[Elecraft] K3--Strange Issue On 40 SSB

[T. David Yarnes]

Hi All,

I suspect when some read this they will think I am daft.
But I will mention it anyway.  Here's the problem.  And it
only seems to happen on 40 meter SSB.  Sometimes, but not
always, when I try to transmit on the SSB portion of 40, I
will not see any consistent power output on my meter.  It is
erratic, and for the most part seems to be nil, but with
short high peaks.  On other bands, when I modulate I see a
nice consistent meter reading that matches my voice
modulating the radio.  Just what you would expect.  On 40,
my antenna is actually set for the lower part of the band,
but my ATU seems to have no problem showing me a 1:1 match
in the SSB part of the band.  Now for the strange part,
which I just discovered.  If I switch to CW, but at that
higher band location, and key the transmitter briefly (which
then shows normal power output), I can then return to SSB
mode and my modulation per the meter looks normal!  I've
changed no other settings in the meantime.  I have not
retuned either.  It's as if giving a short CW burst first
unlocks the transmitter for SSB.

Anybody have any idea what is happening?

Dave W7AQK