Fw: KPA500 kit

[Dave Perry N4QS]

Andy,

How do you get the KPA500 to turn on when you turn on the K3?  Mine do not
 do that.

 Thanks,

 Dave, N4QS

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Andrew Faber" <[hidden email]>
> To: "[hidden email]" <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 3:40 PM
> Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 kit
>
>
>> Just to whet everyone's appetites further, here's a one week report on my
>> new KPA500 (ser. 077, almost matches my K3, ser. 076), built as a Field
>> Test
>> kit.
>>  The assembly was very straightforward, easier than the K3.  It was
>> speeded
>> up by the fact that the parts inventory was missing from the preliminary
>> kit
>> manual, so no time was spent checking for completeness -- I just kept
>> building, waiting to see if anything crucial had been omitted (nothing
>> was).
>> There was a pre-production glitch with a ribbon cable, but that was
>> quickly
>> remedied by Bob Wolbert, K6XX, the project manager, and the finished kit
>> works great.
>>  Although this may not bear management's approval, I gave it several
>> hours
>> of workout in the All Asian contest this weekend, running JA's at a
>> steady
>> 600 watts on my wattmeter.  Nary a problem, and the temperature readout
>> never went above 60 degrees C. (it's rated for 90 degrees C.).
>>  The integration with the K3 is delightful.  The amp and radio follow
>> each
>> other's band changes, and the K3 remembers two power levels, the standby
>> and
>> operate levels, and switches automatically.  The KPA500 also comes on
>> when
>> you turn on the K3 (provided the main power switch on the back of the amp
>> is
>> on), so it's just like having a more powerful radio.  All in all,
>> operation
>> is really seamless with the K3.  I imagine it would be almost as good
>> with
>> any other radio, as the amp, when not connected to the K3, switches bands
>> with the first dit due to rf sampling.
>>  Anyway, I'm one happy camper with the KPA500, and wanted to share my
>> experience.
>>  73, andy ae6y
>>
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[Andy Faber]

Dave,
  I think that actually may not be the intended behavior.  I used a 15-pin
extender cable (non-Elecraft), and one of the pins in the AUX output is a
PWR ON output from the K3.  I have heard that Elecraft actually cuts this
pin in their interconnect cable, because the PWR ON  features of the K3 and
the KPA500 don't actually correspond properly (the KPA's is is a toggle,
while the K3's is a high or low state).  The result is that with my cable,
the K3 will turn on the KPA500, but won't turn it off.  Furthermore, while
the K3 is on, the front panel ON button on the KPA500 won't turn it off
either.  So it may be better not to have this feature at all.
  I found non-Elecraft cables are quite inconsistent as to what they
actually consist of.  Many are VGA extender cables, which actually don't use
all 15 pins.  In addition, I have some such cables that apparently ground
the K3 PTT input line, with the result that you can't turn the radio off
while the cable is connected!
  73, andy ae6y


-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Perry
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2011 11:40 AM
To: 'Elecraft Reflector'
Subject: [Elecraft] Fw: KPA500 kit

Andy,

How do you get the KPA500 to turn on when you turn on the K3?  Mine do not
do that.

Thanks,

Dave, N4QS

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Andrew Faber" <[hidden email]>
> To: "[hidden email]" <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 3:40 PM
> Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 kit
>
>
>> Just to whet everyone's appetites further, here's a one week report on my
>> new KPA500 (ser. 077, almost matches my K3, ser. 076), built as a Field
>> Test
>> kit.
>>  The assembly was very straightforward, easier than the K3.  It was
>> speeded
>> up by the fact that the parts inventory was missing from the preliminary
>> kit
>> manual, so no time was spent checking for completeness -- I just kept
>> building, waiting to see if anything crucial had been omitted (nothing
>> was).
>> There was a pre-production glitch with a ribbon cable, but that was
>> quickly
>> remedied by Bob Wolbert, K6XX, the project manager, and the finished kit
>> works great.
>>  Although this may not bear management's approval, I gave it several
>> hours
>> of workout in the All Asian contest this weekend, running JA's at a
>> steady
>> 600 watts on my wattmeter.  Nary a problem, and the temperature readout
>> never went above 60 degrees C. (it's rated for 90 degrees C.).
>>  The integration with the K3 is delightful.  The amp and radio follow
>> each
>> other's band changes, and the K3 remembers two power levels, the standby
>> and
>> operate levels, and switches automatically.  The KPA500 also comes on
>> when
>> you turn on the K3 (provided the main power switch on the back of the amp
>> is
>> on), so it's just like having a more powerful radio.  All in all,
>> operation
>> is really seamless with the K3.  I imagine it would be almost as good
>> with
>> any other radio, as the amp, when not connected to the K3, switches bands
>> with the first dit due to rf sampling.
>>  Anyway, I'm one happy camper with the KPA500, and wanted to share my
>> experience.
>>  73, andy ae6y
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>

______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html 

______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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