[Elecraft] K3 power reduction after using TEST mode

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

Firmware & DSP versions?

On Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 10:40 AM, Mike K2MK <k2mk at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> 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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