drivers, and the DCE will have receivers, but it is TXD from end to end.  RXD is the other way around because the DCE drives that line. Transmit and receive are named with respect to the DTE." That's great when one

[Elecraft] KAT500 "Last Observed" "Tune State"

2018-07-06 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"What do the numbers displayed after the Tune State mean? " If this was answered I missed it. Where can I find the "decoder" for KAT500 Utility "Tune State". I thought I could solve it by experiment but not been able to yet. Thanks and 73, Andy k3wyc

[Elecraft] KAT500 antenna port isolation

2018-07-07 Thread ANDY DURBIN
I've been using Alpha Delta model Delta-4 switches for manual antenna selection.  I thought that having the ability to auto select the appropriate antenna with my KAT500 would be a significant improvement for my station.  I don't have a K3 so I created a band decoder that drives the KAT500 band

Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 antenna port isolation

2018-07-07 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"I have similar issue and was told in this mailing list that the issue came from antenna port isolation but it was within specification." Ok, but where is the specification? I don't see it in the specifications in the KAT500 Owners Manual (page 2). If I browse the DX Engineering catalog I do

Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 antenna port isolation

2018-07-07 Thread ANDY DURBIN
" From your explanation, it sounds like you've switched the active KAT500 antenna port to a dummy load on which you're hearing a local 6m station. If that's correct, I don't believe you're looking at port isolation, you're just receiving a local guy on your dummy load, which wouldn't be at all

Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 antenna port isolation

2018-07-07 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"I suppose the only way to get good isolation data will be to do a sweep of the KPA500 and Alpha Delta switch" Sorry - that should have read "I suppose the only way to get good isolation data will be to do a sweep of the KAT500 and Alpha Delta switch". TMGS? 73, Andy k3wuc

[Elecraft] KAT500 antenna selection

2018-07-03 Thread ANDY DURBIN
I have a new KAT500 and am learning how to use it. I have set up the antenna switching table in the expectation that the table will be followed when I'm in Automatic mode. However, I find that the antenna switching table is also in effect when I'm in Manual mode. I cannot manually select the

[Elecraft] KAT500 antenna selection

2018-07-03 Thread ANDY DURBIN
I've experimented more with the available selections but I still don't see why my KAT500 does what is does. Here is a specific example of a case that I don't understand: My configuration for 40 is Enabled 2 and 3. Preferred 2 My configuration for 20 is Enabled 1 and 3. Preferred 1 I

[Elecraft] Vanity call question

2018-07-13 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"I want to learn about vanity call signs, why would I want one? What do they represent?" A vanity call is one that is self selected rather than being the next in order assigned by FCC. The main reason for getting one is vanity. Many select a vanity call that represents their name or

Re: [Elecraft] OT OT OT OT Vanity call question OT OT OT OT

2018-07-13 Thread ANDY DURBIN
k3wyc From: Mike Morrow Sent: Friday, July 13, 2018 2:21 PM To: ANDY DURBIN; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT OT OT OT Vanity call question OT OT OT OT > I want to learn about vanity call signs, why would I want one? You have pos

[Elecraft] KPA500 clicks and thermal design

2018-04-21 Thread ANDY DURBIN
I find the "clicks" my KPA500 makes as its temperature changes to be quite distracting. Part of the problem is that I'm chasing a problem where the KPA500 changes band spuriously and the thermal clicks sound too much like the relays re-configuring the LPF. To what extend does the thermal

[Elecraft] KPA500 Clicks & Pops

2018-10-16 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"If you can figure out how to keep the relatively thin "Z" panel from expanding and contracting as it is heated and cooled, you will have a solution to the problem." If the Z bracket really is the source of the noise, and I'm not yet convinced it is, then there is no need to stop it expanding

[Elecraft] KPA500 Clicks & Pops

2018-10-16 Thread ANDY DURBIN
I found this quite annoying too. My approach was to try to understand how the Z bracket temperature varied relative to the heat sink temperature. I placed a thermistor on the front end of the Z bracket and another on the heat sink fin closest to the Z bracket. I logged the standard PA

Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 as a remote-controlled tuner

2018-11-03 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"The keying interrupt must be provided by the ATU in order to avoid hot switching the ATU relays when it tunes. This cannot be determined anywhere but in the ATU, thus it must provide the break. That key line break is pretty important to the life of the ATU." Thanks to Jack and Dick for

[Elecraft] KAT500 as a remote-controlled tuner

2018-11-03 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"Someone asked me recently whether a KAT500 could be remote-controlled" It wasn't me that asked but I have been considering using the KAT500 as a remote tuner as I need higher power capability than my current MFJ-993BRT. However, my approach was going to be to buy just the KAT500 board and

Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 as a remote-controlled tuner

2018-11-03 Thread ANDY DURBIN
is not needed to protect the KAT500. Andy, k3wyc From: Jack Brindle Sent: Saturday, November 3, 2018 12:58 PM To: ANDY DURBIN Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 as a remote-controlled tuner The keying interrupt must be provided

Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 as a remote-controlled tuner

2018-11-04 Thread ANDY DURBIN
From: Jack Brindle Sent: Saturday, November 3, 2018 7:07 PM To: ANDY DURBIN Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 as a remote-controlled tuner The answer is yes. But then it won’t tune and the cores will overheat from excess power trying

[Elecraft] KAT500 FCCS and FCMD

2018-11-02 Thread ANDY DURBIN
I'd like to hear from who has successfully tailored KAT500 serial interface commands FCCS and FCMD to overcome a frequency stability issue. I cannot reconcile the results of my experiments with the command descriptions. Yes, I have a request in with support but the relevant specialist is

[Elecraft] WSJT-X Disabling TX INHIBIT on K3S

2018-11-13 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"was told that the WSJT-X would not effect TX INHIBIT on the K3S." I did a quick check on my TS-590S with WSJT-X ver 1.9.1. TX inhibit is not cleared by WSJT-X and there is no transmission. If WSJT-X could clear a TX inhibit it would, in my opinion, be an appalling design flaw. I have been

Re: [Elecraft] WSJT-X Disabling TX INHIBIT on K3S

2018-11-13 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"How does one implement TX Inhibit on a Kenwood TS-590?" On a TS-590S TX inhibit is menu 60. The EX command is used to change menu settings over CAT. For a TS-590S - EX0600; reads the inhibit status EX06001; sets TX inhibit EX06000; clears TX inhibit For a TS-590SG the menu

[Elecraft] Killed the KPA500 :)

2018-11-16 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"The unit was powered on and it came up in operate mode while the HF radio was in TX at 100w on 6M. End result is that the magic smoke got out. :)" I suspect this is a very common mistake for ops who sometimes use the amp and sometimes operate barefoot. I thought the KPA500 was designed to

Re: [Elecraft] Killed the KPA500 :)

2018-11-16 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"My KPA500 does not power up in operate. It always powers up in Standby." Mine too. I also drop to STBY on band change. Both are user configurable and, since this is my first amp, I chose settings that leaned towards safety rather than operator convenience. I forget what the defaults were.

[Elecraft] KPA500 hum; horrendous

2018-11-07 Thread ANDY DURBIN
Hum level depends on PA current draw from the torroidal transformer. What is your PA voltage key down? What is the complex impedance of the antenna system as measured at the amplifier? I reduced my KPA500 hum level from intolerable to acceptable by adjusting the transformer voltage tap and

Re: [Elecraft] WSJT-X Disabling TX INHIBIT on K3S

2018-11-13 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"At least the Elecraft menu items are spelled out in abbreviated English and not a string of numbers. " Setting TX Inhibit from the Kenwood TS-590 menu simply requires selecting the menu number, where the selection is declared in plain English, and then selecting "on" or "off". If you want

Re: [Elecraft] WSJT-X Disabling TX INHIBIT on K3S

2018-11-13 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"Are you saying that you have to send the radio a serial command to engage and disengage the inhibit property? TS-590 TX Inhibit can be activated by CAT as I described or by a manual menu selection. There is no hardware TX inhibit for the TS-590S or TS-590SG. I think that is a significant

[Elecraft] KAT500 Key Line Interrupt when in BYP mode?

