[Elecraft] [K2] Current setting?

[Mike-WE0H]

Hi Don,

OK on the KAT2.

On the current question, I am seeing 14.36v supplied to the radio on 
receive and 14.21v on transmit. A little bit of a drop with the long 
wires to my assembly bench where I have been testing the K2 at. Power 
output using the TUNE button and running through a Bird 43 meter into a 
50 ohm Decibel load, varies from 10w at 1.8mc, 15-18w from 3.5mc thru 
24.9mc and back down to 10w at 28.5mc. The power setting is at 10.0w on 
the radio. I did not see any high current indicator when I tested it a 
few minutes ago. I seen the high current message last night with the 
current setting as it was factory default. It is now set to 3.5a. I 
noticed the radio will put out 20w on any band from 75m thru 17m but as 
you said keep it at 10w. Voltage measurements are with a Fluke 77 DVM 
measured at the radio's power cable.

Mike
WE0H



Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Mike,
>
> What is the voltage of your power supply?  If it is 13.8 volts or 
> higher, there should be no HI CUR messages during normal operation 
> with CAL CUR set to 3.50.  If the PS voltage is low (or you have a bad 
> power cable connection), you may see those messages at higher power 
> settings.  The K2 maintains power level, and for any given power, it 
> will take more current if the voltage is low.
>
> If you power supply voltage is good, but your power output is low, Hi 
> Curr warnings are an indication of a problem.  I assume the power 
> outputs that you site are average readings on SSB - if so, that is 
> probably OK.  What do you get when you use TUNE is the real question.
>
> You may leave the CAL CUR setting at 3.50 Amps or even higher.  You 
> might see some HI CURR messages on particular bands if you run the 
> power control all the way to max - but don't do that, just set the 
> power to 12 watts or less and you should not see any.
>
> Yes, the CAL CUR setting will limit the power output if that current 
> is exceeded.  That is really a helpful indicator if one is running 
> from a battery - the message tells you that the battery voltage has 
> dropped and a re-charge may be necessary.  If used in that manner, you 
> can set the CAL CUR to any point you desire, but with an AC power 
> source, you can run CAL CUR up to 4 amps with no problem.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> Mike-WE0H wrote:
>> What should I have my Current setting set at? I see it occasionally 
>> showing high current when running SSB on the bench into a 50 ohm 
>> load. Is this some sort of current limiting setting for the power 
>> amp? It was set at 2.x amps and I set it to ~3.5a tonight and noticed 
>> the 160m power shot up to 10w on the Bird meter after that. Before 
>> moving the current setting up, it would show maybe 2-5w output just 
>> talking into the mic. I run the compression at 2:1 and the other 
>> setting at 3. I think I am saying that right but I am a newbie to 
>> this rig so...hi hi...
>> Also using a Kenwood MC-43S mic. The audio sounds clean listening on 
>> a TS-440 on all bands 160 thru 10m, skipping 30m of course...
>>
>> Thanks much,
>> Mike
>> WE0H
>> K2 S/N 6698
>>  
>