Elecraft KAT500
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| Frequency | 1.8-54 MHz, continuous |
| Bands | 160m, 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m, 6m |
| Power | Not a transmitter; rated by matching capability and power handling. Typical matching range is about 10:1 SWR at 600 W on 3-30 MHz (5 to 500 ohms), tightening to 3:1 SWR at up to 1000 W (16 to 150 ohms). On 160 m (1.8-2 MHz) it matches about 5:1 on the low-impedance side (10:1 high-impedance) at 600 W; on 6 m (30-60 MHz) up to 5:1 at 500 W. The power rating is ICAS (equal time transmit and receive, 5 minutes maximum at full power). Autotune works from about 7 to 100 W, with 20 to 100 W recommended for accuracy; a stored memory can be recalled at lower power. |
| Modes | All modes (a passive network that matches whatever the transmitter passes through it) |
| Weight | 2.1 kg (4.6 lb) |
| Year | 2012 |
| xmtr rf in | XMTR SO-239, 50 ohm: RF input from the transceiver or amplifier |
| ant 1 | ANT 1 SO-239 antenna output |
| ant 2 | ANT 2 SO-239 antenna output |
| ant 3 | ANT 3 SO-239 antenna output (the tuner auto-selects the antenna assigned to each band) |
| amp control | AMP CONTROL connector for KPA500 integration (E850463 aux cable: band data and PA keying) |
| data | DATA 3.5 mm TRS jack for transceiver band data (for example Kenwood serial via the CBL-KENSER500 cable) |
| serial | RS-232 serial port for the KAT500 Utility and firmware updates; Elecraft supplies a USB-to-serial (KXUSB) or serial (KXSER) cable |
| dc power | 11-15 VDC via a 2.1 mm coaxial barrel (center positive), 1.0 A maximum (200 mA typical) |
| ground | GND wing-nut terminal for station ground |
| power req | 11 to 15 VDC at 1.0 A maximum (200 mA typical), through a 2.1 mm coaxial barrel (center positive). No mains connection. |
Handles three antennas with automatic per-band selection and stores tuning solutions per segment and per antenna, so band and frequency changes recall a match in milliseconds with no tune button. The roughly 10:1 range at 600 watts forgives real-world antennas, it works with almost any transceiver or amplifier through RF sensing or band data, and it is low and light enough to stack with the K3S. Self-protection and a static-bleed resistor are built in.
It costs more than typical 500-watt-class autotuners. The full 1000-watt rating narrows the matching range to 3:1, and the ICAS power rating limits continuous full-power transmit to five minutes. The relays click during a tune, so the speed advantage is in recalling stored memories rather than in silent operation.
The KAT500 is a 500-watt-class automatic antenna tuner covering 160 through 6 meters with three switched antenna ports and per-segment, per-antenna tuning memories. It is built to sit beside the KPA500 amplifier and K3S transceiver but works with most radios and amplifiers through RF sensing or band data. Stations heading to full legal limit can instead use the KPA1500, which has a tuner built in.
The Elecraft KAT500 is a fully automatic antenna tuner and three-way antenna switch covering 1.8 to 54 MHz continuously, from 160 through 6 meters. It uses a relay-switched L-network of toroidal inductors and switched capacitors, with no motorized parts, and stores the inductance and capacitance settings for lowest SWR in memory per frequency segment and per antenna. Once a solution is stored, the tuner recalls it in milliseconds as the operating frequency moves, so band and frequency changes need no separate tune step.
It has four SO-239 jacks: a transmitter input and three antenna outputs, and it automatically selects the antenna assigned to each band. The typical matching range is about 10:1 SWR at 600 watts on the 3 to 30 MHz bands, tightening to 3:1 at up to 1000 watts, with a narrower range on 160 and 6 meters; the power rating is ICAS, limiting continuous full-power transmit to five minutes. Autotune works from about 7 to 100 watts. The tuner runs from 11 to 15 VDC through a coaxial barrel jack and draws well under an amp, and a static-bleed resistor and self-protection circuits are built in.
The KAT500 is designed to work with the K3S transceiver and the KPA500 amplifier through an AMP CONTROL connector and aux cable, but RF sensing, BCD band data, or Elecraft serial data let it work with most other transceivers and amplifiers. Its enclosure matches the K3S footprint and is only 1.5 inches tall, so it stacks in the K-line. Stations heading to full legal limit can instead use the KPA1500, which builds the tuner into the amplifier.