[Elecraft] K1 operation on 15 meters ... question

[Don Wilhelm]

  Bud,

That is not normal - you should have at least 5 watts out on all bands - 
but test that into a dummy load instead of an antenna - explanation follows:

Without the internal tuner installed, the "power calculation" in the K1 
requires a good 50 ohm resistive load to be accurate.  What that means 
is that with a 1.3 SWR produced by the T1, you might have 2 watts or so 
actual output, but the K1 internal diode detector is telling the MCU 
that there is 5 watts going out (the LCD deflection does indicate that 
is true).  The diode detector will respond to the combination of 
reactance and resistance at the output of the K1 (actually it responds 
to the resulting RF voltage) and the MCU tries to control power at 
whatever level is set in the OUT menu parameter.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 7/18/2011 12:13 PM, Bud Valcourt wrote:
> I built a K1 four band about one and a half years ago.
> Today, for the first time, I fired it up on 15 meters.
> I loaded it into my 40 mtr. dipole by way of a T1 external antenna tuner.
> With five watts selected in the K1 menu I have an indication of two watts output on a WM2 wattmeter.
> When I increase output power on the K1 to five watts on the wattmeter the LCD screen on the K1 reads ten "bars".
> The T1 gives a good SWR ... 1.3:1 or so.
> Is this normal for the K1?
>
> Bud,
> NY1Z ...
>