KPA500 in the RTTY Contest

[Irwin KD3TB]

For General Information -

 

I ran the KPA500 in the CQWW RTTY contest this weekend.  With a drive power
of 15 to 20W from the K3, I kept the KPA500 output between 350 and 400W
output.  Even during runs (calling CQ), the temperature never went above 65
degrees on the KAT500 meter. The cooling fan changed speeds as needed and
kept the amp with its tolerances. This was enough power to break pile ups
and get into Asia with no trouble.  The interface between the KAT500 and
KPA500 was seem less allowing me to quickly move between bands.  Although
not listed as a RTTY contesting amp, I was really impressed with the KPA500
performance.

 

Irwin - KD3TB

 

______________________________________________________________
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

[Claude Du Berger]

Irwin, I ran mine at 500W for 20 hrs. 1268 QSO fan speed fixe at 4
and no problem. 60% of the time in RUN/CQ mode.

73, Claude VE2FK


From: KD3TB
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 11:35 AM
To: 'Elecraft Reflector'
Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 in the RTTY Contest

For General Information -

I ran the KPA500 in the CQWW RTTY contest this weekend.  With a drive power
of 15 to 20W from the K3, I kept the KPA500 output between 350 and 400W
output.  Even during runs (calling CQ), the temperature never went above 65
degrees on the KAT500 meter. The cooling fan changed speeds as needed and
kept the amp with its tolerances. This was enough power to break pile ups
and get into Asia with no trouble.  The interface between the KAT500 and
KPA500 was seem less allowing me to quickly move between bands.  Although
not listed as a RTTY contesting amp, I was really impressed with the KPA500
performance.

Irwin - KD3TB

______________________________________________________________
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

[k6dgw]

FWIW:  I run my KPA500 at 500W in any mode [well ... not PSK31 :-)] and
it handles it just fine.  I seem to remember, during the KPA500 field
testing, that Jim, K9YC, was told to run his at 700W in a RTTY contest
and it did it just fine there too.  Difference between 400 and 500 is
less than 1dB, and to each his own of course, but I think the amp is
more robust than some may think.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2013 Cal QSO Party 5-6 Oct 2013
- www.cqp.org

On 9/30/2013 8:35 AM, KD3TB wrote:

> I ran the KPA500 in the CQWW RTTY contest this weekend.  With a drive power
> of 15 to 20W from the K3, I kept the KPA500 output between 350 and 400W
> output.  Even during runs (calling CQ), the temperature never went above 65
> degrees on the KAT500 meter. The cooling fan changed speeds as needed and
> kept the amp with its tolerances. This was enough power to break pile ups
> and get into Asia with no trouble.

______________________________________________________________
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

[W4GRJ]

Will the KPA500 work on HF freqs outside the ham bands ie., MARS freqs?

Thanks,
Jack
W4GRJ
______________________________________________________________
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

[Sebastian, W4AS]

I run mine on 6 meter meteor scatter at full power all the time.  Sometimes for up to an hour continuous (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off).  I have mentioned this to Elecraft and they didn't have any concerns about it.

73 de Sebastian, W4AS



On Sep 30, 2013, at 3:36 PM, Fred Jensen <[hidden email]> wrote:

> FWIW:  I run my KPA500 at 500W in any mode [well ... not PSK31 :-)] and it handles it just fine.  I seem to remember, during the KPA500 field testing, that Jim, K9YC, was told to run his at 700W in a RTTY contest and it did it just fine there too.  Difference between 400 and 500 is less than 1dB, and to each his own of course, but I think the amp is more robust than some may think.
>
> 73,
>
> Fred K6DGW
> - Northern California Contest Club
> - CU in the 2013 Cal QSO Party 5-6 Oct 2013
> - www.cqp.org
>
> On 9/30/2013 8:35 AM, KD3TB wrote:
>
>> I ran the KPA500 in the CQWW RTTY contest this weekend.  With a drive power
>> of 15 to 20W from the K3, I kept the KPA500 output between 350 and 400W
>> output.  Even during runs (calling CQ), the temperature never went above 65
>> degrees on the KAT500 meter. The cooling fan changed speeds as needed and
>> kept the amp with its tolerances. This was enough power to break pile ups
>> and get into Asia with no trouble.
>
> _

______________________________________________________________
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

[mcduffie]

On Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:27:13 -0400, Claude Du Berger wrote:

> Irwin, I ran mine at 500W for 20 hrs. 1268 QSO fan speed fixe at 4
> and no problem. 60% of the time in RUN/CQ mode.

FYI, that is NOT a fixed speed.  It is just the minimum speed that it
will run instead of ramping down to the lowest or off when it cools
down.

Gary
--
http://ag0n.net
3055: http://ag0n.net/irlp/3055
NodeOp Help Page: http://ag0n.net/irlp
______________________________________________________________
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

[Irwin KD3TB]

Great testimonial on Elecraft quality and the KPA500

Irwin, KD3TB

On Monday, September 30, 2013, KD3TB wrote:

> For General Information - ****
>
> ** **
>
> I ran the KPA500 in the CQWW RTTY contest this weekend.  With a drive
> power of 15 to 20W from the K3, I kept the KPA500 output between 350 and
> 400W output.  Even during runs (calling CQ), the temperature never went
> above 65 degrees on the KAT500 meter. The cooling fan changed speeds as
> needed and kept the amp with its tolerances. This was enough power to break
> pile ups and get into Asia with no trouble.  The interface between the
> KAT500 and KPA500 was seem less allowing me to quickly move between bands.
>  Although not listed as a RTTY contesting amp, I was really impressed with
> the KPA500 performance. ****
>
> ** **
>
> Irwin - KD3TB****
>
> ** **
>

--
Irwin KD3TB
______________________________________________________________
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