[Elecraft] K2 TX power cutoff?

[Ken Bessler]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <rondec at easystreet.com>
To: "'Ken Bessler'" <kg0wx at cox.net>; "'Elecraft Main Group'" 
<elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, August 06, 2005 6:50 PM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K2 TX power cutoff?

The most obvious suggestion is to raise your current limit a bit. The
current demands go up fast as you push the rig to full power. I'm sure you
considered that and, as you probably suspected, that may not be the best
solution.

Two questions to consider are:

 1) Are you setting the POWER for a level above what the rig will actually
produce? If you aren't sure, set the POWER to maximum and press TUNE.
Whatever power is indicated is the actual maximum power the K2 will produce
on that band. Don't set the POWER control above that point. You won't get
any additional power output. Remember, the reading you see when you adjust
the POWER control is the *requested* power, not the actual power. Setting it
above what the rig will produce does no good at all.

 2) Do you really want to run more than 10 watts on SSB? The linearity of
the finals in the K2 decreases as the power level is raised above 10 watts.
That's not an issue on CW but if you want the cleanest signal the rig can
produce on SSB, you should limit it to ten watts. Ten watts is only 1.8 dB
below 15 watts. On most S-meters that less than 1/4 of on S-unit.

Ron AC7AC
=================================================
Thanks, Ron. I normally run only 5w but this was on a local rag chew and
I wanted to see how hot the case got near the finals.

It's been my experience that even with marginal conditions (when even
QRO dosen't work), as long as you have a decent antenna, 5w is plenty
even on SSB. Now if I'm ever forced to use a marginal antenna, I'll
consider going to 10w (not 15.2 - thanks for the heads up!) or maybe
100w.
--
  73 de Ken KGØWX - Flying Pigs #-1055
                Elecraft K2 #4913