An external PA with the K2?

[Kristinn Andersen-2]

Hi:

 

I am considering obtaining a K2 and just posted a question regarding the
most useful options for QRP.

 

Now, when using the K2 at home, particularly for contesting, I may want to
run the full 100W.  Instead of integrating the 100W PA "permanently" into
the rig, and not having it instantly available as a QRP rig, I would rather
want to have the 100W amplifier external and simply plug the K2 up to it
when I am using it as a home station.

 

So, is the 100W PA available as an external unit?  Any other suggestions?  I
am aware of other solid state amplifiers, such as the Ameritron units, but I
feel that would be an overkill.  Mounting the 100W PA from Elecraft into the
EC2, or something similar (keeping the QSK, as well) would be a neat
solution...

 

73 de Kristinn, TF3KX

 

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[JEAN-FRANCOIS MENARD-3]

Yes of course...


I built mine that way... a QRp ready to go and an external PA that also
include an antenna tuner in a EC2 enclosure....

Se my website for photos....
http://homepage.mac.com/jfmenard/PhotoAlbum29.html

73

Le 05-02-16, à 19:24, Kristinn Andersen a écrit :

> Hi:
>
>
>
> I am considering obtaining a K2 and just posted a question regarding
> the
> most useful options for QRP.
>
>
>
> Now, when using the K2 at home, particularly for contesting, I may
> want to
> run the full 100W.  Instead of integrating the 100W PA "permanently"
> into
> the rig, and not having it instantly available as a QRP rig, I would
> rather
> want to have the 100W amplifier external and simply plug the K2 up to
> it
> when I am using it as a home station.
>
>
>
> So, is the 100W PA available as an external unit?  Any other
> suggestions?  I
> am aware of other solid state amplifiers, such as the Ameritron units,
> but I
> feel that would be an overkill.  Mounting the 100W PA from Elecraft
> into the
> EC2, or something similar (keeping the QSK, as well) would be a neat
> solution...
>
>
>
> 73 de Kristinn, TF3KX
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>

===========================
Jean-François Ménard / VA2VYZ
Elecraft K2 #4130 / KX1 #999

http://homepage.mac.com/jfmenard
===========================

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[David Toepfer]

Here is the summary of posts I have seen in the past about this issue.  Anyone
who has anything to add/modify/remove, please send it to me and I will
integrate it into this summary.

dt
.

--- Kristinn Andersen <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Instead of integrating the 100W PA "permanently" into
> the rig, and not having it instantly available as a QRP rig, I would rather
> want to have the 100W amplifier external and simply plug the K2 up to it
> when I am using it as a home station.
>
> So, is the 100W PA available as an external unit?  Any other suggestions?  I
> am aware of other solid state amplifiers, such as the Ameritron units, but I
> feel that would be an overkill.  Mounting the 100W PA from Elecraft into the
> EC2, or something similar (keeping the QSK, as well) would be a neat
> solution...

----

--- "David Toepfer" <[hidden email]>

I was wondering how I could build a K2 and keep it light and QRP portable
without having to actually remove the amp every time I wanted to move it.  

Puting a KPA100 and a KAT100-2 in EC2 case, is that possible?

--- "Bill Flynn AIØC" <[hidden email]>

Lyle Johnson, KK7P (ex-WA7GXD), has done this.  He's written it all up on an
excellent Web page that you can view at
http://www.fidalgo.net/~wa7gxd/k2kpa100.html.

--- "Paul Clay" <[hidden email]>

Has anyone implemented Lyle Johnson's (KK7P's) suggested method (see
http://www.fidalgo.net/~wa7gxd/k2kpa100.html#NOKIO2) of running a K2 and
KAT-100 combo without an
installed KIO2 (or KPA-100)?

--- "Sverre Holm" <[hidden email]>

The question of the KPA-100 external to the K2 surfaces from time to time, and
there are two descriptions of how it can be done. To find them you may check
the Unofficial K2 Modifications page at www.qsl.net/la3za/K2/mod.html, go to
General mods and then KPA100.

--- "Tom Hammond" <[hidden email]>

Please visit:

    http://www.fidalgo.net/~wa7gxd/k2kpa100.html

For (I think) all the info you should require on this subject

--- "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>

Yes, it IS do-able and has been done.  In fact, I just received my EC2
enclosure and am about to do it myself.  Check out
http://www.fidalgo.net/~wa7gxd/k2kpa100.html to see how.

In addition to the external enclosure, you will need the KIO2 option in your
base K2 so it can communicate with the external KPA100.

--- "Bob Nielsen" <[hidden email]>

Is it recommended to integrate the KPA100 with the K2 and get it all working
together before remoting it in the EC2?

--- "Lyle Johnson" <[hidden email]>

In the initial KPA-100 checkout, I had mine laying upside-down on a thick book
(must have been a Windows tome...) with the cables plugged into the open-top
K2.

Once the KPA100 is checked out in this fashion, cal done, etc., I don't think
it matters which box you put it in.

--- "Eric Manning" <[hidden email]>

YES!  That way, if any little glitches pop up  when you remote the KPA-100, you
can eliminate a lot of possibilities up front.  For instance, if there are
communication problems when it's remoted but
it's OK when in the single box, you can focus on the RS-232 path between the
two microprocessors . It's just the same principle of building a piece of the
kit, then testing it before building any more, which Elecraft always follows.

--- [hidden email]

My question for those who have gone through this is if there is a recommended
order of construction that makes integration and/or check-out of the various
components easieror more logical.  

--- "Lyle Johnson" <[hidden email]>

Yes,

1) Build the KPA-100 into the K2 and see that it works.

2) Build the KAT-100 in the EC2 case, connect it to the K2/100, and see that it
works.

3) Build the KIO2, remove the KPA-100, and verify the K2/KAT-100 combination
works.

4) Put the KPA-100 into the EC2 with the KAT-100 and verify it all works.

--- "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>

Yes, do the KIO2 first, but check out the instructions for mounting the
KPA100 in the EC2 while you are building it - the inductors on the KIO2
connector/header board must be changed to toroids or other chokes that will
carry the additional current.

Other than that, I can think of no other particular order, but you may want
to build the KPA100 before the KAT100 so you can check out the tuner at full
power.

--- "Bill Acito W1PA" <[hidden email]>

fyi, consensus (6 or 7 emails) seemed to be

if you want to swap back and forth from a QRP to the 100W version of the K2,
then mounting the
KPA100 (and KAT100) in a seperate EC2 is the way to go. Most (not all) who
responded found swapping the lids tedious, and dangerous (possibly dropping a
heavy lid into the K2)

--- "Bill Acito W1PA" <[hidden email]>

Yes, and was still described as faster and safer.

http://www.qsl.net/la3za/K2/modAny.html#KPA100

--- "JEAN-FRANCOIS MENARD" <[hidden email]>

Now I have updated my website about building a KPA100 and KAT100 in the same
enclosure, as advertised by Elecraft with the KAT100-2.

See my link: http://homepage.mac.com/jfmenard/PhotoAlbum29.html

Comments or questions are welcome !!!

[...]

--- "Bob Nielsen" <[hidden email]>

You will need a KIO in addition to the EC2, KPA100 and KAT100-2. You can find
full information on KK7P's website at
<http://www.fidalgo.net/~wa7gxd/k2kpa100.html>.

--- "JEAN-FRANCOIS MENARD" <[hidden email]>  Add to Address BookAdd to
Address Book

If you need more photos of that setup, look at my website... I did
thing setup 2 weeks ago. Very easy with the latest version of the
KAT-100-2.

http://homepage.mac.com/jfmenard

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com