KPA500 Interface with Kenwood TS-590
Locked
KPA500 Interface with Kenwood TS-590
 
|
Hi all,
I was attempting to demo my KPA500 with my friend's new TS-590. Everything is fine except I can't get automatic band change to work. Serial port speed is set to 19.2 on the radio and amp. Amp is set to serial and polling is on. But no band changing occurs. I tried different serial port speeds with no luck. Anyone had any experience with the TS-590 and the KPA500? BTW, the TS-590 seems like a splendid radio for the money. I haven't seen anything else on the market today that is as comparable to the K3 as the TS-590. Not trying to restart the TS-590 VS: K3 debate. To each his own. My friend has been a long time Kenwood fan and the TS-590 was a good choice for him. Having had a chance to test drive it here in my shack, it seems like one of the better values today. I'll have it here for about a week so I'll get a chance to really ring it out. Looks like a fine example of a compliment through imitation. 73, Doug -- K0DXV ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
|
|
Does the KPA talk directly with other rigs via serial? I didn't pick
that up in the specs. The amp will auto sense the band on transmit automatically so you really don't need any cabling other than the ptt line. Mike W0MU W0MU-1 CC Cluster w0mu.net:23 or w0mu-1.dnsdynamic.com Http://www.w0mu.com On 6/10/2012 1:19 PM, Doug Person wrote: > Hi all, > > I was attempting to demo my KPA500 with my friend's new TS-590. > Everything is fine except I can't get automatic band change to work. > Serial port speed is set to 19.2 on the radio and amp. Amp is set to > serial and polling is on. But no band changing occurs. I tried > different serial port speeds with no luck. > > Anyone had any experience with the TS-590 and the KPA500? > > BTW, the TS-590 seems like a splendid radio for the money. I haven't > seen anything else on the market today that is as comparable to the K3 > as the TS-590. Not trying to restart the TS-590 VS: K3 debate. To each > his own. My friend has been a long time Kenwood fan and the TS-590 was > a good choice for him. Having had a chance to test drive it here in my > shack, it seems like one of the better values today. I'll have it here > for about a week so I'll get a chance to really ring it out. Looks like > a fine example of a compliment through imitation. > > 73, Doug -- K0DXV > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 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 |
Re: KPA500 Interface with Kenwood TS-590
|
|
In reply to this post by Doug Person-3
Be EXTRA REAL careful as the '590 has a history of spiking on the start of
some transmissions. Firmware upgrades haven't completely solved the problem. While the receiver is in a similar class as the K line, that single issue was enough for me to vote it down (I bought the K3, P3, KPA500 instead). 73, Rick wa6nhc -----Original Message----- From: Doug Person I was attempting to demo my KPA500 with my friend's new TS-590. ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
|
|
In reply to this post by w0mu
Just received my new K2 kit and I no longer have the dexterity in my
fingers to wind the toroids so I am planning to use Mychael's service. The trouble is I cannot find him on Paypal. anyone have a direct paypal address for him? thanks Thom WI8W ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
Re: KPA500 Interface with Kenwood TS-590
|
|
In reply to this post by Doug Person-3
You don't need the rig and amp to communicate for auto band changing to
occur. The KPA500 will sense the frequency of the RF and change automatically. No need for the cable. But, if you desire to interface the TS-590 and the KPA500, make sure the serial cable is plugged into the (XCVR) port on the back of the amp and in the "Radio" menu, set the parameter to "serial." It defaults to K3. 73, Scott, N9AA On 6/10/12 3:19 PM, Doug Person wrote: > Hi all, > > I was attempting to demo my KPA500 with my friend's new TS-590. > Everything is fine except I can't get automatic band change to work. > Serial port speed is set to 19.2 on the radio and amp. Amp is set to > serial and polling is on. But no band changing occurs. I tried > different serial port speeds with no luck. > > Anyone had any experience with the TS-590 and the KPA500? > > BTW, the TS-590 seems like a splendid radio for the money. I haven't > seen anything else on the market today that is as comparable to the K3 > as the TS-590. Not trying to restart the TS-590 VS: K3 debate. To each > his own. My friend has been a long time Kenwood fan and the TS-590 was > a good choice for him. Having had a chance to test drive it here in my > shack, it seems like one of the better values today. I'll have it here > for about a week so I'll get a chance to really ring it out. Looks like > a fine example of a compliment through imitation. > > 73, Doug -- K0DXV > ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
|
|
In reply to this post by Thom Durfee
Thom,
I usually email him first - then he can send you a paypal invoice. His email is [hidden email]. Mychael's toroid order form is available for download from the Elecraft website - see http://www.elecraft.com/Apps/ToroidGuy/toroidguy_prewound_toroids.htm 73, Don W3FPR On 6/10/2012 4:01 PM, Thom Durfee wrote: > Just received my new K2 kit and I no longer have the dexterity in my > fingers to wind the toroids so I am planning to use Mychael's service. > > The trouble is I cannot find him on Paypal. > > anyone have a direct paypal address for him? > ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
|
|
In reply to this post by Thom Durfee
Thanks Jim and the rest of you for the offers and the advice.
