ELECRAFT KAT500 Command Reference Manual
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ELECRAFT KAT500 Command Reference Manual

ELECRAFT KAT500 Command Reference Manual

Automatic antenna tuner serial command reference
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See also: Owner's Manual
Elecraft KAT500 Automatic Antenna Tuner
Revised 4/26/2016 firmware version 01.70
Elecraft KAT500 Automatic Antenna Tuner Serial Command Reference ..................................................... 1
Serial port overview ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Command Format ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Using KAT500 Utility to Test Commands .................................................................................................. 5
Commands and responses ............................................................................................................................ 6
; (null command, GET only) ....................................................................................................................... 6
AE (Antenna Enable, GET and SET) ........................................................................................................... 6
AFT (Automatic Fine Tune, GET and SET).................................................................................................. 6
AKIP (Amplifier Key Interrupt Power Threshold, GET and SET) ................................................................ 7
AMPI (Interrupt amplifier key, GET and SET) ............................................................................................ 8
AN (Select Antenna, GET and SET) ............................................................................................................ 8
AP (Antenna Preference, GET and SET) .................................................................................................... 8
ATTN (Enable Attenuator, GET and SET) ................................................................................................... 9
BN (Band Number, GET and SET) .............................................................................................................. 9
BR (Serial I/O Speed, GET and SET) ......................................................................................................... 10
BYP (Bypass, GET and SET) ...................................................................................................................... 10
C (Select capacitors, GET and SET) .......................................................................................................... 11
CT (Cancel Full Search Tune, SET only) ................................................................................................... 12
EEINIT (Clear configuration and frequency memories, SET only) ........................................................... 12
EM (Erase frequency memory, SET only) ................................................................................................ 12
F (Frequency, GET and SET) .................................................................................................................... 12
Serial Command Reference

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  • Page 1: Table Of Contents

    Elecraft KAT500 Automatic Antenna Tuner Serial Command Reference Revised 4/26/2016 firmware version 01.70 Elecraft KAT500 Automatic Antenna Tuner Serial Command Reference ............. 1 Serial port overview ............................4 Command Format ............................. 4 Using KAT500 Utility to Test Commands ....................5 Commands and responses ..........................
  • Page 2 FA (Memory Recall Tune, SET only) ......................12 FCCS (Frequency Counter Consecutive Sample Time, GET/SET) ............13 FCMD (Frequency Counter Match Distance, GET/SET) ................13 FLT (Fault query, GET only) ........................14 FLTC (Clear Fault, SET only) ........................14 I (Identify, GET only) ..........................15 L (Select Inductors, GET and SET)......................
  • Page 3 VSWRB (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio in Bypass, GET only) ..............23...

  • Page 4: Serial Port Overview

    KAT500 commands and their responses use the printable ASCII character set. Commands are sent to the KAT500 via its “PC DATA” serial port. Use 4800, 9600, 19200, or 38400 bit/s, 8 bit characters, one stop bit and no parity. There is no flow control. The KAT500 Utility discovers the KAT500’s serial port speed by sending a few null commands (semicolons) at each of the speeds and selects the speed that results in responses.

  • Page 5: Using Kat500 Utility To Test Commands

    Using KAT500 Utility to Test Commands The KAT500 Utility Command Tester can be used to try individual commands. Try typing “RV;” in the input area. The command and its response are shown on the output area.

  • Page 6: Commands And Responses

    ; (null command, GET only) GET format: ; (a single semicolon) RESPONSE format: ; The KAT500 Utility sends a few semicolons to determine the serial port speed during a connection sequence and to wake up a sleeping microcontroller. AE (Antenna Enable, GET and SET) GET format: AEbba;...

  • Page 7: Akip (Amplifier Key Interrupt Power Threshold, Get And Set)

    SET format: AKIP wwww; If you are using an Elecraft KPA500, you should increase this value to 1500. If you are using an amplifier with a frame or vacuum relay that cannot be “hot switched” at full amplifier output power, set AKIP to the power your relay can hot switch.

  • Page 8: Ampi (Interrupt Amplifier Key, Get And Set)

    (see the command). AN0; advances to the next enabled antenna, simulating a press of the ANT button on the KAT500 front panel. AN0; was added in firmware revision 01.55 It may take a few tens of milliseconds after issuing an ANx; setter before relays are changed.

  • Page 9: Attn (Enable Attenuator, Get And Set)

    The ATU inductor and capacitor relays are set to the most recent setting used for the tuner on the indicated band. KAT500 Band Numbers are the same as the K3 Programmer Reference Band Numbers, but differ from the BCD values of the four BAND lines.

  • Page 10: Br (Serial I/O Speed, Get And Set)

    20 meters 17 meters 15 meters 12 meters 10 meters 6 meters BR (Serial I/O Speed, GET and SET) GET format: BR; SET/RESPONSE format: BR0; for 4800 bit/s, BR1; for 9600 bit/s, BR2; for 19200 bit/s or BR3; for 38400 bit/s. Firmware load automatically chooses 38400 bit/s. Serial I/O speed significantly affects the time required for configuration save and restore.

