KPA-1500 antenna selection

[Peter W2IRT]

Hi all,
I have my HF antenna switch feedline connected to Antenna 1 on the amp, and
my 6m antenna (on a separate tower, and a separate physical path outside) on
the Antenna 2 port. I don't generally want to run the amp on 6m (only if I
can't get through with 100W), but I have to have the amp powered up (with
its loud power supply fan running) all the time now if I want to see any
signals on 6.

I'm wondering if it's possible to select the default antenna for when the
power to the KPA is switched off? I'd be fine with "last used", and it
looked like that was available in the KPA Utilities setting, but as soon as
I de-power the KPA, it reverts to ANT-1.


---------------------------------------------
73 and Good DX
Peter, W2IRT

 

______________________________________________________________
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
Message delivered to [hidden email]

[ANDY DURBIN]

"I'm wondering if it's possible to select the default antenna for when the
power to the KPA is switched off? I'd be fine with "last used", and it
looked like that was available in the KPA Utilities setting, but as soon as
I de-power the KPA, it reverts to ANT-1."

If the KPA1500 uses relays for antenna selection then nothing set in software or firmware can change the state of the relays when there is no power available to energize the relay coils.  With no power to the box all the relays (unless mechanically latched) will have continuity between the normally closed (NC) contact pairs.

What is it about your setup that would prevent you from swapping the connections between ANT-1 and ANT-2 so ANT-1 is used for 6 m and ANT-2 is used for HF?

73,
Andy, k3wyc












______________________________________________________________
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
Message delivered to [hidden email]

[Peter W2IRT]

Can you tell me more about the power supply mod for the KPA? The fan noise
drives me up the wall (see thread about fan noise on the station PSU, too).
Anything I can do to quiet everything down will make me a Very Happy Ham. If
I could quiet it down to almost nothing while I'm not running the amp I'd be
satisfied to just leave the amp on all the time.

 - pjd

-----Original Message-----
From: AB4IQ <[hidden email]>
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2019 12:16 PM
To: 'Peter Dougherty' <[hidden email]>
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 antenna selection

I asked the same question a year ago and when the power is off the default
setting is antenna 1.  I changed out the modification in the Power supply
and it quiets the fans quite a bit.  Essentially they changed out a 10 ohm
resistor to a 22 ohm.  It is on the Led board in the Power supply.  Took
longer to remove the screws than it was to change out the board.  I have a
Palstar HF-Auto that gives me three positions, so I have my 6 meter beam on
1, Hy-Tower on 2, and an End fed antenna on 3.  The Palstar is connected to
port 1 of the amp.  Since the propagation Gods are not co-operating I have
my TH11 on antenna position 2 on the KPA1500.  I also stand my Power supply
on its end with the fans facing out.  The Diawa 12 volt Power supply are
louder than the amp's.

Probably not what you wanted to hear but what I did works for me.  By the
way thanks for the FT8 contact during the contest.

Ed.. AB4IQ

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Peter Dougherty
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2019 9:51 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 antenna selection

Hi all,
I have my HF antenna switch feedline connected to Antenna 1 on the amp, and
my 6m antenna (on a separate tower, and a separate physical path outside) on
the Antenna 2 port. I don't generally want to run the amp on 6m (only if I
can't get through with 100W), but I have to have the amp powered up (with
its loud power supply fan running) all the time now if I want to see any
signals on 6.

I'm wondering if it's possible to select the default antenna for when the
power to the KPA is switched off? I'd be fine with "last used", and it
looked like that was available in the KPA Utilities setting, but as soon as
I de-power the KPA, it reverts to ANT-1.


---------------------------------------------
73 and Good DX
Peter, W2IRT

 

______________________________________________________________
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 Message
delivered to [hidden email]


______________________________________________________________
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
Message delivered to [hidden email]