[Elecraft] XV144 - does it power spike

[w8zn at comcast.net]

Most of the YaKeIc I've ever worked with have this issue. Anytime you use ALC to control the power output there is a chance that that can happen if you are turning the power way down. When the rig is first keyed, there is a window before the ALC voltage is set properly that can allow this. It may be only milliseconds but with solid state devices, that could be all it takes. With transveters in general, they operate from a low level stage and the effects on ALC are either minimal or non-existant. In the case of the K2 and K3's with their external transverters, I do not believe they incorporate any ALC so whatever you set the drive level to, that's all you get. For many years we at K8GP used TS850's to drive DEM transverters using the low level outputs from the 850's and never had an issue. Now that we have many K3's in the group (YEA!!!!), they even work better. Now the nay-sayers will condem not using ALC but in the transverter world, the correct way to set one up is to watch the output power while increasing the drive level. Once a peak is reached (or you get to the amount of drive needed for your amp), back the drive off slightly and you are done, you can't overdrive it that way. So while some folks shy away from transverters because they might think they are too complicated, the performance you get from an Elecraft transverter and a K3 FAR outperforms ANY multimode-multiband rig regardless of manufacturer. 

73, Merry Xmas to all.

Terry Price - W8ZN  ex K8ISK
FM18dv - 1.8MHz thru 47GHz
K8GP - The Grid Pirates - FM19bb