[Elecraft] K3 Power cal

[Jack Brabham]

Don,

Nice try and I have seen the issue in SSB as you describe. However my 
issue has to do with the initial carrier level in AM (amplitude 
modulation) mode which occurs with the audio properly adjusted.

73 Jack KZ5A

On 1/13/2014 9:06 AM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Jack,
>
> Are you driving the K3 with enough audio?  You should have the audio 
> input level set high enough to produce 5 to 7 bars indication on the 
> ALC meter.
> If you do not drive the audio sufficiently, the behavior will be 
> exactly as you have said.
> We usually encounter this situation in digital modes, but it is just 
> as applicable to voice modes.
>
> Yes, the Elecraft K2, K3 and KX3 are unique in how the power output is 
> controlled - some commercial gear does it similarly, but AFAIK no 
> other amateur transceivers do it that way.  The output power is 
> measured and compared to the requested power level, then the drive is 
> adjusted in an attempt to match the requested power. If the audio 
> drive is low, it will take some time to come up to full power.  The 
> answer is to drive the audio to the level indicated in the manual - 5 
> to 7 ALC bars for voice modes, 4 bars with the 5th bar flickering for 
> digital modes.  Note that the K3 "ALC" meter is both an audio level 
> and an ALC indicator.  Internal ALC does not begin until the 5th bar 
> is illuminated.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 1/13/2014 9:39 AM, Jack Brabham wrote:
>> I have the same problem with my K3 on AM and SSB.
>>
>> Particularly on the initial transmission the power ramps up slowly, 
>> like over 5 to 10 seconds.   I went round and round with Elecraft 
>> about this problem when the rig was new (#4175), sent it back to them 
>> twice, and never got anything resembling an admission that the 
>> problem exists.
>>
>> It is not consistent, sometimes it works as it should, and sometimes 
>> it has the problem to varying degrees.
>>
>
> .
>