How to assemble the IC-F8101E transceiver with the Elecraft KPA-500/KAT-500 Amp/ATU system.
Elecraft information regarding hooking up ICOM radios does NOT apply to the IC-F8101E. Please use this simpler method in order to enjoy success using the F8101E with the Elecraft KPA-500/KAT-500 pair.
Theory of Operation
RF from the IC-F8101E is fed to the KPA-500 amplifier INPUT and initially the amplifier is bypassed until a TUNE cycle is satisfactorily completed. This TUNE cycle is initiated by the SEND pin of the IC-F8101E on it’s ACC port (pin 7, RELAY). When triggered, the RF from the radio is fed through the Amplifier to the ATU and a tune cycle is initiated. Once a low enough VSWR has been reached, the Amplifier is then triggered by the ATU to ramp up (via the RCA patch cable between the Amp and ATU).
Installation Checklist
- Use the RELAY pin (pin 7) on the ACC port of the IC-F8101E to trigger the KAT-500’s RCA jack for the KEY LINE.
- Use the supplied RCA plug jumper between the KAT-500 and KPA-500 KEY LINE ports. The KAT-500 will trigger the KPA-500 when a satisfactory tune cycle has completed.
- The coaxial cable for the antenna should be connected to the KAT-500 selected OUTPUT port.
- The supplied coaxial cable jumper should be run between the OUTPUT of the KPA-500 and the INPUT of the KAT-500.
- The coaxial cable supplying RF to the system should be between the IC-F8101E OUTPUT and the KPA-500 RF INPUT.