KPA500: Bonehead Input Overload

[Jim Perry]

Major Bonehead here.

 

I accidentally hit the input of my KPA500 with 100 watts SSB for 5-10
seconds.  Now, no output.  I never saw the fault light come on, so it never
asked to be reset.  All the controls/indicators seem normal.

 

Questions:

 

1. Anything I can try while I wait for Elecraft Repair to get back to
me?  Is there a "factory reset" I should try?
2. Anybody know how backed up things are at Repair during this virus
thing?  I've sent two e-mails, and it's been a week with no reply.

 

I've had this KPA for nearly seven years, and this is the first problem I've
had.

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[Jim Perry]

Jack, et al, thanks for your professionally considered responses to my problem.

Found:  My Flex-6600 settings had somehow changed (I didn't do it, honest!) to disable the PA Key line for all bands (!), in a menu matrix I didn't even know existed.  I've corrected these settings, and all is well.

True to my "bonehead" title, I should have done some basic troubleshooting before posting.  But I was so sure that I had nuked the KPA500 input, I didn't look in other places.

It's good to know you're there, willing to help.

73,
  --jim KJ3P






-----Original Message-----
From: Jack Brindle <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2020 6:58 PM
To: Jim Perry <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500: Bonehead Input Overload

Jim;

Sorry to hear you are having troubles with your KPA500. I am sure the guys in Support are backed up, so let’s see if I might be able to help. My questions:
* How does the receive sound with the amplifier in STBY? OPER? Does it drop, or sound as expected with the KPA bypassed?
* While in STBY, when you transmit, are there any issues with the output, is it attenuated?
* Are you getting the normal asterisk in the LCD when you transmit with the KPA in OPER?

You don’t mention which transceiver you are using, but I’d like to test the RF band switching.
If you normally have RADIO = K3 or BCD, change to RADIO = SERIAL.
if normally RADIO = SERIAL, change to RADIO = BCD You get the idea - change RADIO to something besides normal (but not BCD if a K3).
Then, with the KPA in STBY, change bands on the TX and transmit, does the KPA also change bands?

Lastly, if you will send me a KPA500 fault log, I will analyze it. Use the KPA Utility, go to the Configuration tab. Select “Display Fault Table”.
Click on Save to File, then send me the resulting file.

Hopefully we will be able to fix things without sending your baby back to Watsonville.

73!
Jack, W6FB
Elecraft Engineering

> On May 15, 2020, at 2:50 PM, Jim Perry <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Major Bonehead here.
>
>
>
> I accidentally hit the input of my KPA500 with 100 watts SSB for 5-10
> seconds.  Now, no output.  I never saw the fault light come on, so it
> never asked to be reset.  All the controls/indicators seem normal.
>
>
>
> Questions:
>
>
>
> 1. Anything I can try while I wait for Elecraft Repair to get back to
> me?  Is there a "factory reset" I should try?
> 2. Anybody know how backed up things are at Repair during this virus
> thing?  I've sent two e-mails, and it's been a week with no reply.
>
>
>
> I've had this KPA for nearly seven years, and this is the first
> problem I've had.
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]

______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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