KAT500 Antenna Memories

[Joel R. Hallas]

I don't think my KAT500 (FW 01.75) is old enuf to suffer from the kind of
memory problems I have, but it doesn't seem to do what I expect it to do. I
was just changing my antenna lineup and I have three antennas connected to
the rear:

Ant 1 -- a 17/12 m coupled resonator dipole -- wants to be in bypass mode
Ant 2 -- a 20/15/10 tribander with 6 m 3el coupled resonator -- wants to be
in bypass mode
Ant 3 -- an 80 CF-zepp -- wants to be in auto mode and used on 160, 80, 60,
40 and 30 meters

Each antenna wants to be the default on the bands shown, although Ant 3 can
be used on all bands, I can change manually if needed.

I can cause the tuner to remember to change antennas as I change bands, but
it won't seem to remember whether to be in auto or bypass mode as the band
changes. This is the case whether I just set it and use it on the bands, or
if I try using the config program (1.16.7.25) to force it. I don't think I'm
asking it to do more than it should -- am I missing a crucial step or
setting?

Joel Hallas, W1ZR
Westport, CT


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[Cady, Fred-2]

Hi Joel,

I think you probably need to go into the KAT500 Utility to the Antenna Configuration screen.  You can check and uncheck the antennas needed for each band.  I don't have my station set up at the moment but something like this might work:

Select Band 17 and 12, check Ant 1 and click apply

Select Band 20, 15, 10 and 6, check Ant 2 and click apply

Select Band 160, 80, 60, 40, and 30, check Ant 3 and click apply.


Tuner mode will be selected when you are on a band and you select the mode.

Note that you should train the tuner on 160, 80, 60, 40 and 30 and then run Manual mode, not auto mode.

Cheers,

Fred KE7X



For all KE7X Elecraft books, see www.ke7x.com<http://www.ke7x.com>




________________________________
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> on behalf of Joel Hallas <[hidden email]>
Sent: Sunday, July 1, 2018 3:10 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] KAT500 Antenna Memories

I don't think my KAT500 (FW 01.75) is old enuf to suffer from the kind of
memory problems I have, but it doesn't seem to do what I expect it to do. I
was just changing my antenna lineup and I have three antennas connected to
the rear:

Ant 1 -- a 17/12 m coupled resonator dipole -- wants to be in bypass mode
Ant 2 -- a 20/15/10 tribander with 6 m 3el coupled resonator -- wants to be
in bypass mode
Ant 3 -- an 80 CF-zepp -- wants to be in auto mode and used on 160, 80, 60,
40 and 30 meters

Each antenna wants to be the default on the bands shown, although Ant 3 can
be used on all bands, I can change manually if needed.

I can cause the tuner to remember to change antennas as I change bands, but
it won't seem to remember whether to be in auto or bypass mode as the band
changes. This is the case whether I just set it and use it on the bands, or
if I try using the config program (1.16.7.25) to force it. I don't think I'm
asking it to do more than it should -- am I missing a crucial step or
setting?

Joel Hallas, W1ZR
Westport, CT


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[Dick Dievendorff-4]

Hi, Joel!

If you "train" the KAT500 with your resonant antennas, it should discover
and store the "bypassed" ATU setting.  Even though the MODE LED says "MAN",
the ATU settings stored are the "bypassed" settings.  You can see this in
the KAT500 Operate page - Try "ATU TUNE" for your resonant antenna. It
should discover that the best setting for this antenna is "bypassed".

On some bands (my 20 meter beam), I end up with "bypassed" at the CW end of
the band, but up in the phone band the ATU provides a little help. But I
don't want to have to manually choose between BYP and MAN for different band
segments.  The ATU training session provides matching reactances when
needed, and ATU BYP when not needed. The ATU stays in mode MAN.

The same concept applies if you choose an antenna that never needs help.
Erase memories on that band/antenna combination, do an ATU TUNE at three
point s in the band, then you'll get that same setting in intermediate
frequencies.

You can choose with the "BYPASS SWR THRESHOLD" what SWR the ATU should use
when deciding whether to use "bypassed" or apply reactances.  Some really
want to see 1:1 when possible, others think that 1.2 is better bypassed than
with any real or perceived ATU losses.  

The ATU relay settings with the ATU BYP and when in mode MAN or AUTO and the
ATU discovers the "bypassed" setting in a tune are identical.  It's a real
bypass relay pair at either end of the ATU.

73 de Dick, K6KR


-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> On
Behalf Of Joel Hallas
Sent: Sunday, July 1, 2018 14:10
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] KAT500 Antenna Memories

I don't think my KAT500 (FW 01.75) is old enuf to suffer from the kind of
memory problems I have, but it doesn't seem to do what I expect it to do. I
was just changing my antenna lineup and I have three antennas connected to
the rear:

Ant 1 -- a 17/12 m coupled resonator dipole -- wants to be in bypass mode
Ant 2 -- a 20/15/10 tribander with 6 m 3el coupled resonator -- wants to be
in bypass mode Ant 3 -- an 80 CF-zepp -- wants to be in auto mode and used
on 160, 80, 60,
40 and 30 meters

Each antenna wants to be the default on the bands shown, although Ant 3 can
be used on all bands, I can change manually if needed.

I can cause the tuner to remember to change antennas as I change bands, but
it won't seem to remember whether to be in auto or bypass mode as the band
changes. This is the case whether I just set it and use it on the bands, or
if I try using the config program (1.16.7.25) to force it. I don't think I'm
asking it to do more than it should -- am I missing a crucial step or
setting?

Joel Hallas, W1ZR
Westport, CT


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delivered to [hidden email]

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