After sending that request I did figure out how to get money to him for my order via paypal. Thom WI8W ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
|
|
In reply to this post by Thom Durfee
[hidden email]
Chuck, KE9UW aka Jack, BMW Motorcycles BMWMOA #224 ________________________________________ From: [hidden email] [[hidden email]] on behalf of Thom Durfee [[hidden email]] Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2012 3:01 PM To: [hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] Toriodguy Just received my new K2 kit and I no longer have the dexterity in my fingers to wind the toroids so I am planning to use Mychael's service. The trouble is I cannot find him on Paypal. anyone have a direct paypal address for him? thanks Thom WI8W ______________________________________________________________ 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 ______________________________________________________________ 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
Chuck, KE9UW
|
Re: KPA500 Interface with Kenwood TS-590
|
|
In reply to this post by Rick WA6NHC
I do run the K-Line as my main station. I'm not sure how to observe the
spiking you mentioned. The firmware is at 1.06. I haven't seen anything unusual. I have been running it at 25 to 30 watts into my KPA500 with excellent results. I'll see if I can research the spiking issue you mentioned. tnx & 73, Doug -- K0DXV On 6/10/2012 1:59 PM, Rick Bates wrote: > > Be EXTRA REAL careful as the '590 has a history of spiking on the > start of some transmissions. Firmware upgrades haven't completely > solved the problem. > > While the receiver is in a similar class as the K line, that single > issue was enough for me to vote it down (I bought the K3, P3, KPA500 > instead). > > 73, > > Rick wa6nhc > > -----Original Message----- > From: Doug Person > > I was attempting to demo my KPA500 with my friend's new TS-590. > ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
Re: KPA500 Interface with Kenwood TS-590
|
|
In reply to this post by Doug Person-3
Doug, you need an oscilloscope and ideally trigger it from the key
line. For an example of the sort of problems some radios have see: http://www.astromag.co.uk/ft857d/ Connect the radio to a dummy load (no amplifier needed), set the radio for a drive level in the 10 - 30 Watt region and send a single "dit" on the key. Even without a storage 'scope you can repeat the dit and see if the envelope is clean or not. While the KPA500 may show the spike as a momentary peak on the bar graph, even my LP-100 power meter isn't anywhere near as good as a 100 MHz 'scope at seeing what is really going on. It is not always the leading edge of a CW character that causes problems, the FT857D created spikes during SSB speech too. I have not tried a TS590, my TS480SAT is clean as is my K3. 73 Dave, G4AON >I'm not sure how to observe the >spiking you mentioned ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
Re: KPA500 Interface with Kenwood TS-590
|
|
In reply to this post by w0mu
The manual says it will talk to Kenwoods via the serial interface.
Doug -- K0DXV On 6/10/2012 1:33 PM, W0MU Mike Fatchett wrote: > Does the KPA talk directly with other rigs via serial? I didn't pick > that up in the specs. The amp will auto sense the band on transmit > automatically so you really don't need any cabling other than the ptt line. > > Mike W0MU > > ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
|
|
In reply to this post by Doug Person-3
Doug:
I just got a KPA500 and spent the last few days getting it going. I am using a TS-480 but ran into the same RS-232 problem you mention. After investigating I finally figured out what was going on. The problem is, when my KPA500 powers up it ALWAYS initializes BOTH of its RS-232 ports to 38.4k. The menus may look like 19.2k, 9600, etc. but there appears to be a bug in the KPA firmware that causes it to ignore the correct values you have set in the menus. The solution is that you must go into the KPA menu and change the baud rates to something else and then back again to the desired speed. Or, you can set the radio to use 38.4k and the speed problem won't come up. Unfortunately if you are using a SteppIR antenna like me, the SteppIR won't work at 38.4k, it only goes up to 19.2k. So for the time being I am running the SteppIR off the TS-480 RS-232 port and relying on RF sensing for KPA band switching. And there is another problem. There is a menu setting for SER POLL. It must be set to ON, at least for my TS-480. Unfortunately it always initializes to OFF, regardless of what the menu says. Solution is to go in to the KPA menu for that item, turn it off, then back on. Power cycling the KPA always resets the ports on my KPA to 38.4k and the SER POLL to OFF, no matter what state it was in at last power off and no matter what the menus say. If you do these things your RS-232 band control should work fine, mine does. By the way, you can do the changes in speed and polling thru the PC port (initially at 38.4k of course) or thru the menu buttons on the KPA. Speaking of the PC port, mine will lock up after a few minutes for no apparent reason and I lose PC control of the KPA. XCVR port remains unaffected. I can run the Elecraft utility program on my PC and watch it poll the KPA. After a while it just quits. Solution is to power cycle the KPA (then reset the ports, etc.) to reset the port. A tweak of the KPA firmware should fix all this. I ran into another problem. The KPA ALC does not appear compatible with my TS-480. All sorts of strange power problems. All Ok when I pull the plug. Are you using ALC successfully with the 590? I made a table of values for drive level versus KPA power output. When I change bands on the TS-480 I must remember to go in and set its power to the value needed by the KPA for that band, anywhere from 28 to 37 watts. Fortunately the TS-480 has 1 watt steps available in its power control and I can set it just right. I just need to remember to do it every time I change bands. Hopefully I can resolve this in the near future. Randy, W7HR Port Orchard, WA ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
«
Return to [QRO]
|
1 view|%1 views
| Free forum by Nabble | Edit this page |