[Elecraft] SSB Power Creep

[Don Wilhelm]

Jack,

I would suggest that you do not have sufficient audio drive.  That is 
the normal behavior of Elecraft products in digital modes when the audio 
drive is low.

If you are following the typical 'wisdom' of using the audio level to 
control the output power, forget that - the Elecraft transceivers are 
different in the way they control power, and that method will not work.  
It will produce exactly the symptoms you state.

For the K3 and KX3, adjust the audio so the ALC meter shows 4 bars solid 
and the 5th bar solid, then adjust the power knob for the desired power 
level.
If you have a K2, set the LED display to show ALC and adjust the audio 
until you see 1 bar of ALC, then back down the audio until that bar just 
goes out.  Again, adjust the power level with the power knob.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 7/31/2014 8:57 PM, Jack Berry via Elecraft wrote:
> I notice on MARS frequencies (slightly outside ham bands) that my power output starts out low and builds to full output over 10-20 seconds of transmit. The symptom is easily observed during an MT63 transmission and receiving stations comment that my signal starts out light and builds to a strong signal as the transmission progresses.
> I have run the calibration routine several times into a dummy load and all seems to go well but the problem persists.
> I see the same symptom in some ham bands but to a lesser extent, perhaps starting at half power and coming up to full power in a 10 seconds.
>
>