[Elecraft] KX1: Low output power

[Mike]

On second thought (ok, I realized I was using the 100w slug in the Byrd and therefore reading the wrong scale), it seems to be running about 3w or just a hair more.  Within spec to be sure, and I know there's no real world difference between 3 & 4 watts.  I still wonder if there's any way to push it up just a hair more...

--
73,
Mike, KC0KBC
Yaesu FT-857D, FT-8800R, VX-7RB
Elecraft KX1 #1819 (in work), XG2

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: mike.fairleigh at comcast.net (Mike)
> I'm finally getting back around to trying to finish my KX1, and now am finding 
> that output power is a hair under 2w rather than the prescribed 3-4.
> 
> I'm connected to a regulated power supply at 13.8vdc, output is through a Byrd 
> wattmeter to an MFJ 50 ohm dummy load.  R4 is fully clockwise.  I'm also using a 
> reference receiver (a Yaesu 857D with a 3' wire as a receive antenna).  I 
> clearly hear the tuning tone in the 857 at both 20m and 40m, and output power is 
> identical on both bands.  Short keying bursts are nice and clear at the 
> reference receiver.  An inline ammeter shows 0 amps both in receive and transmit 
> (a bit odd, but I assume the current drawn is less than the minimum detectable 
> by the meter).
> 
> Don will remember that I had some trouble with the toroids on the 3080 board, 
> and rewound them.  That seemed to fix the first problem I had, a deaf receiver.  
> I've looked hard for a short on the LPF board but cannot find any, including the 
> back side where L2-1 must clear the pad for L2-4.
> 
> Working through the troubleshooting tables, I seem to have eliminated all the 
> easy things :-).  One item is to re-check the resistance on the relays, between 
> pins 1 & 8.  I seem to remember seeing that resistance spec, but I can't find it 
> now.  If someone knows it, please pass it along.
> 
> In looking at the relays, I noticed that the book calls for installing C56 
> across pins 2 & 3 of K1.  However, Figure 13 on page 34 appears to show C56 
> across pins 6 & 7?  Pin 1 has the tiny notch above it in the case, right?  I 
> installed C56 just like is shown in Figure 13.  I also noticed my C56 is a disc, 
> not the tantalum or whatever is shown in the Figure.  I didn't consider that an 
> issue during assembly.
> 
> On the plus side, nothing seems to be getting hot :-).
> 
> --
> 73,
> Mike, KC0KBC
> Yaesu FT-857D, FT-8800R, VX-7RB
> Elecraft KX1 #1819 (having its way with me), XG2
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