KAT2, why did it take me so long?

[David A. Belsley]

I just got back from my annual trek to Martha's Vineyard, but operating
the K2 was a bit different this year.  My home qth situation does not
accommodate an ATU very well, so I avoided getting the KAT2.  And, of
course, once I added the KPA100, that issue seemed to become moot.

However, when I'm at the Vineyard, I put the original lid back on to
the K2 and operate qrp.  I use my slingshot to throw a 112' wire into a
tree (the other end is anchored to the lightning rod on the end of the
converted barn) and I pitch a 33' counterpoise out the loft window.  I
used to tune this with an MFJ 934 tuner with artificial ground.  This
worked very well on 80-10.  But then I began thinking: if I am going to
use the original lid only under these kinds of circumstances, maybe it
makes sense to add the KAT2.  Which is what I did.  And, boy, yes!!!  I
sure don't know why I didn't do it earlier.

Because I built the ATU just shortly before leaving and didn't have
much time to test it except to see that it was working, I lugged along
the MFJ box, just in case, and the MFJ-259, which is very useful in
finding initial settings without using the K2's power.  Well, that was
a waste of space.  I could have left those boxes at home, as well as an
assortment of cables and a coax switch.  The KAT2 tuned that same
antenna set up (I added a second 16' cp) fantastically well on all
bands 160-10 (1.1-1 or better).  I just wish the bands were in as good
shape as the KAT2 behaved.

Although it tuned top band, I wondered just how well I would be able to
get out.  I tried twice and made good contacts both times, once getting
a 599 from K9DX in IL (of course, he was about 30 db over s9, running a
kw and an appropriate top-band antenna).  Add to that the fact that the
settings are remembered, so switching bands merely required pushing the
band button, and, wow, who could ask for more.  I sure don't know why I
didn't do it earlier.

best wishes,

dave belsley, w1euy
_______________________________________________
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

[Jess Gypin]

        I am in the process of building a K2 with the 100 watt amp for another ham.
He also needs to drive a linear. I also apologize as I have not looked on
the website. Can someone point me to some information about this so it will
be linear ready when I get it done?

Jess AE0CW


_______________________________________________
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

[Vic K2VCO]

Jess Gypin wrote:
> I am in the process of building a K2 with the 100 watt amp for another ham.
> He also needs to drive a linear. I also apologize as I have not looked on
> the website. Can someone point me to some information about this so it will
> be linear ready when I get it done?

Unless the linear requires you to switch a negative or AC voltage on
transmit, the KPA100 is probably all set to drive a linear.  Here are
the specs for the amplifier keying interface:

PA KEY output
Compatibility DC relay coil, pulled to ground
(do not use with AC-controlled relay)
Current 1 A
Voltage 200 VDC

The switching is all solid-state and quite fast, so the K2 can directly
drive a QSK linear with no special keying circuitry.  For slower relays,
you can set the delay to semi-QSK.

--
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco
_______________________________________________
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

[Steven Pituch]

Hi Dave and All,
That's why I have my KPA100 and KAT100 in the EC2 case.  The KAT2 has been
in the K2 top lid for 5 or 6 years and never had a problem.  No reason to
remove it from the K2.  This way I can go back to the pure QRP K2/KAT2
operation in a minute by removing 3 or 4 cables between the K2 and the EC2
case.  It’s the best of both worlds.

The only extra I had to add was the KIO2, but since I love to work PSK31
it’s a natural addition.

Regards,
Steve Pituch

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of David A.Belsley
Sent: Monday, August 01, 2005 5:56 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] KAT2, why did it take me so long?

I just got back from my annual trek to Martha's Vineyard, but operating the
K2 was a bit different this year.  My home qth situation does not
accommodate an ATU very well, so I avoided getting the KAT2.  And, of
course, once I added the KPA100, that issue seemed to become moot.

However, when I'm at the Vineyard, I put the original lid back on to the K2
and operate qrp.  I use my slingshot to throw a 112' wire into a tree (the
other end is anchored to the lightning rod on the end of the converted barn)
and I pitch a 33' counterpoise out the loft window.  I used to tune this
with an MFJ 934 tuner with artificial ground.  This worked very well on
80-10.  But then I began thinking: if I am going to use the original lid
only under these kinds of circumstances, maybe it makes sense to add the
KAT2.  Which is what I did.  And, boy, yes!!!  I sure don't know why I
didn't do it earlier.

Because I built the ATU just shortly before leaving and didn't have much
time to test it except to see that it was working, I lugged along the MFJ
box, just in case, and the MFJ-259, which is very useful in finding initial
settings without using the K2's power.  Well, that was a waste of space.  I
could have left those boxes at home, as well as an assortment of cables and
a coax switch.  The KAT2 tuned that same antenna set up (I added a second
16' cp) fantastically well on all bands 160-10 (1.1-1 or better).  I just
wish the bands were in as good shape as the KAT2 behaved.

Although it tuned top band, I wondered just how well I would be able to get
out.  I tried twice and made good contacts both times, once getting a 599
from K9DX in IL (of course, he was about 30 db over s9, running a kw and an
appropriate top-band antenna).  Add to that the fact that the settings are
remembered, so switching bands merely required pushing the band button, and,
wow, who could ask for more.  I sure don't know why I didn't do it earlier.

best wishes,

dave belsley, w1euy
_______________________________________________
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

--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.9.8/61 - Release Date: 8/1/2005
 

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.9.8/61 - Release Date: 8/1/2005
 

_______________________________________________
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

[hank k8dd-2]

Jess Gypin wrote:

> I am in the process of building a K2 with the 100 watt amp for another ham.
>He also needs to drive a linear. I also apologize as I have not looked on
>the website. Can someone point me to some information about this so it will
>be linear ready when I get it done?
>
>Jess AE0CW
>
>  
>
The first question is "Which amplifier?"
The K2/100 will switch most amps with no problem, but if you have a
SB-200, SB-220, FL-2100, AL-1200,
AL-1500 and probably several others that I have missed you need an
interface between the two to
have the amp follow the K2/100.

73     Hank    K8DD
_______________________________________________
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

[Don and Diana Cunningham]

Hank,
I fail to see why he would have to worry about the Ameritron amps, since
they (Al-1200, AL-1500, AL-80B at least) only have 12 VDC on the relay jack,
and require sinking 100ma max.  The specs listed for the K2 say 1A and 200V.
Am I missing something??
Thanks,
Don, WB5HAK

_______________________________________________
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

[hank k8dd-2]

Don and Diana Cunningham wrote:

> Hank,
> I fail to see why he would have to worry about the Ameritron amps,
> since they (Al-1200, AL-1500, AL-80B at least) only have 12 VDC on the
> relay jack, and require sinking 100ma max.  The specs listed for the
> K2 say 1A and 200V. Am I missing something??
> Thanks,
> Don, WB5HAK


The K2/100 can handle the voltage/current requirements ..... But he
relay in the Ameritron amps is not the fastest relay to pick  --  it
takes at least  50ms or more.
During that time the K2/100 sees a high SWR during this time and shuts
down the amp, so you start sending and the amp has no output - and you
never know if you aren't watching the meters.  K6XX has a "relay
accelerator" circuit on his web site that works great in speeding up the
relay - my AL-1200 with this circuit built on a terminal strip has not
failed since I put it in place.
Doesn't happen with other radios and the Ameritron amps .... Just the
K2/100's.

73    Hank    K8DD
_______________________________________________
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