DOCUMENTATION
Old Kachina Website
Archived copies of Kachina website pages may be found at http://web.archive.org/web/*/kachina-az.com
They range from as early as Dec. 2, 1998 until the last in 2007. Many of the earlier ones do not have graphics archived, but most do in the later years.
Since we started our website, the Kachina Communications website has sporadically appeared online after a period of absence. How long it will remain available is unknown. http://www.kachina-az.com (If you don't find it, use the archive link shown above.)
Schematic Diagrams
Here is a complete set of schematic diagrams for the Kachina 505DSP: schematics.pdf (about 4 MB) If anyone has earlier (or later) versions, please contact AE5K so we may include them here.
Tom, W3FRG, has supplied a drawing of the microphone connections. You may view his "doc" file drawing at http://kachina.ae5k.us/img/mic_conn.doc It is also shown on page 9 of the installation and operation manual mentioned below.
Advertising
Here is a miscellaneous collection of original advertising materials and specifications.
KC-AT-250 Antenna
User Manuals
KC-505DSP - Transceiver
The Kachina 505DSP installation and operation manual is here: kc505full.pdf (about 1 MB) There was an addendum to the 505DSP manual and it may be found here: update.pdf
KC-ATU - Automatic Tuning Unit
The KC-ATU Automatic Antenna Tuner manual is here: kc-atu.pdf thanks to DL8KP.
Transverter Option
Thanks to Paul, AA4ZZ, we have the information from Dan Kimball (former tech at Kachina Communications Inc.) that the Transverter option will work only with Rev C or D PC-401 boards. [Note by AE5K: I believe the change to rev C and D PC-401 that enabled the transverter option was the addition of relay control from the MC68HC16 MPU as Richy mentions in the following information; obviously the firmware (in the EPROMs) and the PC control software (KC505.EXE) also changed to include this control.]
Thanks to Richy, N2ZD, here is some documentation in the form of observations and photos for the transverter option. You may download the original picture for better resolution by clicking on the photos.
Richy says: I've been messing around with one of my Kachinas which is not working, this particular one had the later PC401 (with the very small battery at the end of the board and the chipset change on the top right.) This unit has the Tranverter option as well. It was touted as an option that can only be installed by Kachina.
I removed the Transverter unit and traced back most of the connections and there was an added jumper for control of a relay on the lower connector on the "mother board". The only other thing I found was the different PC401 in this unit and I am curious to know if anyone else has the Transverter option and if the later PC401 is required to use it. I know there has been some questions about the setup and not many people have it as the radio was dropped from production soon after its introduction.
Pretty much, the Transverter unit simply replaces the bundle of wires we normally see at the connector with a neat pc board which allows one to toggle and output the rx and tx before the PA and reroute the signals to the rear connector and back into the radio again. Although unrelated, the alc and amp connections are still available on the other connector as it was before the board addition so it still functions as a normal one.
The control apparently comes from a jumper connection to the main board which allows an unused main board pin to control the relay on the board thru the pigtail.
Transverter option (front of board):
Transverter option (back of board):
Transverter cable:
Main board - This is what appears to be the revision to the main board. If you look good, there is an enameled wire which runs from the added components to the control pins of the transverter board. This is not present on the stock Kachinas I have here:
Revised 401 - note the relocated battery (smaller) and the change in the chips near the removable eproms:
Revised 401 - better view of changes:
App Notes
Kachina Communications Inc. issued the following Application Notes to provide details relating to operation, installation or technical matters of importance to users of the Kachina 505DSP Computer-Controlled Transceiver:
AN100 - Using an External Power Amplifier
AN101 - On RTTY
AN102 - On CW
AN103 - Tailoring the Transmitter's Audio Response
AN104 - Speech Processing Using the RF Compressor
AN105 - Using the Internal Automatic Antenna Tuner and Smith Chart
AN106 - Using the Internal Automatic Antenna Tuner
AN107 - On Eliminating Electromagnetic Interference
AN108 - On Receiver Dynamic Range Measurements
AN110 - The AGC System
AN112 - VFO Functions
AN113 - Firmware Upgrades
AN114 - Using the 505DSP - The New User Interface Paradigm
AN115 - 505DSP and Logging Programs
AN116 - Using the Heil Goldline Microphone with the 505DSP
AN117 - Control of 505DSP by Third Party Logging or Packet-Cluster Programs
The "almost complete set" of Application Notes by Kachina may be found in one PDF file here: appnotes.pdf
AN115 may be found here: AN115 - 505DSP and Logging Programs
Commands and Telemetry
The commands and telemetry, as presently known are here: kachina_control.pdf - Please note that we have found two additions not in the original Kachina documentation:
(STX)h(xxH)(ETX) Transverter on/off. 00h = off, 01h = on
(STX)l(xxH)(ETX) Transmit bandwidth. 01h = 4 kHz, 02h = 3.1 kHz [this is lower case L "el"]
Presently, work is being done to investigate and verify all commands and to improve documentation. It has been found during disassembly of the firmware, many of the commands in the document have not been implemented. The document will undergo revision eventually.
Misc.
Kachina 505DSP "Theory" -- from original Kachina website: THEORY
Sheet with shortcut keys for the 505DSP as used in the control program KC505.EXE:
