[Elecraft] K2: active cooling for data modes?

[Owen B. Mehegan]

Thanks Julian (and those who replied off-list). I guess I'll just stick
with my current practices and save my pennies for a KPA100 (and dream of
moving so I can put up a better antenna)!

Julian wrote:

> Message: 31
> Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 01:32:40 -0800 (PST)
> From: "Julian, G4ILO" <julian.g4ilo at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2: active cooling for data modes?
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID: <1296725560779-5988112.post at n2.nabble.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> 
> I think the same answer applies as to the earlier thread about running 100W
> on digital modes using a K3. With PSK31 the IMD products will be too high
> running the K2/10 at 10W, though to be fair, having done the comparison, my
> own K2/10 is cleaner at 10W than my K3 is at the same power level and is
> probably within the bounds of acceptability.
> 
> Olivia, MFSK and RTTY should be OK at 10W as they are FSK mode (though
> Olivia has been all but killed off over here by the selfish hordes running
> the 2.2kHz wide ROS mode above 14.100.) But the K2/10 was not designed for
> extended key-down operation. As the heat sink for the 10W PA is the bottom
> of the case there isn't much scope for doing what you suggest unless you
> want the K2 to sit on a heat sink. But you should also look at the driver
> stage which is not heat sinked at all. I found that ran hotter than the PA
> so I fitted a small heat sink to it internally. I do run my K2 at 10W in
> digital modes but only for APRS packet where the transmissions a maximum of
> a few seconds.
> 
> Julian, G4ILO

-- 
Owen B. Mehegan (owen at nerdnetworks.org)
"He is a dangerous mixture of sophistication and recklessness which
makes one anxious about his influence on other boys."