Meaning of KAT500 flashing Auto light

[G4HUE]

I am having some problems with my understanding of the KAT500.

I have a K3 and an ACOM1000 linear. On 40m when I operate data modes or AM (purely for testing purposes) all is well the units work well together. I can happily run up to 400 watts and as is well. My 40m OCFD has an SWR of about 1.2:1.

But when I operate SSB things go "odd". For no apparent reason the KAT500 starts to retune part way through and over and enters a fault condition (on the same frequency as I was using for data - so there is no frequency change involved) and the Auto button flashes. Now I have looked in the manual and cant find the meaning of the flashing Auto LED.

Can someone advise me please. I know its me but I am puzzled.

Andy
K36990
P3 2493
KAT500 1245
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[tomb18]

Hi Andy, 
Make sure you have the latest firmware on your KAT500. I am many others had similar issues and we're resolved with the firmware. 
73s Tom 
Va2fsq.com 




-------- Original message --------
From: ANDY NEHAN <[hidden email]>
Date: 20/05/2014  08:44  (GMT-05:00)
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] Meaning of KAT500 flashing Auto light
 
I am having some problems with my understanding of the KAT500.

I have a K3 and an ACOM1000 linear. On 40m when I operate data modes or AM (purely for testing purposes) all is well the units work well together. I can happily run up to 400 watts and as is well. My 40m OCFD has an SWR of about 1.2:1.

But when I operate SSB things go "odd". For no apparent reason the KAT500 starts to retune part way through and over and enters a fault condition (on the same frequency as I was using for data - so there is no frequency change involved) and the Auto button flashes. Now I have looked in the manual and cant find the meaning of the flashing Auto LED.

Can someone advise me please. I know its me but I am puzzled.

Andy
K36990
P3 2493
KAT500 1245
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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Andy,

There have been improvements in the firmware to address exactly that
re-tuning problem.  It has to do with the measurement of SWR - during
SSB, if the reflected power is sampled at a voice peak and the forward
power is sampled during a period of low RF, the resulting calculation
will think the SWR is high and re-tune.  There have been changes made to
the firmware to attempt to smooth that measurement over a longer period
of time.

If you are not using the latest firmware, give it a try.

After 'training' the tuner, you may want to run it in Manual mode rather
than letting it auto-tune 'on the fly'.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 5/20/2014 8:44 AM, ANDY NEHAN wrote:
> I am having some problems with my understanding of the KAT500.
>
> I have a K3 and an ACOM1000 linear. On 40m when I operate data modes or AM (purely for testing purposes) all is well the units work well together. I can happily run up to 400 watts and as is well. My 40m OCFD has an SWR of about 1.2:1.
>
> But when I operate SSB things go "odd". For no apparent reason the KAT500 starts to retune part way through and over and enters a fault condition (on the same frequency as I was using for data - so there is no frequency change involved) and the Auto button flashes. Now I have looked in the manual and cant find the meaning of the flashing Auto LED.
>
>

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[G4HUE]

Thanks guys - its nice to know I'm not mad! Yes I do have version 1.67 which looks to be the latest version of the firmware. But I will use the Manual mode in future rather than Auto. Is there any news on having this inconsistency fixed??

Andy
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[Phil Wheeler-2]

Don,

By "latest firmware" do you mean latest released
firmware or beta?  I ask because I may have seen
that phenomenon, too, but have not been able to
repeat it on a reliable basis.

73, Phil w7ox

On 5/20/14, 7:11 AM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Andy,
>
> There have been improvements in the firmware to
> address exactly that re-tuning problem.  It has
> to do with the measurement of SWR - during SSB,
> if the reflected power is sampled at a voice
> peak and the forward power is sampled during a
> period of low RF, the resulting calculation will
> think the SWR is high and re-tune. There have
> been changes made to the firmware to attempt to
> smooth that measurement over a longer period of
> time.
>
> If you are not using the latest firmware, give
> it a try.
>
> After 'training' the tuner, you may want to run
> it in Manual mode rather than letting it
> auto-tune 'on the fly'.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 5/20/2014 8:44 AM, ANDY NEHAN wrote:
>> I am having some problems with my understanding
>> of the KAT500.
>>
>> I have a K3 and an ACOM1000 linear. On 40m when
>> I operate data modes or AM (purely for testing
>> purposes) all is well the units work well
>> together. I can happily run up to 400 watts and
>> as is well. My 40m OCFD has an SWR of about 1.2:1.
>>
>> But when I operate SSB things go "odd". For no
>> apparent reason the KAT500 starts to retune
>> part way through and over and enters a fault
>> condition (on the same frequency as I was using
>> for data - so there is no frequency change
>> involved) and the Auto button flashes. Now I
>> have looked in the manual and cant find the
>> meaning of the flashing Auto LED.
>>
>

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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Phil,

There is no  current beta for the KAT500 - the latest release is 1.67.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 5/20/2014 5:24 PM, Phil Wheeler wrote:
> Don,
>
> By "latest firmware" do you mean latest released firmware or beta?  I
> ask because I may have seen that phenomenon, too, but have not been
> able to repeat it on a reliable basis.
>
> 73, Phil w7ox
>

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[Gary Gregory-2]

Did anyone answer his query regarding the flashing LED?

If not:  it is awaiting a carrier to commence tuning.

Oh dear, here i go testing my memory again folks....i admit it can be a bit
iffy at times...

Gary
Vk1ZZ
K3, KX3, KPA500-FT, KAT500-FT,P3.
On 21/05/2014 7:24 AM, "Phil Wheeler" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Don,
>
> By "latest firmware" do you mean latest released firmware or beta?  I ask
> because I may have seen that phenomenon, too, but have not been able to
> repeat it on a reliable basis.
>
> 73, Phil w7ox
>
> On 5/20/14, 7:11 AM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>
>> Andy,
>>
>> There have been improvements in the firmware to address exactly that
>> re-tuning problem.  It has to do with the measurement of SWR - during SSB,
>> if the reflected power is sampled at a voice peak and the forward power is
>> sampled during a period of low RF, the resulting calculation will think the
>> SWR is high and re-tune. There have been changes made to the firmware to
>> attempt to smooth that measurement over a longer period of time.
>>
>> If you are not using the latest firmware, give it a try.
>>
>> After 'training' the tuner, you may want to run it in Manual mode rather
>> than letting it auto-tune 'on the fly'.
>>
>> 73,
>> Don W3FPR
>>
>> On 5/20/2014 8:44 AM, ANDY NEHAN wrote:
>>
>>> I am having some problems with my understanding of the KAT500.
>>>
>>> I have a K3 and an ACOM1000 linear. On 40m when I operate data modes or
>>> AM (purely for testing purposes) all is well the units work well together.
>>> I can happily run up to 400 watts and as is well. My 40m OCFD has an SWR of
>>> about 1.2:1.
>>>
>>> But when I operate SSB things go "odd". For no apparent reason the
>>> KAT500 starts to retune part way through and over and enters a fault
>>> condition (on the same frequency as I was using for data - so there is no
>>> frequency change involved) and the Auto button flashes. Now I have looked
>>> in the manual and cant find the meaning of the flashing Auto LED.
>>>
>>>
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
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>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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>

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