Configuration

The KPA1500 preserves configuration data, antenna tuner (ATU) settings, and a fault log in non-volatile memory (EEPROM).

Edit Configuration

Opens an Edit Configuration dialog where you may view or change the tuner's configuration.

Save Configuration writes all KPA1500 EEPROM data into a file. This file may be requested by Elecraft Customer support for problem diagnosis, as it contains the complete amplifier configuration, fault log, and all ATU settings. Firmware (the microcontroller program instructions) is not saved in the configuration file.

Click to show a "Save As" dialog where you may provide the name of a new file that will receive configuration data. A suggested file name is generated from the KPA1500 serial number and the date and time, but you may overtype this with any valid file name. Click "Save" to begin saving configuration data.

About 100 seconds are required to save the configuration at a serial speed of 230,400 bits/second.

The KPA1500 Utility creates a folder intended for configuration files, located under the current user's Application Data folder. This folder is usually "c:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Elecraft\KPA1500 Configuration". On Windows XP this folder is usually "c:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Elecraft\KPA1500 Configuration".

You may use this folder, or use the Save As dialog to navigate to a different folder for saving configuration files.

Restore Configuration

Click to show a File Open dialog. Select an appropriate configuration file and click "Open". Your KPA1500's configuration data and tuner settings will be restored from the selected file.

The fault log is not modified by configuration restore.

Do not modify the configuration file between Save and Restore, or Restore may fail.

Display Fault Table

Click to show the KPA1500 fault table. The table is quite large, and it takes several tens of seconds to read completely. The time to read the fault table is greatly affected by Host serial port speed.

Most fault log entries contain:

The date and time the log record was written.
The current transmit frequency count, in kHz
PA current, in amperes
forward power, in watts
input power, in watts
reflected power, in watts
SWR as seen by the power amplifier, before the ATU
PA heat sink temperature, in degress Centigrade

The fault codes are:

FREQ: Frequency counter found the transmit frequency outside the permitted ranges.
GAIN HI: The amplifier's gain (output power divided by input power) is unexpectedly high.
GAIN LO: The amplifier's gain (output power divided by input power) is unexpectedly low.
LPF VMON: One of the monitored voltages on the LPF board (5V and high voltage for T/R switch) was not detected.
NO MATCH: The ATU was unable to locate a setting that provided low enough SWR. This may be due to a disconnected antenna connection, or the wrong antenna for the selected band.
ON: Each time the KPA1500 power is turned on, a timestamped event record is written. This is not an error condition. To avoid many similar entries, an "occurrence" counter is incremented if the last fault log entry was "power on". The log entry includes the installed firmware version.
PA CURR: Excessive PA current.
PWR FWD: Excessive forward power.
PWR DISS: The difference between PA input DC power and forward RF power was too high. This power difference is dissipated as heat within the amplifier.
PWR INP: Excessive input power.
PWR REFL: Excessive reflected power.
PWR SWRB: The ATU matched an antenna outside the specified 3:1 SWR specified for full power operation, and the power is too high for that "bypass SWR".
SWR: The ATU was disabled, or was unable to find a match that presented a low enough SWR to the amplifier. Reducing power may help.
TEMP: Excessive temperature
WDT: Firmware was reset because a watchdog timer was not updated. This may be a firmware problem or a hardware problem that keeps the microcontroller from operating properly. The fault entry includes microcontroller register values that may be useful for the firmware developer. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchdog_timer
5V: The 5 volt power supply is out of specified limits.
10V: The 10 volt power supply is out of specified limits.
12V: The 12 volt power supply is out of specified limits.
-12V: The -12 volt power supply is out of specified limits.
50V: The 50-53 volt power supply is out of specified limits. This may be due to a missing or improperly installed cable between the KPA1500 power supply and RF unit.

ATU Memory Erase

Click to show an Antenna Tuner Memory Erase dialog.

Select a single band (or All bands) and then click one or more of the Antenna Buttons.

Reset to Factory Default

Click to show a Reset to Factory Default dialog

Click "OK" to reset KPA1500 configuration to the factory default values. You should consider saving the existing configuration first.

This reset does not change Antenna tuner settings. Antenna tuner settings may be erased with Erase Antenna Tuner Memories.

Set Date and Time

Your KPA1500 includes a clock/calender device to timestamp fault log entries.

Click OK or Apply to set your KPA1500's date and time from your Personal Computer's date and time. OK closes the dialog, Apply does not.

The format is YY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.

The factory normally initializes the clock to the current UTC date and time.