[Elecraft] K3: Still unable to set power correctly in, DATA A(sigh)

[Julian, G4ILO]

Peter Connors, F5VNB wrote:
> 
> Joe
> 
> Thank you for pointing out the difficulties in setting average power 
> across a range of modulation types.
> Whatever the peak/average ratio of the modulation, the output power from 
> the PA is peak limited - so wouldn't the answer be a K3 power meter and 
> power control that shows/sets peak rather than average power?

That would certainly be the answer, and I suspect that if you took a poll of
K3 owners, the majority would have thought that is what they already had.

How close the actual power is to the level dialled up on the control is,
within reason, a side issue. I think everyone would expect that the ALC of
any transceiver to be capable of limiting the *peak* output power to below
the point at which clipping occurs. If you have a front panel control that
is linked to the ALC then it should also be able to limit the peak output
power to any lower value.

Whether the control has some arbitrary scale of 0 to 10 or an approximation
of actual output power is really beside the point. Most amateur power meters
only have a specification of within 10% FSD or something quite broad, and I
don't think anyone expects the K3 to do better than that.

My point is that one expects the power control to control the peak power,
not the average power, because it is excessive peaks that cause splatter and
violation of one's license conditions.

To assert that every K3 owner needs an oscilliscope or laboratory grade peak
reading meter in order to ensure that they never exceed a given peak power
because the K3 internal circuits are incapable of doing so is a very serious
criticism indeed.

-----
Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392  K3 #222.
http://www.g4ilo.com/ G4ILO's Shack   http://www.ham-directory.com/ Ham
Directory    http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html KComm for Elecraft K2 and K3 
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