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K3 + KPA500 + [future] KAT500 AND QSK

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Phil Hystad-3

K3 + KPA500 + [future] KAT500 AND QSK

I have been following a short message dialog over on the Palstar yahoo group for the new Palstar HF-Auto automatic tuner. This started with a problem reported that the Palstar tuner does not support QSK which was uncovered when one person complained that the tuner did not work right (would fault) when an external QSK box (Ameritron) was used with the amp.

QSK is 90 percent of my activity -- I mean, 90 percent of my activity is CW and it is always QSK. Until I saw this message stream above on the QSK problems of the Palstar, I naively thought that QSK was something that was always solvable with amps and tuners.

Therefore, my first question. Since my plan in the next several months includes both a KPA500 and hopefully a new KAT500 -- should I be concerned that QSK will not operate as efficiently and effectively as my bare K3?

Further -- I was a bit surprised that this was even a problem (for the Palstar HF-Auto). When I looked into the Ameritron QSK box, I did not expect what I found: a much more complicated arrangement then I had assumed (again, with ignorance and being innocently naive about the topic).

Can one of you experts explain to me why this is such a difficult problem and most importantly, is it this difficult for the K-Line? My questions concern a future interest in a full legal limit tuner for my other rig (Icom 756 Pro III + Icom PW-1) .

Thanks,

73, phil, K7PEH

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Phil Salas

Re: K3 + KPA500 + [future] KAT500 AND QSK

This sounds strange to me. Why would the tuner care whether it is in a QSK
environment? I run QSK with my K3, KPA500 and MFJ-998 with no problems.
Almost sounds like there is some hot-switching going on that makes the tuner
declare a SWR fault. The tuner should be outside the QSK loop anyway.
I.e., the Ameritron QSK5 switches the amp in and out at CW speed. It sounds
like maybe the tuner is right at the output of the PA where it connects into
the QSK5. If the tuner is at the output of the QSK5, I find it hard to
believe the tuner would see a problem.

Phil - AD5X

"I have been following a short message dialog over on the Palstar yahoo
group for the new Palstar HF-Auto automatic tuner. This started with a
problem reported that the Palstar tuner does not support QSK which was
uncovered when one person complained that the tuner did not work right
(would fault) when an external QSK box (Ameritron) was used with the amp."

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Iain MacDonnell - N6ML-2

Re: K3 + KPA500 + [future] KAT500 AND QSK

It appears that the HF-Auto's method of interrupting amp keying
involves a separate relay, inside the ATU, that only activates when RF
is sensed and the tuner considers itself "tuned". This doesn't work
for QSK, which depends on the amp being keyed *before* RF is
generated.

I would assume that QSK is included in the design criteria for the
KAT-500, but we all know what it is to assume, so it's a valid concern
to raise, IMO...

~iain / N6ML

On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 9:25 AM, Phil & Debbie Salas <[hidden email]> wrote:

> This sounds strange to me. Why would the tuner care whether it is in a QSK
> environment? I run QSK with my K3, KPA500 and MFJ-998 with no problems.
> Almost sounds like there is some hot-switching going on that makes the tuner
> declare a SWR fault. The tuner should be outside the QSK loop anyway.
> I.e., the Ameritron QSK5 switches the amp in and out at CW speed. It sounds
> like maybe the tuner is right at the output of the PA where it connects into
> the QSK5. If the tuner is at the output of the QSK5, I find it hard to
> believe the tuner would see a problem.
>
> Phil - AD5X
>
> "I have been following a short message dialog over on the Palstar yahoo
> group for the new Palstar HF-Auto automatic tuner. This started with a
> problem reported that the Palstar tuner does not support QSK which was
> uncovered when one person complained that the tuner did not work right
> (would fault) when an external QSK box (Ameritron) was used with the amp."
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ

Re: K3 + KPA500 + [future] KAT500 AND QSK

Administrator

The KAT500 works fine with QSK. It will not cause any problems.

73, Eric WA6HHQ

www.elecraft.com

On 12/22/2011 9:33 AM, iain macdonnell - N6ML wrote:

> It appears that the HF-Auto's method of interrupting amp keying
> involves a separate relay, inside the ATU, that only activates when RF
> is sensed and the tuner considers itself "tuned". This doesn't work
> for QSK, which depends on the amp being keyed *before* RF is
> generated.
>
> I would assume that QSK is included in the design criteria for the
> KAT-500, but we all know what it is to assume, so it's a valid concern
> to raise, IMO...
>
> ~iain / N6ML
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 9:25 AM, Phil& Debbie Salas<[hidden email]> wrote:
>> This sounds strange to me. Why would the tuner care whether it is in a QSK
>> environment? I run QSK with my K3, KPA500 and MFJ-998 with no problems.
>> Almost sounds like there is some hot-switching going on that makes the tuner
>> declare a SWR fault. The tuner should be outside the QSK loop anyway.
>> I.e., the Ameritron QSK5 switches the amp in and out at CW speed. It sounds
>> like maybe the tuner is right at the output of the PA where it connects into
>> the QSK5. If the tuner is at the output of the QSK5, I find it hard to
>> believe the tuner would see a problem.
>>
>> Phil - AD5X
>>
>> "I have been following a short message dialog over on the Palstar yahoo
>> group for the new Palstar HF-Auto automatic tuner. This started with a
>> problem reported that the Palstar tuner does not support QSK which was
>> uncovered when one person complained that the tuner did not work right
>> (would fault) when an external QSK box (Ameritron) was used with the amp."
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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