[Elecraft] "Hi Cur" Display Reading on K2

Wed Sep 10 19:01:01 2003

Hi gang,
 Just my 2 cents on this.

 It seems I read someplace that one of the primary intentions of the hi-cur
setting was for use under battery operation, specifically in the field.  As
I recall the idea was that if something nasty happened to your antenna while
you were operating, the resulting increase in  SWR would jack up the current
draw and alert you to a problem.  Fixing the problem would then result in
conserving your battery, more contacts and a happy ham.

Just my observation

Tom WB2QDG
K2 S/N 1103

''The Y has been said to be the home for the remote-control gene, the
belching gene and the refuse-to-ask-directions gene.''
                ---  From 'Genetics Weekly'

-----Original Message-----
From: David A. Belsley <[email protected]>
To: Paul Clay <[email protected]>; [email protected]
<[email protected]>
Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 10:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] "Hi Cur" Display Reading on K2

>Paul:
>  Your current will rise under tune as the K2 tries to achieve the
>requested power (and, under prolonged use of tune, as the finals heat up).
>Also, I'm not sure what sort of dummy load you are using, but if it heats
>up under the kind of power you are feeding it, the load could be changing,
>further causing problems.  In any event, you are best advised to keep in
>the tune mode for short periods only (a few seconds).
>
>  Meanwhile, be advised that the 2.5 high current limit stipulated in the
>manual is extremely conservative.  Once you have evidence that your K2
>seems to be behaving properly (is doing essentially what it should without
>smoking, choking, or barfing), you can increase the high-current limit.  I
>think people usually end up around 3.25-3.5 amps.  This is reasonably safe
>when going into a good load.  [I believe Elecraft recommends 3.5 amps, for
>example, when the KPA100 is in line.]  That's basically where I put my K2
>when run barefoot and all was fine.  Just be vigilant until you have reason
>to trust.
>
>best wishes,
>
>dave belsley, w1euy
>
>--On Wednesday, September 10, 2003 12:35 AM -0700 Paul Clay
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Hello all!
>>
>> Just finished all but the final assembly of my
>> (basic - no mods yet) K2.  During the alignment
>> process, everything went A-OK (including the
>> measured current draw at 10 watts, performed per
>> the manual at the end of aligning the 40 meter
>> stage of the transmitter, which I found to be
>> 1.92 amps).
>>
>> When I completed the alignment, I thought I'd see
>> check to make sure I was getting plenty of power
>> out on all bands (b/c some have written of lower
>> output in the upper bands). Here's what I found
>>
>> I get plenty of output on all bands, but notice
>> that  on 12 and 10 meters that when I set the
>> power for 10 watts and hit TUNE, my current
>> reading (on the K2 display) will start at just
>> under 2 amps, and over the next 3-5 seconds then
>> gradually increase to 2.5 amps after which I get
>> a Hi Current message.
>>
>> I'm using the dummy load built into an MJF
>> Versatuner II attenna tuner to absorb the
>> transmitter load while checking the transmitter
>> output.  The Hi Current reading only arises when
>> I'm bypassing the antenna tuner circuit and just
>> feeding the power into the dummy load.  If I run
>> the transmitter signal thru the tuner's tuned
>> circuit and into the dummy load, the current
>> maxes out at 2 to 2.3 amps and the Hi Cur message
>> never displays.
>>
>> I'm figuring that the Hi Current reading isn't
>> indicative of a problem with my K2, but rather
>> with the dummy load maybe not being a purely
>> resistive load (cause, no problems on the lower
>> bands, plenty of output on all bands, the
>> displayed voltage never drops below 13.1v on
>> transmit (it's 13.4 on receive), and the problem
>> disappears if I run the output thru the antenna
>> tuner's tuned circuit).  A bad call/miss
>> diagnosis?  Or could there really be a problem
>> with the K2.
>>
>> - Paul (ser 3640)
>>
>> P.S. The K2's connected to the tuner/dummy load
>> via a 6 foot piece of RG58U coax, and I'm using
>> an Astron switching PS rated at 13.8 volts at 12
>> amps.
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>
>
>
>----------------------------------
>David A. Belsley
>Professor of Economics
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