KPA-500 vs. KPA-1500 and ANAN 7000 MLE MKII i7

[JJ4SDR]

Hi,

I am exchanging emails with a fellow who is getting the 7000 MLE MKII i7 (PC built in) with many telling him not to get such a "complicated" radio (he is up in years). Mainly, he is concerned over being able to have an Elecraft KPA-1500 talk to the ANAN.

Is the KPA-500 and KPA-1500 hooked up the same way? I may have missed a thread that deals specifically with the KPA-1500. I see that the KPA-1500 also provides a "TX sample" for PS.

73,
Juha
NI2M

[w-u-2-o]

I have both the KPA500 and the KPA1500. I have used both with my 100D and 8000DLE.

In both cases you make the usual PTT and RF connections between the amp and the Apache hardware.

If you want PureSignal support, the built-in coupler output of the KPA1500 works well. The KPA500 will require a separate, external coupler. In either case the feedback signal is attached to the proper port on the Apache hardware the same way. On the 7000 series that is the Bypass input.

For band following both amp's must be connected to the PC that is running Thetis. On the KPA500 and the KPA1500 this is done by means of a serial port connection. The KPA500 has an old-fashioned RS-232 port and thus a real serial interface on the PC is required. A USB to serial adapter will suffice. The KPA1500 includes a USB port that, when connected to the PC, appears as a COM port. In either case, the resulting serial port is provisioned in the Thetis CAT setup page, and the amp must be set to Kenwood interface mode.

The KPA1500 also has a LAN interface but I'm not certain if that can be used directly for band following that as I don't do that here.

With the right virtual serial port software it is possible to allow either amp to talk to both Thetis and the Elecraft supplied remote control software simultaneously.

[JJ4SDR]

Hi Scott,

Thanks again for a detailed and to the point response. My friend is getting the KPA-1500 and the 7000 with the PC built-in.

I took the liberty of forwarding your response and mentioning your call-sign.

Best!
Juha