2018-09-02 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"The Elecraft KPA500 amplifier also works efficiently into a load SWR of 1.5:1" Any such claim is at best misleading. There may be some 1.5:1 loads that that the KPA500 will be happy with but there are other 1.5:1 loads that it will object to, to the point of giving multiple PA DISS faults.

[Elecraft] Using A 6 Meter LNA & Amplifier with the K3S

2018-09-23 Thread ANDY DURBIN
"The ONLY good use of ALC between rig and amp is to protect the amp from a failure in the antenna system. " The KPA500 doesn't work that way so I'd be surprised if the KPA1500 did. For the KPA500 a badly mismatched load will trip the reflected power fault without making any change to the ALC

Re: [Elecraft] Killed the KPA500 :)

2018-11-16 Thread ANDY DURBIN
" I thought the KPA500 was designed to protect against that user error. Seems I was wrong. " According to the KPA500 Owner's Manual the KPA500 should react to excessive drive by first switching in the attenuator and, if that is not sufficient drive reduction, issuing hard fault 06 and

[Elecraft] KPA500 PA transistor screws

2019-01-05 Thread Andy Durbin
>From "KPA100 failure" topic - "Thirdly, were the PA transistors tight? If not, the PA transistors will heat the board around the transistors and not be thermally coupled to the heatsink. Are the thermal pads properly in place? After initial assembly (and anytime afterwards if the thermal

[Elecraft] K3s can only transmit wsjt if the K3s codec is windows default.

2019-01-20 Thread Andy Durbin
"Hope you check your windows setting, you might be surprised." No surprises here. I have never had my rig CODEC as the default sound playback device. I don't have Windows 10 but, in every earlier version I have used, it is easy to ensure that the rig CODEC is not the default playback device.

[Elecraft] KPA1500 loose 3K Ohm/3 watt resistor

2019-01-20 Thread Andy Durbin
"I've looked at the boards and cannot see where it came off. I also looked at the pictures Elecraft submitted to the FCC and they do not show it." What doesn't work that used to work? If nothing, then maybe they slipped it in there just to confuse you. From the photo it looks as though it

Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 loose 3K Ohm/3 watt resistor

2019-01-21 Thread Andy Durbin
"The leads of the resistor look like they are bent at the end as if it was soldered to surface of the board" I suspect you are right. I looked at the (perhaps intentionally) out of focus FCC photos and I see a wire ended resistor bridging surface mount pads in the lower left of the "Bottom

[Elecraft] Auto-spot, tuning aids, and the arcane history of CW pitch-matching

2019-01-22 Thread Andy Durbin
A history of CW pitch matching would seem to be incomplete without a mention of the BFO (Beat Frequency Oscillator). When I started operating CW I had separate TX and RX. TX was homebrew and the RX was an AR-88D.A common technique for tuning a CW station was to set the BFO to zero offset,

[Elecraft] Auto-spot, tuning aids, and the arcane history of CW pitch-matching

2019-01-22 Thread Andy Durbin
"Find a signal, turn on CWT, then tap SPOT to tune it in. A second tap of SPOT may get even closer, especially if there's a lot of band noise." and "I'm a great fan of using the auto-spot feature, and love to show it off to all shack visitors, as an example of yet another reason they need to

[Elecraft] KPA-1500 ATU BYP light always on

2019-01-19 Thread Andy Durbin
"If someone else has a better way of explaining it, I would like to see it." Don't have a KPA1500 but I do have a KAT500. For that tuner there is a clear distinction between being in BYPASS mode, and not being in BYPASS mode but having the ATU relays in the bypassed position. The bypass

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