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KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

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ANDY DURBIN

KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

" All I do is change RX frequency on the K3S and every thing else follows. No RF required to switch things to the correct configuration for band, frequency and antenna."

I think that having the KAT500 follow the K3 RX frequency is a really poor system design. The tuner, and the tuner's frequency dependent antenna selection, should follow the transceiver transmit frequency. Why does it matter? Well one day you will transmit with a large difference between TX and RX frequencies into the wrong antenna and with the wrong tuning solution. This will fault the KAT500 and/or the KPA500 and could possibly cause damage.

It actually works a lot better if the KAT500 and KPA500 follow the rig TX frequency and are properly configured before the transmission starts.

73,
Andy, k3wyc

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Robert Cunnings

Re: KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

Yes, I don't like the way the KAT500 follows RIT changes. Sometimes I
cross a stored band slice boundary, the relays click and I know that if I
transmit I'll be using the wrong tuning solution. I reported this as a bug
back in 2014 [1] but I doubt it will ever get fixed.

Bob NW8L

[1] https://www.mail-archive.com/elecraft@.../msg173968.html

On Wed, 21 Aug 2019, Andy Durbin wrote:

> " All I do is change RX frequency on the K3S and every thing else follows. No RF required to switch things to the correct configuration for band, frequency and antenna."
>
> I think that having the KAT500 follow the K3 RX frequency is a really poor system design. The tuner, and the tuner's frequency dependent antenna selection, should follow the transceiver transmit frequency. Why does it matter? Well one day you will transmit with a large difference between TX and RX frequencies into the wrong antenna and with the wrong tuning solution. This will fault the KAT500 and/or the KPA500 and could possibly cause damage.
>
> It actually works a lot better if the KAT500 and KPA500 follow the rig TX frequency and are properly configured before the transmission starts.
>
> 73,
> Andy, k3wyc
>
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Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

Train the tuner at closer frequency intervals on the band and antenna. I use 25kHz on 160M & 80M across the entire band. Then 50kHz on all other bands.

Bob, K4TAX

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 21, 2019, at 7:48 PM, Robert Cunnings <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Yes, I don't like the way the KAT500 follows RIT changes. Sometimes I cross a stored band slice boundary, the relays click and I know that if I transmit I'll be using the wrong tuning solution. I reported this as a bug back in 2014 [1] but I doubt it will ever get fixed.
>
> Bob NW8L
>
> [1] https://www.mail-archive.com/elecraft@.../msg173968.html
>
>> On Wed, 21 Aug 2019, Andy Durbin wrote:
>>
>> " All I do is change RX frequency on the K3S and every thing else follows. No RF required to switch things to the correct configuration for band, frequency and antenna."
>>
>> I think that having the KAT500 follow the K3 RX frequency is a really poor system design. The tuner, and the tuner's frequency dependent antenna selection, should follow the transceiver transmit frequency. Why does it matter? Well one day you will transmit with a large difference between TX and RX frequencies into the wrong antenna and with the wrong tuning solution. This will fault the KAT500 and/or the KPA500 and could possibly cause damage.
>>
>> It actually works a lot better if the KAT500 and KPA500 follow the rig TX frequency and are properly configured before the transmission starts.
>>
>> 73,
>> Andy, k3wyc
>>
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Dick Dievendorff-4

Re: KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

In reply to this post by ANDY DURBIN

I just tried an experiment with a K3S and KPA1500, which uses the same
AUXBUS frequency mechanism as the KAT500. The KPA1500 has an LCD display of
the XCVR frequency, as sent by the K3S/K3 over AUXBUS. It comes in multiples
of 8 kHz.

I set VFOA to 14015 and VFO B to 14074.

When I turn on the transceiver (not in split), the KPA1500 reports the XCVR
frequency as 14008.

I then pressed (a "hold") the K3S SPLIT button, and the rig's LCD shows an
arrow to the VFO B frequency as the transmit VFO. The KPA1500 reported that
the XCVR frequency changed to 14072.

Then I engaged XIT and dialed in 9.99 kHz. When I turn XIT on and off, the
KPA1500 display alternates between 14072 and 14080.

The KAT500 owner's manual on page 16 says that the KAT500 can follow changes
in the K3's VFO frequency during receive. That means that you don't have to
transmit to get frequency information from the K3S/K3 to the KAT500/KPA1500,
the frequency information comes from the K3/K3s when it is receiving. The
K3S/K3 can send the VFO frequency as it changes, by moving the transmit VFO
frequency with a knob (the VFO B knob when in split). The frequency is sent
shortly after VFO encoder motion ceases. You need to turn on this capability
by a K3 menu, CONFIG:KAT3 and tap the 1 button to toggle between KAT500N and
KAT500Y.

Give it a try yourself. The KAT500 has a serial command "F;" that returns
the KAT500's last-known frequency, which comes from either AUXBUS or the
frequency count of the last transmission.

You can use the F setter from a computer program to set the KAT500's
frequency if you prefer. You should send the desired TX frequency.

73 de Dick, K6kR

From: Andy Durbin <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 18:58
To: Dick Dievendorff <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

"K3 and K3S provide the TX frequency on AUXBUS, dealing with split and XIT."

Dick,

I can find no Elecraft specification for the data sent on AUXBUX but the
discussions on the reflector seem to consistently indicate the AUX BUS
frequency is the RX frequency not the TX frequency. Can you please point me
to any Elecraft documentation that says the AUXBUS carries the TX frequency.