  • Page 11: C (Select Capacitors, Get And Set)

    Capacitance (pF) 1360 The KAT500 Utility Operate page displays capacitor relay settings as check boxes and as a total capacitance. It may take a few tens of milliseconds after issuing SET before the relays are changed, and they may not all be changed at the same time.

  • Page 12: Ct (Cancel Full Search Tune, Set Only)

    KAT500 serial number or its fault table. EEINIT; is ignored while the ATU is tuning or transmitting. EEINIT is used by the KAT500 Utility Configuration page Reset to Factory Defaults button. EM (Erase frequency memory, SET only) SET format: EMbba; clears frequency memories for one or all antennas on band bb (See for a description of bb).

  • Page 13: Fccs (Frequency Counter Consecutive Sample Time, Get/Set)

    SET/RSP format: FCCSnnnnn; where nnnnn is a time in milliseconds, with a range of 2 to 50000 msec (50 seconds). Default is 12. FCCS and FCMD influence the behavior of the KAT500’s frequency counter. FCCS is the time in milliseconds of the same-frequency signal that must be counted for the KAT500 to consider the count “valid”.

  • Page 14: Flt (Fault Query, Get Only)

    4 is not written into the fault log. A fault condition may be cleared by tapping the TUNE button or turning the KAT500 off (Hold the MODE button) and back on. Fault code 4 is cleared by a transmission with low SWR.

  • Page 15: I (Identify, Get Only)

    AKIP threshold. When you next stop transmitting, KAT500 firmware interrupts the amplifier key line. Start transmitting again at about 15 to 30 watts. When tune completes, an FT response is sent. You should stop transmitting, and KAT500 firmware will then reconnect the amplifier key line.

  • Page 16: L (Select Inductors, Get And Set)

    LE0; selects the three largest inductors by energizing K17, K16, and K15. See the command for a description of hexadecimal notation. The KAT500 Utility Operate page displays the relay settings as check boxes and total inductance. Hex digit Relay Inductance (nH)

  • Page 17: Md (Mode, Get And Set)

    GET format: MD; SET/RESPONSE format: MDB; or MDM; or MDA; MDB; is “Bypass” mode. The bypass relay is released to its Bypassed setting and the KAT500 does not attempt to tune. MDM; is “Manual” mode. The KAT500 recalls memorized tuner settings from prior tune efforts on frequency and antenna change, frequency change, and when the TUNE pushbutton is pressed.

  • Page 18: Mtm (Memory Recall Tune On Frequency Change In Mode Man, Get/Set)

    Enables (MTM1;) or disables (MTM0;) Memory Recall Tunes as transmit frequency changes are detected while in Mode MAN. When disabled, the KAT500 performs Memory Recall Tunes only on band and antenna changes while in Mode MAN. MTM is enabled by default. MTM was added in firmware version 1.28.

  • Page 19: Rv (Firmware Version, Get Only)

    RV (Firmware version, GET only) GET format: RV; RESPONSE format: RVnn.nn; SIDE (Select Side, GET and SET) GET format: SIDE; SET/RESPONSE format: SIDET; or SIDEA;. Gets or sets the state of SIDE relay K9. The selected capacitors are connected to the transmitter side of the inductor (a CL network) when K9 is not energized (SIDET;) The selected capacitors are connected to the antenna side of the inductor (an LC network) when K9 is energized (SIDEA;).

  • Page 20: Sl (Enable Or Disable Sleep When Idle, Get And Set)

    KAT500, and adds an Edit Configuration dialog Idle Sleep tab. If you use the KAT500 Utility Command Tester, it might be necessary to enter a few semicolons before a command is accepted. It is often more convenient to turn off Sleep when Idle (SL0;) when testing PC...

  • Page 21: Sm (Save Memory, Set Only)

    SN (Serial Number, GET only) GET format: SN; RESPONSE format: SN xxxxx; SN; reads the KAT500’s serial number, installed in EEPROM during factory installation of initial firmware and will normally remain unchanged thereafter. Leading zeros may be omitted. EEINIT does not change...

  • Page 22: St (Swr Threshold, Get And Set)

    The “types” are:  A for Auto tune VSWR threshold. When the KAT500 is in Mode AUTO and the current VSWR reaches this threshold, the KAT500 will attempt to recall a prior tuner setting from its memory, or perform a Full Tune as required to reach the Auto tune VSWR threshold.

  • Page 23: Vfwd (Forward Coupler Voltage Adc Count, Get Only)

    RESPONSE format: VSWRB nn.nn; Range is VSWRB 0.0; to VSWRB 99.99; for 99.99 to 1 or higher VSWR. VSWRB is the VSWR of the antenna, as measured at the KAT500 coupler, when the KAT500’s bypass relay was released; without any KAT500 inductors or capacitors in the RF path.

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