http://elecraft.85.s1.nabble.com/KPA500-and-KAT500-Ports-tp6574422p6575750.html
Business is business. While KPA500+KAT500 should first look after the elecrafters, they should be designed in a way to attract other non-elecraft radio users. In the circumstances, 2 exciters input + some 2-3 antenna outputs in KAT500 should be attractive enough to many radio users. Or, I would say this requirement is simply basic and has already been available for other reputable linear amplifiers.
If so unfortunate that KAT500 only has one RF input + one antenna output, I am afraid that I have to consider other alternatives.
I can add whatever after market switches to provide the extra antenna selection. However, it is just simply not convenient and another mess of cabling around the shack.
> You know that Ameritron, Array Solutions and some others have remote antenna
> switches available at reasonable prices. Since these things take space, it is
> nice that they can be remote mounted, even outside in some cases. It seems a
> better solution to me than to add a kilobuck to the KPA500 price and make it the
> size of a small refrigerator when the requirements vary from person to person
> and the chance of pleasing more than a small portion of the users is small. I
> prefer the small box that is possible to take on a DXpedition or to Field Day
> and just endure the horrible pain of changing the coax when you change bands.
> The main thing that discourages me from buying an eight pack from Array is that
> I don't have enough antennas to keep it from being lonesome.
>
> Willis 'Cookie' Cooke
> K5EWJ& Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Eric<
[hidden email]>
> To:
[hidden email]
> Sent: Tue, July 12, 2011 4:57:10 AM
> Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 and KAT500 Ports
>
> Elecrafters, Hear My Plea:
>
> The K3 has two tx antenna ports available. It seems logical to me that the
> KPA500 would have two (output) as well. But it doesn't. I would like to see the
> KAT500 have two antenna ports (unbalanced) to make up for this. Running the 6m
> output to another coax makes sense--most (all?) band decoders and relay boxes
> don't handle 6m, and the lack of a second output port on the KPA500 makes it
> difficult to manage the 6m capability of the K3 cleanly. The KRC2 will handle
> the band data, but does not have a compatible relay box, manual operation, or
> lights to tell you what it is doing.
>
>
> Right now my K3 sends HF to ANT1, that goes to an HF amp and to a TopTen band
> decoder and relay box. Six meters goes to ANT2 and a separate 6m amp and 6m
> antenna.
>
>
> This gives me fully auto bandswitching on HF and 6m, save for 60m where the
> TopTen decoder does not recognize 0000 as a valid address.
>
>
> With my already ordered KPA500
> (selling both tube amps), I will have to manually switch 6m. I don't like this
> not because I am lazy, but the older I get the more stoopid I get and its just a
> matter of time before I tx into a near-infinite SWR. Knowing me, I'll do it
> repeatedly until something blows. Maybe multiple somethings.
>
>
> I'll have to rely on the KPA500 and K3 saving themselves. Not good.
>
> In my squandered pre-K3 life, i put key lockout relays and a sequencer for 2m
> EME in my system to make it failsafe and STILL blowed up the masthead preamp
> more times than I can count.
>
>
> In my opinion, the KAT500 needs two unbalanced outputs, bandmapped, for nice
> tight integration with the K3, to keep things as elegant as possible. I have no
> opinion on balanced output(s).
>
>
> No flames please. This is just my opinion--I could be wrong.
>
> 73 Eric WD6DBM
>
> K1, KX1, K2, K3, P3, XG3, all mini modules, Elecraft Kool-Aid I-V push STAT!
>
> KPA500 still a mere glimmer at Elecraft
>
> Sent from my&$@!? iPhone
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