Elecraft

Antenna switching question

Classic

List

Threaded

5 messages Options

Chuck Chandler

Antenna switching question

Currently I have five antennas connected to my K3S via a manual switch:

LPDA, 20 through 10
Vertical, CW on 80, low end of 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10.
Dipole, Phone on 75, phone on 40, 20, 15
Inverted-L on 160
Yagi on 6
Mostly the antennas are below 2:1, but they need some flattening on 160, 80
and 40 if I have to go beyond their sweet spots.

When I build the KAT500, what is the best use of the 3 ports available to
maximize it's tuning algorithm? In other words, how can I maximize the
likelihood that a band change or QSY will result in a rapid tune due to
prior memorization, versus a somewhat longer full tune?

My thoughts were perhaps to put the 6 and 160 antennas each on their own
KAT500 port, then use the manual switch for the three that would cover HF.
Fine, except there could be a situation where the KAT500 had memorized a
tune for 7.100 that might be fine for the vertical but different for the
dipole. The vertical is omni, so at times it would be a better choice than
the dipole.

Or, perhaps experienced users can tell me that the tuning works quick
enough that even if I try to confuse it the KAT500 will be quick enough
that it isn't an issue.

73 de Chuck, WS1L

--

===================
Chuck Chandler
[hidden email]
===================
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

Don Wilhelm

Re: Antenna switching question

Chuck,

Since you have a manual switch for your antennas --
Consider your operating habits.
Connect the 2 antennas you most frequently use to their own KAT500 port,
then connect the others through your switch.

Since you have the vertical which covers all bands, and other bands that
overlap band coverage, put the vertical on one KAT500 port.
Then put either the 160m or the 6 meter (whichever band you use most) on
another port. Connect the 3rd port to the antenna switch.
Select the vertical and the other antenna connected to the dedicated
port with the ANT 1,2,3 selection on the KAT500, then with the antenna
switch port selected, you switch between the other antennas.

Don't worry about the number of memories and antenna ports. The KAT500
will remember the tuning settings easily. Just don't forget to operate
the manual switch when you change to a particular band.

Another idea if it appeals to you and you have the subRX - use the
vertical to connect to the AUX RX antenna on the K3 for the sub. That
allows you to use the vertical along with another horizontal antenna for
diversity reception.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/22/2018 10:56 AM, Chuck Chandler wrote:

> Currently I have five antennas connected to my K3S via a manual switch:
>
> LPDA, 20 through 10
> Vertical, CW on 80, low end of 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10.
> Dipole, Phone on 75, phone on 40, 20, 15
> Inverted-L on 160
> Yagi on 6
> Mostly the antennas are below 2:1, but they need some flattening on 160, 80
> and 40 if I have to go beyond their sweet spots.
>
> When I build the KAT500, what is the best use of the 3 ports available to
> maximize it's tuning algorithm? In other words, how can I maximize the
> likelihood that a band change or QSY will result in a rapid tune due to
> prior memorization, versus a somewhat longer full tune?
>
> My thoughts were perhaps to put the 6 and 160 antennas each on their own
> KAT500 port, then use the manual switch for the three that would cover HF.
> Fine, except there could be a situation where the KAT500 had memorized a
> tune for 7.100 that might be fine for the vertical but different for the
> dipole. The vertical is omni, so at times it would be a better choice than
> the dipole.
>
> Or, perhaps experienced users can tell me that the tuning works quick
> enough that even if I try to confuse it the KAT500 will be quick enough
> that it isn't an issue.

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Re: Antenna switching question

In reply to this post by Chuck Chandler

> Or, perhaps experienced users can tell me that the tuning works
> quick enough that even if I try to confuse it the KAT500 will be
> quick enough that it isn't an issue.
Since there is no overlap among the 160m inverted-L, LPDA (20-10)
and 6 meter Yagi, I would put them on the manual switch on one port.
That would leave the vertical and dipole on their own ports.

The KAT500 memorizes tuning by band and port so you should be able
to recall the memorized settings for frequency/band without any
confusion when selecting antennas/bands.

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 2/22/2018 10:56 AM, Chuck Chandler wrote:

Richard Ferch-2

Re: Antenna switching question

In reply to this post by Chuck Chandler

The KAT500 remembers its settings for each band/port combination. You can
connect several antennas to a given port through external switches, but if
two of those antennas are ever used on the same band, there is a danger
that the KAT500's settings that work with one of the antennas will be wrong
for the other antenna that you use on the same band/port combination,
requiring the KAT500 to retune every time you switch between those
antennas. To avoid this situation, you should try to make sure to the
extent possible that on any band where you use more than one antenna, those
antennas are connected to different ports on the KAT500.

Since you have three different antennas that are used on 20 and 15, you
should try to ensure that those three antennas are connected to separate
ports on the KAT500. That means that the LPDA, the vertical and the dipole
should all be on separate ports. In your case, once you have done that the
only antennas you have left are single-band antennas that you do not use on
any band that is shared with any other antenna, so you can put them on
whichever port you want.

If you are likely to be switching back and forth between two antennas
because their bands are often open at the same time, it might be best to
separate those antennas to minimize the number of times you need to operate
a manual antenna switch. That suggests putting the 160m inverted L on the
same port as the LPDA, to minimize the amount of switching back and forth
between 160 and 80/75 (where you use the other two antennas). The 6m
antenna can go anywhere; wherever you are least often likely to have to
switch back and forth, e.g. on the same port as the dipole.

73,
Rich VE3KI

WS1L wrote:

When I build the KAT500, what is the best use of the 3 ports available to
maximize it's tuning algorithm? In other words, how can I maximize the
likelihood that a band change or QSY will result in a rapid tune due to
prior memorization, versus a somewhat longer full tune?
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

n0uk

Antenna switching question

In reply to this post by Joe Subich, W4TV-4

I love how well the external KPA100 performs and integrates with my KX3,
and am particularly impressed at the speed the PA's ATU can find a match.

The only niggle I have is that I need to remember to disable the ATU when
using my mag loop on antenna 2 and enable it when using the end-fed wire
on antenna port 1.

Given that the firmware very effectively memorizes the various optimal
tuning combinations for the various antennas, it woul dbe very nice that
it remember whether the tuner should be enabled or disabled depending upon
which antenna is selected.

Is that possible already, or a suggestion for a future firmware release?

73 Chris, N0UK
--
73 Chris Cox, N0UK, G4JEC
[hidden email]

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]