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[KAT500] Odd KAT500 Behavior

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[KAT500] Odd KAT500 Behavior

I am using an early KAT500 with a K3S. When using WSPR in band-hopping mode at 5w, WSJT-X 2.0 commands a band change and transmit, the K3S starts transmitting, then stops, changes bands, then changes back to the original band, say 40 meters. I think this part is a WSJT problem, and has been reported. Now the K3 is on 40m. If I press the TUNE button in WSPR, the SWR meter shows a high SWR and relays click in the KAT500. If I press TUNE again, the swr is good.
The KAT500 is configured to follow the K3 vfo, so why is the KAT500 retuning? If the K3 shows 40m, why wouldn't the KAT500 have the proper tuning solution? It is properly cabled with auxbus cables between the K3, KAT500, and KPA500 in that order (the KPA500 is off). The KAT3 is in bypass mode. I don't think this is an rf problem because I regularly use the KPA500 with no signs of rf getting into anything. This seems very odd. All firmware is current. Any ideas?
73 Eric WD6DBM

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Don Wilhelm

Re: [KAT500] Odd KAT500 Behavior

Eric,

Are you operating with the KAT500 in AUTO mode?
If so, after "training" the tuner across the band of interest with any
one antenna, change it to MAN mode and it will not try to re-tune.

As you said, the KAT500 follows the K3 VFO, so there should not be a
need for any retuning.

The problem is that the forward and reflected powers cannot be read
simultaneously. So if the forward power is read when the power is low,
and the reflected power is read when the power is higher, an erroneous
SWR calculation will result.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 12/13/2018 9:19 AM, eric norris via Elecraft wrote:
> I am using an early KAT500 with a K3S. When using WSPR in band-hopping mode at 5w, WSJT-X 2.0 commands a band change and transmit, the K3S starts transmitting, then stops, changes bands, then changes back to the original band, say 40 meters. I think this part is a WSJT problem, and has been reported. Now the K3 is on 40m. If I press the TUNE button in WSPR, the SWR meter shows a high SWR and relays click in the KAT500. If I press TUNE again, the swr is good.
> The KAT500 is configured to follow the K3 vfo, so why is the KAT500 retuning? If the K3 shows 40m, why wouldn't the KAT500 have the proper tuning solution? It is properly cabled with auxbus cables between the K3, KAT500, and KPA500 in that order (the KPA500 is off). The KAT3 is in bypass mode. I don't think this is an rf problem because I regularly use the KPA500 with no signs of rf getting into anything. This seems very odd. All firmware is current. Any ideas?
> 73 Eric WD6DBM
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Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: [KAT500] Odd KAT500 Behavior

In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list

Just went through the setup for WSPR on 160M - 6M for my station, K3S,
KAT500, etc. I have the KAT500 in MAN mode and it switches bands
correctly. I didn't see any issues at 5 watts transmit.

Why is it re-tuning? Are you operating the KAT500 in the AUTO mode?
Just go through each band using the TUNE mode on the K3S and with the
antenna of choice and allow the KAT500 to resolve a match for the
specific WSPR frequency. Then operate the KAT500 in MAN mode.

Performs as it should for me.

73

Bob, K4TAX

On 12/13/2018 8:19 AM, eric norris via Elecraft wrote:

> I am using an early KAT500 with a K3S. When using WSPR in band-hopping mode at 5w, WSJT-X 2.0 commands a band change and transmit, the K3S starts transmitting, then stops, changes bands, then changes back to the original band, say 40 meters. I think this part is a WSJT problem, and has been reported. Now the K3 is on 40m. If I press the TUNE button in WSPR, the SWR meter shows a high SWR and relays click in the KAT500. If I press TUNE again, the swr is good.
> The KAT500 is configured to follow the K3 vfo, so why is the KAT500 retuning? If the K3 shows 40m, why wouldn't the KAT500 have the proper tuning solution? It is properly cabled with auxbus cables between the K3, KAT500, and KPA500 in that order (the KPA500 is off). The KAT3 is in bypass mode. I don't think this is an rf problem because I regularly use the KPA500 with no signs of rf getting into anything. This seems very odd. All firmware is current. Any ideas?
> 73 Eric WD6DBM
>
> Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
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Eric Norris-2

Re: [KAT500] Odd KAT500 Behavior

KAT500 is in MANUAL mode

73 Eric WD6DBM

On Thu, Dec 13, 2018, 8:26 AM Bob McGraw K4TAX <[hidden email] wrote:

> Just went through the setup for WSPR on 160M - 6M for my station, K3S,
> KAT500, etc. I have the KAT500 in MAN mode and it switches bands
> correctly. I didn't see any issues at 5 watts transmit.
>
>
>
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Elecraft mailing list

Re: [KAT500] Odd KAT500 Behavior

In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list

It seems that the KAT may not be getting fresh band info - if it did you would be hearing relays being set before the K3 transmitted. The KPA500 is listening to the same Band signals as the KAT (but not the Auxbus data), so I would turn on the KPA500, leave it in standby, and watch the display and listen to its relays to see if it changes bands when the K3 does.

I think the key here is to determine exactly what the WSPR code is sending the K3. Is it also sending data to the KAT500? If so that stream would also be telling. If the computer is commanding the K3 to go into transmit before all the commands have been received it could cause a situation just like you describe. It might be up to the software author to fix this situation.

73!
Jack, W6FB

> On Dec 13, 2018, at 6:19 AM, eric norris via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I am using an early KAT500 with a K3S. When using WSPR in band-hopping mode at 5w, WSJT-X 2.0 commands a band change and transmit, the K3S starts transmitting, then stops, changes bands, then changes back to the original band, say 40 meters. I think this part is a WSJT problem, and has been reported. Now the K3 is on 40m. If I press the TUNE button in WSPR, the SWR meter shows a high SWR and relays click in the KAT500. If I press TUNE again, the swr is good.
> The KAT500 is configured to follow the K3 vfo, so why is the KAT500 retuning? If the K3 shows 40m, why wouldn't the KAT500 have the proper tuning solution? It is properly cabled with auxbus cables between the K3, KAT500, and KPA500 in that order (the KPA500 is off). The KAT3 is in bypass mode. I don't think this is an rf problem because I regularly use the KPA500 with no signs of rf getting into anything. This seems very odd. All firmware is current. Any ideas?
> 73 Eric WD6DBM
>
> Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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