Dick, Thanks for your more than sufficient description of the cabling needs.
peh On Oct 6, 2012, at 9:54 AM, Dick Dievendorff <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, Phil, > > You need one 15-pin ACC cable from K3 to KAT500 and another from KAT500 to > KPA500. The KAT500 has two 15-pin connectors, one in and one out. See > N6TV's back panel picture at > http://www.elecraft.com/KAT500/kat500rear_visalia.jpg the connectors are > labeled "Control" (XCVR and AMP). > > This arrangement allows the ATU to interrupt the amplifier key line during > tuning. It's a serial component to component chain, not a star, from the K3 > to the KPA500. The KAT500 wires each pin of the 15-pin connector to the > equivalent on the other, except that the amplifier key line goes through a > relay. > > If you use two 15-pin ACC cables, you do not also need an RCA connection for > "PTT RLY" or amplifier key line. The amplifier keying line is duplicated > within the 15-pin cable. > > For amplifier key line interrupt, you should use two 15-pin cables, or two > RCA cables (radio to ATU, ATU to amplifier). But you can't use one of each. > The RCA connectors and 15-pin ACC cables use different poles of a double > pole amplifier key line interrupt relay. > > The ATU and amplifier both count transmit frequency, and both will operate > without this 15-pin connection. The minimal connection for any radio > (including K3) and any amplifier (including KPA500) is a two-wire cable with > RCA plugs from radio to ATU and another from ATU to amplifier. > > When the KAT500 and KPA500 have band information (in the ACC cable), they > can band switch without transmission, which turns out to be very convienent, > particularly if band switch implies an antenna switch. The ATU returns to > the last-used settings on the new band and your receiver works better than > it might if the ATU were still tuned for the old band. > > You won't need a Y unless you have other users of the ACC connector at the > K3 end. Some of us use the Y at the back of the K3 for FSK, PR-6, antenna > switch band decoders and the like. You might eventually find a second Y > useful if your needs at the back of the K3 expand. That ACC connector has a > lot of uses. > > We don't currently show an order item for the 15-pin two meter cable > separate from the Y and the little amplifier key line interrupter that form > the KPAK3AUX kit. The cable required is the same. While I don't know the > exact cost breakdown of the components, I would expect that the price for a > cable-only "kit" wouldn't be a whole lot lower than the KPAK3AUX kit. > > The 15-pin cable in the KPAK3AUX supply is two meters long. That's a lot of > relatively stiff cable to find a place for when the amp and ATU are one atop > the other (either way), although some find it goes down the wall OK. You > might find a shorter cable (perhaps 6 to 12 inches) more to your liking. > > Phil, AD5X, used 10-conductor shielded cable and DB15HD connectors for his > KPA500 to MFJ ATU connection. See his KPA500 review article. which includes > parts sources and part numbers. > http://www.ad5x.com/images/Presentations/KPA500%20Review.pdf > > The K3 owner's manual shows the 15-pin ACC connector pinout. The > KAT500/KPA500 combination uses (at most) BAND0-BAND3, AUXBUS, Ground, > PTT/KEY, ALC, and Amp inhibit. That's 9 wires, and you can use the shield > between the shells. > > 73 de Dick, K6KR > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Phil Hystad > Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2012 8:42 AM > To: Phil Hystad > Cc: [email protected] List; Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 > > Gang, > > Thanks to all who took the time to answer my question below. I now > understand the need and the configuration. Just to be sure I will repeat > below: > > When running the K3+KPA500+KAT500 together, to achieve the band > following/switching features of the KAT500 you need an extra cable from the > K3. Thus, > > 1. Y-adapter placed on the back of the K3. > 2. One KPAK3AUX cable running from K3 (Y-adapter) to the KPA500. > 3. One KPAK3AUX cable running from K3 (Y-adapter) to KAT500. > > > I just checked the web site (Order page) and found that there is no KPAK3AUX > cable listed as part of the KAT500 section. Of course there is with the > KPA500 but I thought that one came with a Y-adapter as well as the cable. > > Question: is there a KPAK3AUX cable by itself available from Elecraft or do > you need to buy the kit again that included the Y-adapter. Seems to me it > would be cheaper if you could exclude the Y-adapter and that other little > thing they include. > > PEH > > > > > On Oct 5, 2012, at 9:42 PM, Phil Hystad <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Eric, >> >> I have not been keeping up here but can you clarify what you are saying > below. Here, let me ask: is this "additional" cable needed to use the > KAT500 with a KPA500 and K3 for all normal operating. I already placed my > order for the KAT500 and I am wondering if I ordered enough stuff. I have > the K3+P3+KPA500. >> >> 73, phil, K7PEH >> >> >> On Oct 5, 2012, at 9:26 PM, Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft > <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> You will need to purchase an additional KPAK3AUX cable if you wish to > send band data in advance of TX from the K3 to the KAT500. >>> >>> 73, >>> >>> Eric >>> >>> www.elecraft.com >>> _..._ >>> >>> >>> >>> On Oct 5, 2012, at 12:23 PM, Jim Sheldon <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> I guess the question now becomes - Is that cable going to be supplied > with the KAT500 or do I have to contact Elecraft and have an additional > cable placed on the order I put in back in May, during the Dayton > Hamvention? Been waiting patiently for that order to be filled so it would > be nice to know if I have to order another cable before the KAT500 finally > gets here. >>>> >>>> Jim Sheldon - w0EB >>>> >>>>> For a K-line, you'll want a 15-pin cable from K3 (after the Y) to >>>>> the KAT500 and another from the KAT500 to the KPA500. The KAT500 >>>>> interrupts the KPA500 key line in that cable during tune, and both >>>>> the KAT500 and KPA500 observe the K3's BAND0 thru BAND3 lines. >>>>> >>>>> If you aren't using a K3, then the KAT500, like the KPA500, can >>>>> sense band changes by counting the Tx frequency. >>>>> >>>>> But it's very convenient to band switch the K3 and have the ATU and >>>>> amp follow without requiring a transmission. The ATU switches to >>>>> the last-used antenna on band switch (or to a fixed antenna you >>>>> configure). It's nice not to have to send a "dit" to make that >>>>> antenna switch happen. >>>>> >>>>> The manual is in progress. >>>>> >>>>> 73 de Dick, K6KR >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>> From: [email protected] >>>>> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of DGB >>>>> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2012 11:54 AM >>>>> To: [email protected] >>>>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 >>>>> >>>>> I have currently have a y-cable at the rig for the MH MKII and the >>>>> KPA-500. >>>>> How will the KAT-500 play into that? A Y-Cable on the KPA-500? >>>>> I see no manual for the KAT-500 yet! >>>>> >>>>> 73 Dwight NS9I >>>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>>> Elecraft mailing list >>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>>> Post: mailto:[email protected] >>>>> >>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this >>>>> email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>>>> >>>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>>> Elecraft mailing list >>>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>>> Post: mailto:[email protected] >>>>> >>>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this >>>>> email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>>> ______________________________________________________________ >>>> Elecraft mailing list >>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>>> Post: mailto:[email protected] >>>> >>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this >>>> email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:[email protected] >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this >>> email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:[email protected] >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email >> list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