Thanks,

Andy, k3wyc

_____

From: Dick Dievendorff <[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]> >
Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 4:58 PM
To: 'Andy Durbin' <[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]> >
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

K3 and K3S provide the TX frequency on AUXBUS, dealing with split and XIT.

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
<mailto:[hidden email]> <[hidden email]
<mailto:[hidden email]> > On
Behalf Of Andy Durbin
Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 14:17
To: [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
Subject: [Elecraft] KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

" All I do is change RX frequency on the K3S and every thing else follows.
No RF required to switch things to the correct configuration for band,
frequency and antenna."

I think that having the KAT500 follow the K3 RX frequency is a really poor
system design. The tuner, and the tuner's frequency dependent antenna
selection, should follow the transceiver transmit frequency. Why does it
matter? Well one day you will transmit with a large difference between TX
and RX frequencies into the wrong antenna and with the wrong tuning
solution. This will fault the KAT500 and/or the KPA500 and could possibly
cause damage.

It actually works a lot better if the KAT500 and KPA500 follow the rig TX
frequency and are properly configured before the transmission starts.

73,
Andy, k3wyc

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Wes Stewart-2

Re: KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

In reply to this post by ANDY DURBIN

If setup according to the KAT500 manual (and using the appropriate cables), the
KAT does follow the K3(S) TX frequency.

Wes N7WS

On 8/21/2019 2:17 PM, Andy Durbin wrote:

> " All I do is change RX frequency on the K3S and every thing else follows. No RF required to switch things to the correct configuration for band, frequency and antenna."
>
> I think that having the KAT500 follow the K3 RX frequency is a really poor system design. The tuner, and the tuner's frequency dependent antenna selection, should follow the transceiver transmit frequency. Why does it matter? Well one day you will transmit with a large difference between TX and RX frequencies into the wrong antenna and with the wrong tuning solution. This will fault the KAT500 and/or the KPA500 and could possibly cause damage.
>
> It actually works a lot better if the KAT500 and KPA500 follow the rig TX frequency and are properly configured before the transmission starts.
>
> 73,
> Andy, k3wyc
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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ANDY DURBIN

Re: KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

In reply to this post by ANDY DURBIN

"If setup according to the KAT500 manual (and using the appropriate cables), the KAT does follow the K3(S) TX frequency."

Thanks Wes, and to Dick for his earlier comments. I'll assume from now on that anyone saying the KAT500 and KPA500 follow the RX frequency of a K3(S), when TX freq not equal to RX freq, does not have the appropriate firmware or hardware configuration.

The documentation could be a lot clearer though. For a rig that has two VFO and the ability to offset TX freq from RX freq by use of split, and/or RIT, and/or XIT, saying the KAT500 will "follow changes in the K3’s VFO frequency during receive" seems to be a somewhat inadequate description.

73,
Andy, k3wyc

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Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

Well I must admit I learned something new and I was not correct in
stating the KAT500 followed the RX frequency. I normally never have
the RX and TX more than 1 kHz or less apart and rarely use RIT. Hence,
when I change the RX I'm also changing the TX and the KAT500 follows.

I did confirm that VFO A was the RX VFO and activated SPLIT where VFO B
was the TX VFO. With a frequency separation of 300 kHz on 80M between
VFO A and VFO B, yes the KAT500 did change to follow VFO B.

Thanks guys.

73

Bob, K4TAX

On 8/22/2019 12:54 PM, Andy Durbin wrote:

> "If setup according to the KAT500 manual (and using the appropriate cables), the KAT does follow the K3(S) TX frequency."
>
> Thanks Wes, and to Dick for his earlier comments. I'll assume from now on that anyone saying the KAT500 and KPA500 follow the RX frequency of a K3(S), when TX freq not equal to RX freq, does not have the appropriate firmware or hardware configuration.
>
> The documentation could be a lot clearer though. For a rig that has two VFO and the ability to offset TX freq from RX freq by use of split, and/or RIT, and/or XIT, saying the KAT500 will "follow changes in the K3’s VFO frequency during receive" seems to be a somewhat inadequate description.
>
> 73,
> Andy, k3wyc
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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Wes Stewart-2

Re: KAT500 follows K3 RX freq

In reply to this post by ANDY DURBIN

I agree, Andy. The manual should probably clearer about that. Setting it up in
the K3 when no KAT3 is installed is a little weird too, but it works out.

To check this out I used the KAT utility to watch the frequency that the KAT500
was following. You do have to understand that the readout doesn't update until
you stop turning the knob and it has only 8 kHz resolution.

Wes N7WS

On 8/22/2019 10:54 AM, Andy Durbin wrote:
> "If setup according to the KAT500 manual (and using the appropriate cables), the KAT does follow the K3(S) TX frequency."
>
> Thanks Wes, and to Dick for his earlier comments. I'll assume from now on that anyone saying the KAT500 and KPA500 follow the RX frequency of a K3(S), when TX freq not equal to RX freq, does not have the appropriate firmware or hardware configuration.
>
> The documentation could be a lot clearer though. For a rig that has two VFO and the ability to offset TX freq from RX freq by use of split, and/or RIT, and/or XIT, saying the KAT500 will "follow changes in the K3’s VFO frequency during receive" seems to be a somewhat inadequate description.
>
> 73,
> Andy, k3wyc

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