[Elecraft] K3 power reduction after using TEST mode

[Mike K2MK]

My fist has been getting rusty so I've begun practicing sending CW by putting
the K3 into TEST mode and sending paragraphs of text. I discovered that when
going back to normal TX mode, the power output was drastically reduced. At
first I thought I was accidentally turning the power knob to adjust keying
speed so today I conducted a controlled experiment.

I set the K3 keying speed to 23 WPM and did not readjust it. I found that it
is necessary to send CW in TEST mode for about 5 minutes for the condition
to occur. I tried it on 3 bands at 3 different power levels. In each case I
noted the power before going into TEST mode and then after 5 minutes I noted
the power after exiting TEST mode. The power was read on my PowerMaster
meter into a dummy load but a touch of the K3 POWER knob confirmed that the
K3 and the PowerMaster agreed with each other.

Here's what I found.

17 meters: power reduced from 29 watts to 5.2 watts
20 meters: power reduced from 24 watts to 5.1 watts
30 meters: power reduced from 100 watts to 5.0 watts

Give it a try.

73,
Mike K2MK
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