FW: [Elecraft] Kit arrived...

[Brett gazdzinski]

 Tom,

> >I hooked up the dummy load and the 0-20 watt meter.
> >3.5 MHz 12.5 watts out, 2.7 amps
> >7 MHz   14 watts out,   4.3 amps
> >10 MHz  10 watts out,   2.4 amps
> >14 MHz  8 watts out,    2.3 amps
> >18 MHz  9 watts out     1.8 amps
> >21 MHz  9 watts out,    1.8 amps
> >24 MHz  6 watts out,    1.5 amps
> >28 MHz  5 watts out,    1.8 amps
> 
> Were these values obtained with POWER set to a 'requested'
> 15.0 watts?

Power knob all the way up.

 
> >13.8 volts per my DMM. 
> Measured where? At the output of the P/S? Or at the back of
> the K2?

At diode D10, the big protection diode on the side of the board.
I have fat wires running to the 35 amp supply.

> 
> >When tuning C21 in the 30 meter bandpass, the output power
> >would take off and go to 20 watts till I turned the power down
> >then back up, then it acted normal.
> 
> This is normal function WHEN YOU ARE TUNING UP THE RIG.
> 
> When this happens, don't turn the POWER control back, just exit
> from TUNE mode and return to TUNE mode, then continue your
> alignment tweaking. Repeat the EXIT / TUNE sequence as often
> as necessary during your alignment. This allows the ALC to again
> take over the (at least) start you out at the desired power
> level... Once you get the rig aligned this increasing of power
> won't occur.

I was using the key to transmit, not the tune button,
is there a difference (besides the sidetone)?



> >I checked the voltage at the RF output detector and its ok.
> 
> Checked it with what? And what value were you looking for?

DMM, just that it read the correct range, and went up with more
power output.
Its in the 3 to 4 volt range.

 
> >Looking at things on the spec an, after the power knob
> >is up past 1/2 to 3/4 the harmonics go way up, but I might
> >be picking signal up before the filters.
> 
> Spec an connected to the ANT jack?

No, just picking up the signal while probing T1 and T2,
I was trying to see if the drive level falls off with the power.
Past 1/2 to 3/4 power, some harmonics are higher than the
fundamental frequency, but below that all looks normal, harmonics
30 or 40 DB down or more.
I know this is not really a valid test.


> 
> On what bands... all?

Most if not all.

> 
> >One other thing I noticed, the RF watt meter built into the rig
> >reads correct on 80 and 40, but does not reflect the lower power
> >output on the higher bands, it's still pegged.
> 
> This tends to imply a Hi-Z condition at the ANT jack? OR that you
> have a LO-Z condition on 80/40. Probably the former.
> 
> This occurs what a known-good dummy load connected at the ANT jack?

I have and tried 2, a bird kilowatt, and the heath cantenna,
and checked the swr on both, its low.
I also tried two coax cables between the rig and the watt meter,
which also agrees when I hook up the antenna and tune it for
a low swr, the power outputs on the heath antenna tuner agree
with the other watt meter.
 


> >I don't need lots of power out, but dislike when something does
> >not work up to spec.
> 
> Agreed... the K2 should put out 12W-15W on all bands, though it will
> probably be closer to the 12W level on 12M and 10M.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Tom Hammond    N0SS

Brett
N2DTS