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KPA 500

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Re: KPA 500

That just goes to prove the point: Chinese manufacturers will build to whatever quality level you specify. Consider things like the iPhone and other similar devices. Most people don't complain about the quality of their iPhone or iPad.
73 de RayK2ULR

-----Original Message-----
From: Buck <[hidden email]>
To: elecraft <[hidden email]>
Sent: Fri, Apr 10, 2020 1:23 pm
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500

A vendor at Dayton told me *all* are made in China, even the ones marked
Amphenol.

k4ia, Buck
K3s# 11497
Honor Roll 8B DXCC
EasyWayHamBooks.com

On 4/10/2020 12:43 PM, Irwin Darack wrote:

> Agreed. Many people buy the cheap ones made in China....and they fail.
>
> Irwin KD3TB
>
>>> step before taking the amp apart.
>>
>> If this is happening, I'd suspect 1) the connectors have gotten wet or
>> 2) the are JUNK connectors. If they aren't labeled "Amphenol," they're
>> JUNK.
>>
>> 73, Jim K9YC
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
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>>
>
>

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Ed Pflueger

Re: KPA 500

In reply to this post by Jim Brown-10

Well I was told by an unreliable source that the military had to have their
Amphenol's manufactured in the USA but were sent to Mexico for packaging.
Whether that's true or not I cannot confirm. All I know is the ones I buy
are stamped in black lettering saying "Amphenol 83-1sp and below that is
74868 PL259 49190" and they can run around 4 bucks apiece depending on when
and where I get them.

Ed... AB4IQ

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Jim Brown
Sent: Friday, April 10, 2020 11:27 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500

On 4/10/2020 8:45 AM, Irwin Darack wrote:
> In my experience, coax connectors, barrel connectors, etc. are always
> fail points when there is a sudden increase in SWR as power is
> increased. They oxidize over time and sometimes just reconnecting or
> replacing is the first step before taking the amp apart.

If this is happening, I'd suspect 1) the connectors have gotten wet or
2) the are JUNK connectors. If they aren't labeled "Amphenol," they're JUNK.

73, Jim K9YC
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Michael Walker

Re: KPA 500

This is going to cause a big sh*t storm :) and about 900 emails before
Wayne shuts it down.

However, having been in RF for a bit less then most of you (only 1974), I
have had connectors fail and not fail in my HF world (60Mhz or less).

No Name ones have worked wonderfully for decades. Amphenol's have failed
in a year. Amphenol T's in a phasing harness seem to fail the most (fell
apart). But, then, who knows who makes them.

What I can say is that there is, based on my personal experience, no 100%
guarantee on any particular one.

Install it. Visually inspect it. Make sure it is clean, dry and
waterproof and a year from now, if it is outside, open it up and make sure
it is still dry.

It isn't eve 'you get what you pay for' any more.

Next, we can have another 200 emails on how to solder a PL259. :)

Mike va3mw

On Fri, Apr 10, 2020 at 4:37 PM Ed Pflueger <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Well I was told by an unreliable source that the military had to have their
> Amphenol's manufactured in the USA but were sent to Mexico for packaging.
> Whether that's true or not I cannot confirm. All I know is the ones I buy
> are stamped in black lettering saying "Amphenol 83-1sp and below that is
> 74868 PL259 49190" and they can run around 4 bucks apiece depending on when
> and where I get them.
>
> Ed... AB4IQ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Jim Brown
> Sent: Friday, April 10, 2020 11:27 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500
>
> On 4/10/2020 8:45 AM, Irwin Darack wrote:
> > In my experience, coax connectors, barrel connectors, etc. are always
> > fail points when there is a sudden increase in SWR as power is
> > increased. They oxidize over time and sometimes just reconnecting or
> > replacing is the first step before taking the amp apart.
>
> If this is happening, I'd suspect 1) the connectors have gotten wet or
> 2) the are JUNK connectors. If they aren't labeled "Amphenol," they're
> JUNK.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]
>

Alan - G4GNX

Re: Those dang PL259s [was: KPA 500]

With respect, why not change the subject line. :-)

As it so happens, I just had an SO239 failure today! As I was moving a
cable near my HF vertical, I was suddenly presented with a cable end
with a PL259 still plugged in to the SO239 which should have been in the
antennas connector box. The center pin of the SO239 had a broken solder
joint and the main cause of the failure was that the SO239 retaining nut
had disintegrated in 3 places. The rest of the connector was still in
good condition.

Before anyone comments - this has nothing to do with my possible KPA500
problem, which occurs on a different antenna.

73,

Alan. G4GNX

------ Original Message ------
From: "Michael Walker" <[hidden email]>
To: "[hidden email]" <[hidden email]>
Sent: 10/04/2020 22:48:17
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500

>This is going to cause a big sh*t storm :) and about 900 emails before
>Wayne shuts it down.
>
>However, having been in RF for a bit less then most of you (only 1974), I
>have had connectors fail and not fail in my HF world (60Mhz or less).
>
>No Name ones have worked wonderfully for decades. Amphenol's have failed
>in a year. Amphenol T's in a phasing harness seem to fail the most (fell
>apart). But, then, who knows who makes them.
>
>What I can say is that there is, based on my personal experience, no 100%
>guarantee on any particular one.
>
>Install it. Visually inspect it. Make sure it is clean, dry and
>waterproof and a year from now, if it is outside, open it up and make sure
>it is still dry.
>
>It isn't eve 'you get what you pay for' any more.
>
>Next, we can have another 200 emails on how to solder a PL259. :)
>
>Mike va3mw
>
>

ANDY DURBIN

Re: KPA 500

In reply to this post by ANDY DURBIN

"60 deg C with fan not running is not normal. 60 deg C is the nominal temperature for start of fan speed 3."

The conversation was continued off "list" but there are a few points that I'd like to be in the archive -

There would appear to be two possible failure conditions. Either the fan is not being commanded on when temperature exceeds 50 deg C or the fan is commanded on and does not run.

Fan speed 1 is easily heard by anyone with normal hearing. The fan isn't quiet.

Fan operation at all speeds can be tested by using the KPA500 menu to select FAN CTL and cycling though the speeds.

Commanded fan speed can be checked by using the KPA500 utility to send command "^FS;". It will return "^FS0x;" where x is the fan speed setting.

73,
Andy, k3wyc

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