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"Turn on the KPA500" Error

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Stewart Bryant

"Turn on the KPA500" Error

I have a K3 connected to an XV144 in the preferred configuration shown
in the manual with the AUX port used for band switching.

Occasionally I find that with the XV144 powered down the K3 hangs
complaining that the KPA500 needs to be turned on. I can cure this by
powering on the XV144 or by disconnecting the Aux lead from the XV144.

Is this a fault on one of my component's (K3, cable or XV144), a bug or
a feature.

Any idea where I should start to debug?

Thanks

Stewart/G3YSX

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Lyle Johnson

Re: "Turn on the KPA500" Error

Stewart,

The message really means, "Something of sufficiently low impedance to
common is attached to the auxbus, holding the auxbus line at a logical
low. Turn on the device if it is off -- this is the most common cause
of the problem -- or disconnect the device from the auxbus."

The symptom first showed up consistently during KPA500 development, so
the error message suggests turning on the KPA500.

In your case, I'd say, "Keep calm and carry on."

73,

Lyle KK7P

> I have a K3 connected to an XV144 in the preferred configuration shown
> in the manual with the AUX port used for band switching.
>
> Occasionally I find that with the XV144 powered down the K3 hangs
> complaining that the KPA500 needs to be turned on. I can cure this by
> powering on the XV144 or by disconnecting the Aux lead from the XV144.
>
> Is this a fault on one of my component's (K3, cable or XV144), a bug
> or a feature.
>
> Any idea where I should start to debug?
>
> Thanks
>
> Stewart/G3YSX

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Don Wilhelm

Re: "Turn on the KPA500" Error

In reply to this post by Stewart Bryant

Stewart,

It sounds like you have the XV144 JP7 jumpered and not JP8 - otherwise
you would not be able to power the XV144 on/off with the front panel switch.
With the jumper on JP8 and none on JP7, the XV144 will power itself on
when you select the 144MHz band (actually the K3 TRN address that
matches the address set into the the XV144 DIP switches).

In order for this selection to happen, you must have 12 volts at the
power jack of the XV144 whenever the K3 is powered on.

If you are turning the XV144 off at its power supply, then I suspect it
will load the K3 AUX signal and cause "strange behavior" in the K3.

The solution is to leave power on the XV144 - no debugging necessary.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 8/19/2016 9:46 AM, Stewart Bryant wrote:

Jack Brindle-2

Re: "Turn on the KPA500" Error

For the record, the error message refers to the KAT500, not the KPA500. The issue is caused by a device pulling down the Auxbus because it is powered off. You may see it with just about any device that uses this communication bus, except the KPA500.

Quite simply, the KPA can talk on the bus, but not listen. Thus, it avoids the issue.

Jack, W6FB

Sent from my iPad

> On Aug 19, 2016, at 7:15 AM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Stewart,
>
> It sounds like you have the XV144 JP7 jumpered and not JP8 - otherwise you would not be able to power the XV144 on/off with the front panel switch.
> With the jumper on JP8 and none on JP7, the XV144 will power itself on when you select the 144MHz band (actually the K3 TRN address that matches the address set into the the XV144 DIP switches).
>
> In order for this selection to happen, you must have 12 volts at the power jack of the XV144 whenever the K3 is powered on.
>
> If you are turning the XV144 off at its power supply, then I suspect it will load the K3 AUX signal and cause "strange behavior" in the K3.
>
> The solution is to leave power on the XV144 - no debugging necessary.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>> On 8/19/2016 9:46 AM, Stewart Bryant wrote:
>> I have a K3 connected to an XV144 in the preferred configuration shown in the manual with the AUX port used for band switching.
>>
>> Occasionally I find that with the XV144 powered down the K3 hangs complaining that the KPA500 needs to be turned on. I can cure this by powering on the XV144 or by disconnecting the Aux lead from the XV144.
>>
>> Is this a fault on one of my component's (K3, cable or XV144), a bug or a feature.
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Stewart Bryant

Re: "Turn on the KPA500" Error

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm

On 19/08/2016 15:15, Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Stewart,
>
> It sounds like you have the XV144 JP7 jumpered and not JP8 - otherwise
> you would not be able to power the XV144 on/off with the front panel
> switch.
> With the jumper on JP8 and none on JP7, the XV144 will power itself on
> when you select the 144MHz band (actually the K3 TRN address that
> matches the address set into the the XV144 DIP switches).
This is the mode that it operates in.
>
> In order for this selection to happen, you must have 12 volts at the
> power jack of the XV144 whenever the K3 is powered on.
>
> If you are turning the XV144 off at its power supply, then I suspect
> it will load the K3 AUX signal and cause "strange behavior" in the K3.

OK - I have the oven heater on when not selected, and turn the XV144 PSU
off if I want to turn the oven off because I am unlikely to use 2M for a
while. From the sound of it I need to keep it powered up whenever the K3
is on. A minor irritation since they use separate supplies/

73

Stewart/G3YSX

>
> The solution is to leave power on the XV144 - no debugging necessary.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 8/19/2016 9:46 AM, Stewart Bryant wrote:
>> I have a K3 connected to an XV144 in the preferred configuration
>> shown in the manual with the AUX port used for band switching.
>>
>> Occasionally I find that with the XV144 powered down the K3 hangs
>> complaining that the KPA500 needs to be turned on. I can cure this by
>> powering on the XV144 or by disconnecting the Aux lead from the XV144.
>>
>> Is this a fault on one of my component's (K3, cable or XV144), a bug
>> or a feature.
>>
>

Don Wilhelm

Re: "Turn on the KPA500" Error

Stewart,

Yes, you will either have to keep the XV144 powered or disconnect the
AUX cable when you remove the 12V power from the XV144.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 8/22/2016 12:00 PM, Stewart Bryant wrote:

>
>
> On 19/08/2016 15:15, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>> Stewart,
>>
>> It sounds like you have the XV144 JP7 jumpered and not JP8 -
>> otherwise you would not be able to power the XV144 on/off with the
>> front panel switch.
>> With the jumper on JP8 and none on JP7, the XV144 will power itself
>> on when you select the 144MHz band (actually the K3 TRN address that
>> matches the address set into the the XV144 DIP switches).
> This is the mode that it operates in.
>>
>> In order for this selection to happen, you must have 12 volts at the
>> power jack of the XV144 whenever the K3 is powered on.
>>
>> If you are turning the XV144 off at its power supply, then I suspect
>> it will load the K3 AUX signal and cause "strange behavior" in the K3.
>
> OK - I have the oven heater on when not selected, and turn the XV144
> PSU off if I want to turn the oven off because I am unlikely to use 2M
> for a while. From the sound of it I need to keep it powered up
> whenever the K3 is on. A minor irritation since they use separate
> supplies/
>