[Elecraft] Problems with K2 #4502 ??

[Fred Bennett N9TA]

    Hi Gang

I just completed my 2nd K2......I sold the first one (#242) a couple
of years ago. The new K2  (#4502) was completed this morning.
This K2 was built with the KAT2, KIO2, KSB2, K160RX, and KBT2
options.

I seem to have rather low power output......at least I remember the
last K2 I built seemed to have higher output than this one.....might
I have a problem somewhere??? I tried the alignment both with and
without the ATU installed.....so I know the ATU is not the culprit.
These power readings were obtained into a dummy load and measured
with the same digital wattmeter I used with the last K2.

  160M.....13 watts
    80M.....14.13 watts
    40M.....12.8 watts
    30M.....13.26 watts    
    20M.....13.1 watts
    17M.....12.6 watts
    15M.....11.0 watts
    12M.....10.4 watts
    10M.....7.74 watts

Also, I may have wasted my money on the battery option. The
instructions for the battery option say to charge the battery from
a 14V +/- .2V.......I run my K2 from a solar charged battery setup.
At night with NO sun the system runs about 12.7V. During the
day with FULL sun it'll run about 13.7V. I had hoped to be able to
grab the K2, key, and portable antenna and head off into the woods 
for an afternoon of play......but it looks like I'll have to charge the 
battery from some other source. I kinda hate the thought of that!!
So far in it's life, K2 #4502 has had NO commercially produced
electrons inside it......seems like blasphemy to "plug it in"...HI HI

                 Any thoughts, ideas, comments???
                             73....de...Fred  N9TA