[Elecraft] K2 tx align: power just keeps climing, no peak

[Andrew Moore]

I'm in the process of aligning the transmitter on my K2 #4778.

The manual says to peak pairs of slug tuned coils and variable
capacitors on the various bands, with the power control set to 2.0
watts.

There is no peak as I dial the slug tuned coils around -- just an
increased power in one direction, and decreased power in the other,
until the slug tuned coil either tops out or bottoms out.  Even with the
control set to 2.0 watts, the indicated power (on the K2 internal power
meter) shows 7 watts and climbing.

Any ideas?

Also, my K2 keeps entering play/record message mode all on its own.  I
think it's just a bad switch, or possibly a stray piece of solder or
other metal is shorting the control lines somewhere between the switch
and the inputs to the CPU.  I'm not too worried about that one... should
be easy to trace.  But the tx alignment problem has me puzzled.

Thanks for any suggestions,
--Andrew, NV1B