[Elecraft] k2 with ameritron 811

[Dale Boresz]

n3drk wrote:

>Dale, i put the amp kit in the k2 this eve and connected it to the relay on
>the back of the al-811. I keyed the mike and no relay trips but the xmit led
>on the amp lights but nothing else happens. Does this ring a bell with any
>of your experiences?
>
>Thanks
>
>john
>
>
>
>  
>

John,

That's strange. Try turning on the amp (with the "Opr/Standby" switch in 
"Opr" position, but with no RF drive to the amplifier), and with one end 
of an  RCA cable plugged into the amplifier relay connector and the 
other end not connected to anything. The, try shorting the tip of the 
unconnected end of the cable to the ground of the cable. You should hear 
the relay in the amp trip, and the LED should light. When you remove the 
short, both should go off. If this doesn't happen, something is wrong 
with the amplifier's relay circuit; there's really not much there 
though, because you're simply providing a ground for the relay's coil.

If the amp behaves properly, then my guess is that for some reason, the 
keying transistor on the amp kit is only sinking enough current to light 
theLED, but not to pull in the relay. I'd check very closely, the 
connections between the amp kit and the K2 - especially the ground 
connection.

Good luck. Let me know what you find.

73, Dale