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KPA-1500 tuner question

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Peter W2IRT

KPA-1500 tuner question

Hi all,
Something I noticed this past weekend in the contest about the KPA1500,
especially on 80 and 160, where the internal tuner was needed on antennas
that were above ~1.5:1 SWR. When I changed frequencies into a range that
required retuning, I had to manually press the ATU control and initiate a
tune sequence, or else when I was auto-sending CW my call would get cut off
as the tuner set its needed values.

Since I'd memorized the entire band(s) ahead of time, is there a way for the
memorized tuning solutions to load on QSY, rather than on RF application? It
really slowed me down as I was S&Ping my way through the low bands on Friday
night.

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

President, North Jersey DX Association

DXCC Card Checker
Letter O Manager, ARRL Incoming 2nd District QSL bureau

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Lovin' my K3S (S/N 10023)
73, Peter W2IRT

Nr4c

Re: KPA-1500 tuner question

Put the ATU in Man mode.

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill

> On Feb 20, 2019, at 10:36 PM, Peter Dougherty <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
> Something I noticed this past weekend in the contest about the KPA1500,
> especially on 80 and 160, where the internal tuner was needed on antennas
> that were above ~1.5:1 SWR. When I changed frequencies into a range that
> required retuning, I had to manually press the ATU control and initiate a
> tune sequence, or else when I was auto-sending CW my call would get cut off
> as the tuner set its needed values.
>
> Since I'd memorized the entire band(s) ahead of time, is there a way for the
> memorized tuning solutions to load on QSY, rather than on RF application? It
> really slowed me down as I was S&Ping my way through the low bands on Friday
> night.
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------
> 73 and Good DX
> Peter, W2IRT
>
>
>
> President, North Jersey DX Association
>
> DXCC Card Checker
> Letter O Manager, ARRL Incoming 2nd District QSL bureau
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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

Jim Miller

Re: KPA-1500 tuner question

With updated firmware and an aux cable this should be happening.

Jim ab3cv

On Feb 20, 2019, at 10:42 PM, Nr4c <[hidden email]> wrote:

Put the ATU in Man mode.

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill

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Walter J. Legowski

Re: KPA-1500 tuner question

In reply to this post by Peter W2IRT

I experienced the same thing, especially on 20M. The tuner is
apparently ignoring some of the signals on the AUXBUS line. I put a
scope on that line. I can see, some of the time, the amplifier
responding to the signal with a "clunk" as the tuner relays adjust to
the new segment. The rest of the time, I see the signal, but no
response from the amp. If you attempt to transmit when the signal is
ignored, you get chattering relays followed by "ATU Retune Complete" on
the amp display. I took a photo of the signal trace and sent it to
Support yesterday. They haven't gotten back to me yet.

Walt, WA1KKM

On 2/21/19 3:36 AM, Peter Dougherty wrote:

> Hi all,
> Something I noticed this past weekend in the contest about the KPA1500,
> especially on 80 and 160, where the internal tuner was needed on antennas
> that were above ~1.5:1 SWR. When I changed frequencies into a range that
> required retuning, I had to manually press the ATU control and initiate a
> tune sequence, or else when I was auto-sending CW my call would get cut off
> as the tuner set its needed values.
>
> Since I'd memorized the entire band(s) ahead of time, is there a way for the
> memorized tuning solutions to load on QSY, rather than on RF application? It
> really slowed me down as I was S&Ping my way through the low bands on Friday
> night.
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------
> 73 and Good DX
> Peter, W2IRT
>
>
>
> President, North Jersey DX Association
>
> DXCC Card Checker
> Letter O Manager, ARRL Incoming 2nd District QSL bureau
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

Jim Miller

Re: KPA-1500 tuner question

Things to check

Could be bad aux cable. Is it from Elecraft?

Do you have anything else connected to aux?

Are you sure connectors are fully engaged?

On Feb 21, 2019, at 10:21 AM, Walter J. Legowski <[hidden email]> wrote:

I experienced the same thing, especially on 20M. The tuner is apparently ignoring some of the signals on the AUXBUS line. I put a scope on that line. I can see, some of the time, the amplifier responding to the signal with a "clunk" as the tuner relays adjust to the new segment. The rest of the time, I see the signal, but no response from the amp. If you attempt to transmit when the signal is ignored, you get chattering relays followed by "ATU Retune Complete" on the amp display. I took a photo of the signal trace and sent it to Support yesterday. They haven't gotten back to me yet.

Walt, WA1KKM

> On 2/21/19 3:36 AM, Peter Dougherty wrote:
> Hi all,
> Something I noticed this past weekend in the contest about the KPA1500,
> especially on 80 and 160, where the internal tuner was needed on antennas
> that were above ~1.5:1 SWR. When I changed frequencies into a range that
> required retuning, I had to manually press the ATU control and initiate a
> tune sequence, or else when I was auto-sending CW my call would get cut off
> as the tuner set its needed values.
> Since I'd memorized the entire band(s) ahead of time, is there a way for the
> memorized tuning solutions to load on QSY, rather than on RF application? It
> really slowed me down as I was S&Ping my way through the low bands on Friday
> night.
> ---------------------------------------------
> 73 and Good DX
> Peter, W2IRT
> President, North Jersey DX Association
> DXCC Card Checker
> Letter O Manager, ARRL Incoming 2nd District QSL bureau
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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

K9MA

Re: KPA-1500 tuner question

If HiSWR AUTOTUNE is enabled, this would be the expected behavior.
However, ATU switching at the start of transmission sometimes happens
even with it disabled.

Elecraft is working on the ATU firmware in relation to this issue. I
noticed it some time ago. Even with the HiSWR AUTOTUNE turned off and
AUXBUS frequency data from the K3, the ATU sometimes switches when
transmission starts. I don't know quite what it sounds like on the other
end, but I seem to get asked for repeats off when it happens. Although
the K3 sends frequency data to the KPA1500 only once per second, that
isn't the main problem, as the switching occurs even if tuning has
stopped for longer than that.

Stay tuned.

73,
Scott K9MA

On 2/21/2019 09:36, Jim Miller wrote:

> Things to check
>
> Could be bad aux cable. Is it from Elecraft?
>
> Do you have anything else connected to aux?
>
> Are you sure connectors are fully engaged?
>
> On Feb 21, 2019, at 10:21 AM, Walter J. Legowski <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I experienced the same thing, especially on 20M. The tuner is apparently ignoring some of the signals on the AUXBUS line. I put a scope on that line. I can see, some of the time, the amplifier responding to the signal with a "clunk" as the tuner relays adjust to the new segment. The rest of the time, I see the signal, but no response from the amp. If you attempt to transmit when the signal is ignored, you get chattering relays followed by "ATU Retune Complete" on the amp display. I took a photo of the signal trace and sent it to Support yesterday. They haven't gotten back to me yet.
>
> Walt, WA1KKM
>
>
>> On 2/21/19 3:36 AM, Peter Dougherty wrote:
>> Hi all,
>> Something I noticed this past weekend in the contest about the KPA1500,
>> especially on 80 and 160, where the internal tuner was needed on antennas
>> that were above ~1.5:1 SWR. When I changed frequencies into a range that
>> required retuning, I had to manually press the ATU control and initiate a
>> tune sequence, or else when I was auto-sending CW my call would get cut off
>> as the tuner set its needed values.
>> Since I'd memorized the entire band(s) ahead of time, is there a way for the
>> memorized tuning solutions to load on QSY, rather than on RF application? It
>> really slowed me down as I was S&Ping my way through the low bands on Friday
>> night.
>> ---------------------------------------------
>> 73 and Good DX
>> Peter, W2IRT
>> President, North Jersey DX Association
>> DXCC Card Checker
>> Letter O Manager, ARRL Incoming 2nd District QSL bureau
>>

--
Scott K9MA

[hidden email]

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Peter W2IRT

Re: KPA-1500 tuner question

In reply to this post by Walter J. Legowski

This is exactly what happened to me. Very annoying. My KPA is in the shop repairing the blown final and I hope they can address this issue as well. My thinking is that if a tuned solution for a given frequency is already known then it should be set as soon as the radio QSYs there.

