KX3 with KPA100/KAT100

[Kev Schache]

I'm confined to operating from home due to age restraints but I'm also
the very proud builder/owner of a K2 and a separate EC2 cased KPA100 and
KAT100 - along the lines of W3DVX 'twins'.   In addition to that combo,
I'm also the proud owner of a KX3 which seems to be developing a
yearning for 100W.

I'm wondering if anyone has successfully used the KPA100/KAT100 with the
KX3 ?  Is that practical or is that simply not feasible ??

Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks and 73,

Kev     VK5KS    ex vk3zka

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[Don Wilhelm]

Kev,

Sorry, but that will not work.  The KPA100/KAT100 needs internal signals
from the K2.  Those signals are not available from the KX3.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/23/2020 11:20 PM, Kev Schache wrote:
> I'm confined to operating from home due to age restraints but I'm also
> the very proud builder/owner of a K2 and a separate EC2 cased KPA100 and
> KAT100 - along the lines of W3DVX 'twins'.   In addition to that combo,
> I'm also the proud owner of a KX3 which seems to be developing a
> yearning for 100W.
>
> I'm wondering if anyone has successfully used the KPA100/KAT100 with the
> KX3 ?  Is that practical or is that simply not feasible ??
>
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[Edward R Cole]

At first I read KXPA100, not KPA100.  Of course the KXPA100 was
designed to be a companion  to the KX3.

I have one and drive it with either my KX3 or K3/10 (10w version of the K3).

I suppose one could build an interface from KX3 to KPA100.  Basic
need would be PTT, RF drive, and Band switching.

Years ago, I bought the 100w PA module for a HF mobile with  thoughts
to make a "cheap 100w amp".  Never got around to it.

I did build some CCI HF kits (300w and 140w) but finally decided on
the KXPA100/KXTA100 combo.
http://www.kl7uw.com/fs.htm

KX3+KXPA100 works nice in my mobile on HF/6m.  http://www.kl7uw.com/Mobile.htm


73, Ed - KL7UW
   http://www.kl7uw.com
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[Don Wilhelm]

Ed and all,

It is more complicated than "build an interface".

The KPA100 and KAT100 depend on internal signals in the K2 for proper
operation.
The first is '12CTRL' which is used to tell the KPA100 that the K2 has
12 volts present.
Second is '8R' which tells the KPA100 that the K2 has been put into
transmit.
I will admit that those 2 above could be 'dummied up' by a 12 volt "ON"
switch and 'PTT'.  But there are other critical signals that are not
possible except with the K2 base.

The first of those is the 'AUXBUS' which is necessary for the KPA100 and
KAT100 firmware to operate.  This 'one wire' signal is the main signal
to communicate among the various firmware processors in the K2 system.
It includes band data as well as PA temperature, fan state, current
indication, fan speed control, control of the KPA100 T/R state, TUNE
power and KAT100 tuning control, detection of actual power output over
the VRFDET line so the K2 firmware can control the power output.  It is
also necessary to calculate the SWR as well as measuring the actual
power output and feeding that information to the base K2 firmware for
drive power control.

Those latter signal lines would be quite impossible to drag out of a
KX3, yet they are essential to the proper operation of the KPA100/KAT100.

If one were to redesign the hardware and firmware of the KPA100 and
KAT100, it may be possible to run them as a standalone amplifier and
tuner, but given the magnitude of the task, selling the KPA100/KAT100
and using the money to buy a KXPA100 and KXAT100 would be the best way
to make a 100 watt system for the KX3.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/25/2020 2:41 PM, Edward R Cole wrote:
> At first I read KXPA100, not KPA100.  Of course the KXPA100 was designed
> to be a companion  to the KX3.
>
> I have one and drive it with either my KX3 or K3/10 (10w version of the
> K3).
>
> I suppose one could build an interface from KX3 to KPA100.  Basic need
> would be PTT, RF drive, and Band switching.
>
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