[Elecraft] KPA3 Fails Calibration

[Bruce James Howes]

Think I found the problem.

Yes, running on a dummy load.

Not the K3 Utility software, does the same with the update.

Seems to be a power supply issue, why it bothers so on 50 MHz 
I am not sure, but I also got it to do it on the 75 meter band once,
think the overload protection in the supply is just triggering.

I'm charging up a battery now for the real test, will know
tomorrow.

Rig worked just fine, ran the New England AM QRP this
afternoon on 3.880 MHz - 3:00PM EST, just fine.

Thanks for the help and suggestions.


Cordially,
Bruce J. Howes W1UJR
www.W1UJR.net



On Jan 23, 2011, at 4:00 PM, Joe Planisky wrote:

> Hi Bruce,
> 
> You ARE connecting the rig to a dummy load for the calibration and not to an antenna, right?  (Just checking the obvious first, no offense intended.)
> 
> 73
> --
> Joe KB8AP
> 
> 
> 
> On Jan 23, 2011, at 11:39 AM, Bruce James Howes wrote:
> 
>> Good suggestion Greg!
>> 
>> Tried in manually, same issue.
>> 
>> Think it is a power supply problem, RF may be getting into my power supply, shutting it off.
>> Manually I get up to 50 watts, then the K3 shuts down, fine on the other bands, so not a a current draw issue.
>> I'll need to lash up a battery for additional testing, but wager that is it.
>> 
>> Will report back to the group.
>> 
>> 
>> Cordially,
>> Bruce J. Howes
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Jan 23, 2011, at 2:31 PM, Greg wrote:
>> 
>>> Bruce.  Try it manually and see if it works.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Sun, Jan 23, 2011 at 11:13 AM, Bruce W1UJR <w1ujr at mac.com> wrote:
>>> Hello all,
>>> 
>>> Just installed the KPA3 100 watt PA into my K3.
>>> While running through the TX Gain Calibration program in the K3 Utility I received an error.
>>> 
>>> Did the 5 watt cal no problem, but when it was doing the 50 MHz calibrate the K3 shut off
>>> and displayed the error below in the K3 Utility window.
>>> 
>>> Thinking this an aberration, I attempted 3 more times, each time the K3 shuts off during
>>> the 50 MHZ cal period.
>>> 
>>> I used my nifty Elecraft W1 power meter to measure RF, on all bands 50+ watts, the 5/6 LEDs on the W1
>>> were present on all bands, including 50 MHZ, as the K3 Utility runs the RF test on the 50 MHz,
>>> the K3 shuts off.
>>> 
>>> I just upgraded to the new firmware before adding the KPA3, not sure if this is related to that
>>> or not.
>>> 
>>> Suggestions?
>>> 
>>> ERROR MESSAGE FROM K3 UTILITY FOLLOWS
>>> 
>>> at 24.930 MHz
>>> Calibrating at 29.000 MHz
>>> Calibrating at 52.000 MHz
>>> StartTune: Unexpected response '' to 'TQ;'. State 139
>>> StopTune: Unexpected response '' to 'TQ;'. State 77
>>> RestoreKAT3: Unexpected response '' to 'MP;'. State 224
>>> RestorePower: Unexpected response '' to 'PC;'. State 87
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Cordially,
>>> Bruce J. Howes
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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>> 
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