[Elecraft] ALC

[Ed K1EP]

I do not own an amp or use one when I operate from home.  I also do 
not have any involvement with Elecraft other than being a 
customer.  I have used amps while guests at other stations (many 
times I forget to even turn them on!).  When I purchased my K3, the 
ALC was not a issue for me, as I don't use it.  I have used my K3 
with an AL1200 without connecting the ALC.  That being said, I can 
understand your specific concern.  When I checked the manual for my 
Icom radio, I saw that the ALC went from 0 to -4V.  I guess these ALC 
voltages are a holdover from the older pure tube generation of 
amps.  Apparently some modern amps kept that standard and some 
decided to go positive.  I would also think that it would have been a 
trivial addition to the K3 to have the polarity of the ALC selected 
in a CONFIG menu item.  I am sure that Wayne, Eric, et al are quite 
smart and had their reasons to implement ALC the way it is 
today.  Whether it was the right way to do it or not, it is the way 
it is at this point in time.  I can tell you for certain one of two 
things will happen.  Either it will stay the same or they will change 
it.  Personally, I think it is foolish to cancel an order for this 
issue.  For probably less than $5 in cost (either to the end user or 
absorbed by Elecraft for customers who demonstrate a need) a simple 
device can be constructed to plug in to the 15 pin ACC connector and 
the amp's ALC connector and deliver a negative ALC voltage.  Yes, I 
think it sounds on the surface as an oversight, but we weren't 
involved with the design over the last three years.


At 12/3/2007 07:33 AM, Albert Crespo wrote:
>I recently purchased a SPE 1K A linear solid state amplifier. It 
>does not operate properly without negative ALC on SSB.
>Why produce a new   rig that is not compatible with present solid 
>state amplifiers?
>I hope this is corrected before mine is ready to be delivered, or I 
>will just cancel my order.
>73, Albert