9
Operation of the k-box
.
The k-Box controller works a little differently from the i-Box due to the internal circuitry
of the Kenwood transceivers. If you are using the Kenwood TS-480HS, please see the
paragraph at the bottom of this section. The k-Box handshakes with the transceiver so
that it thinks there is an antenna tuner connected. To tune, you first press the ‘AT’
buttom on the front of the transceiver. The transceiver will transmit a carrier with
reduced power (about 10-15 watts). When the rocker switch is moved, the motor is
turned on and the coil will move either up or down. To take the transceiver out of the
tune mode, you can press the ‘AT’ switch again or wait for the transceiver to ‘time out.’
Most Kenwood transceivers have a tuning time of just under one minute.
When rocking the switch while in the tune mode, watch the transceiver’s built-in SWR
meter. Tune for an SWR of less than 2:1 and release the switch. The antenna is tuned.
It is just that simple.
The light on the control box will illuminate when the antenna’s coil is fully extended or fully
retracted.
The light may also blink when the antenna’s motor is started. The lens on the light
assembly may be red or green. It does not matter.
For the Kenwood TS-480HX, we have constructed a special control box. The reason for
that is that the 200 watt version of the TS-480 will only transmit 100 watts when an antenna
tuner is connected. As a result, our special control box for the Kenwood TS-480HX does
not communicate with the transceiver. That is, the 480HX will not think that there is an
antenna tuner connected and reduce power. Only the voltage for the motor will be taken
from the transceiver. We recommend that you program the PF key to be the ‘tune’ key for
the transceiver. It is a simple process discussed in the 480 instruction manual to program the
PF key. To tune the antenna with the PF programmed to be the tune key, you will press the
PF key and then rock the up/down switch. Watch the transceiver’s SWR meter and tune for
an SWR of less than 2:1. When the SWR is less than 2:1, the antenna is tuned. The light on
the control box will illuminate when the antenna’s coil is fully extended or fully retracted.
The
light may also blink when the antenna’s motor is started. The lens on the light assembly may
be red or green. It does not matter.