NG0R - K2 KAT2 LO P issue

[John Hoaglun-2]

I need some help troubleshooting a KAT issue.
 
I have a K2 (+KAT + Serial + 160m + 60m/transverter interface) that I have
used quite a bit without any issues.
 
This weekend I decided to take my K2 out of town for the weekend on a family
trip. I figured that I could measure & cut the wire dipoles, and test out
the K2 with the new EEE laptop etc and in general just test & prep for the
upcoming Field Day outing next weekend.
 
With the tuner set to Auto my K2 will not tune up properly. When I hit the
Tune button I get a "1.0:1"  then "LO P" message.  (It does not matter what
the P out is set to and the current draw is pretty low.)
 
When I got home tonight I plugged the k2 into the shack to test it again and
I get the same results into my antennas and a known good dummy load. The
radio is set to current limiting of 3.5 so that should not be issue. When I
flip to the ATU menu to the setup and listen to the relays for the
inductors, capacitors, and antenna jacks I hear all of the clicks where I
expect them.
 
I am a bit panicked now as I thought that I was largely prepped for Field
Day and my rig is having problems. (One of the many reasons that I built the
K2 was for a Field Day rig and camping.)
 
I am looking for some troubleshooting directions as my window for this
repair is pretty short.
 
Please respond to the list and direct (I get the digest version so CC direct
and I will see the messages much sooner.)

Thanks, JH
 
-----------------------------
John Hoaglun
NG0R - EN25
http://www.hoaglun.com
 
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[Don Wilhelm-4]

John,

How does the KAT2 react if you set it to CALP and do a TUNE (into a
dummy load)?
Is the power indicated about the same as an external meter?  Try at
several power levels - 2, 5, 10 and max power and use 40 meters.

LoP messages are not usually a tuner issue.  If the K2 is working
normally, this message is an indication of a power supply issue.  Check
the power supply voltage under load and the cable to the PS as well as
the connectors.

If the power supply is OK, then remove the KAT2 and drive a dummy load
from the base K2.  What is the maximum power output available on all
bands?  If it is not at least 10 watts, there is a problem

73,
Don W3FPR

John Hoaglun wrote:

> I need some help troubleshooting a KAT issue.
>  
> I have a K2 (+KAT + Serial + 160m + 60m/transverter interface) that I have
> used quite a bit without any issues.
>  
> This weekend I decided to take my K2 out of town for the weekend on a family
> trip. I figured that I could measure & cut the wire dipoles, and test out
> the K2 with the new EEE laptop etc and in general just test & prep for the
> upcoming Field Day outing next weekend.
>  
> With the tuner set to Auto my K2 will not tune up properly. When I hit the
> Tune button I get a "1.0:1"  then "LO P" message.  (It does not matter what
> the P out is set to and the current draw is pretty low.)
>  
> When I got home tonight I plugged the k2 into the shack to test it again and
> I get the same results into my antennas and a known good dummy load. The
> radio is set to current limiting of 3.5 so that should not be issue. When I
> flip to the ATU menu to the setup and listen to the relays for the
> inductors, capacitors, and antenna jacks I hear all of the clicks where I
> expect them.
>  
> I am a bit panicked now as I thought that I was largely prepped for Field
> Day and my rig is having problems. (One of the many reasons that I built the
> K2 was for a Field Day rig and camping.)
>  
> I am looking for some troubleshooting directions as my window for this
> repair is pretty short.
>  
> Please respond to the list and direct (I get the digest version so CC direct
> and I will see the messages much sooner.)
>
> Thanks, JH
>  
> -----------------------------
> John Hoaglun
> NG0R - EN25
> http://www.hoaglun.com
>  
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> 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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>  

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[John Hoaglun-2]

I made quick test before work this morning:

CalP shows 0.1F / 0.0r which pretty much matches what my external meter says
for power: nil

The power supply is fine (I have two of them and have tested with both and a
deep cycle.) The power supply will drive several other radios at the same
time without any sag.

I will need to try to remove the KAT2 over my lunch break. (if my conf calls
stop long enough to get a lunch break.) More later.

Thanks, JH

-----------------------------
John Hoaglun
NG0R - EN25
http://www.hoaglun.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Wilhelm [mailto:[hidden email]]

John,

How does the KAT2 react if you set it to CALP and do a TUNE (into a dummy
load)?
Is the power indicated about the same as an external meter?  Try at several
power levels - 2, 5, 10 and max power and use 40 meters.

LoP messages are not usually a tuner issue.  If the K2 is working normally,
this message is an indication of a power supply issue.  Check the power
supply voltage under load and the cable to the PS as well as the connectors.

If the power supply is OK, then remove the KAT2 and drive a dummy load from
the base K2.  What is the maximum power output available on all bands?  If
it is not at least 10 watts, there is a problem

73,
Don W3FPR

John Hoaglun wrote:
> I need some help troubleshooting a KAT issue.
>  
> With the tuner set to Auto my K2 will not tune up properly. When I hit
> the Tune button I get a "1.0:1"  then "LO P" message.  (It does not
> matter what the P out is set to and the current draw is pretty low.)


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