- pjd

-----Original Message-----
From: Walter J. Legowski <[hidden email]>
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2019 10:22 AM
To: Peter Dougherty <[hidden email]>; [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 tuner question

I experienced the same thing, especially on 20M. The tuner is apparently ignoring some of the signals on the AUXBUS line. I put a scope on that line. I can see, some of the time, the amplifier responding to the signal with a "clunk" as the tuner relays adjust to the new segment. The rest of the time, I see the signal, but no response from the amp. If you attempt to transmit when the signal is ignored, you get chattering relays followed by "ATU Retune Complete" on the amp display. I took a photo of the signal trace and sent it to Support yesterday. They haven't gotten back to me yet.

______________________________________________________________
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

Lovin' my K3S (S/N 10023)
73, Peter W2IRT

Dave wo2x

Re: KPA-1500 tuner question

My KPA1500 tuner responds to CAT commands from my Flex radio and doesn’t miss a beat.

So CAT seems to be fine but AUX connection is “intermittent”?

Dave wo2x

Sent from my waxed string and tin cans.

> On Feb 21, 2019, at 12:33 PM, Peter Dougherty <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> This is exactly what happened to me. Very annoying. My KPA is in the shop repairing the blown final and I hope they can address this issue as well. My thinking is that if a tuned solution for a given frequency is already known then it should be set as soon as the radio QSYs there.
>
> - pjd
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Walter J. Legowski <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2019 10:22 AM
> To: Peter Dougherty <[hidden email]>; [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 tuner question
>
> I experienced the same thing, especially on 20M. The tuner is apparently ignoring some of the signals on the AUXBUS line. I put a scope on that line. I can see, some of the time, the amplifier responding to the signal with a "clunk" as the tuner relays adjust to the new segment. The rest of the time, I see the signal, but no response from the amp. If you attempt to transmit when the signal is ignored, you get chattering relays followed by "ATU Retune Complete" on the amp display. I took a photo of the signal trace and sent it to Support yesterday. They haven't gotten back to me yet.
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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

Walter J. Legowski

Re: KPA-1500 tuner question

In reply to this post by Peter W2IRT

Support got back to me. The tuner firmware guy is looking into it.
Stay tuned...

Walt, WA1KKM

On 2/21/19 5:33 PM, Peter Dougherty wrote:

> This is exactly what happened to me. Very annoying. My KPA is in the shop repairing the blown final and I hope they can address this issue as well. My thinking is that if a tuned solution for a given frequency is already known then it should be set as soon as the radio QSYs there.
>
> - pjd
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Walter J. Legowski <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2019 10:22 AM
> To: Peter Dougherty <[hidden email]>; [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 tuner question
>
> I experienced the same thing, especially on 20M. The tuner is apparently ignoring some of the signals on the AUXBUS line. I put a scope on that line. I can see, some of the time, the amplifier responding to the signal with a "clunk" as the tuner relays adjust to the new segment. The rest of the time, I see the signal, but no response from the amp. If you attempt to transmit when the signal is ignored, you get chattering relays followed by "ATU Retune Complete" on the amp display. I took a photo of the signal trace and sent it to Support yesterday. They haven't gotten back to me yet.
>
>
>

Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ

Re: KPA-1500 tuner question

Administrator

In reply to this post by Peter W2IRT

We're looking at this right now. It must have crept in with a recent release.

I'll post here as soon as I have an update.

Regards,
Eric

Eric
/elecraft.com/

On 2/21/2019 9:33 AM, Peter Dougherty wrote: