[Elecraft] K3 SWR Panel Reading 1.2 - 1.

[Bob Myers]

K3 SWR Panel Reading is 1.2 - 1.

I’ve recently completed K3 S/N 8156. It’s a basic K3, 10-watt unit with the only option being a 250 Hz CW filter. (Of course it has the 2.7 kHz filter installed.) No other options. 

The K3 Panel SWR indicates 1.2 - 1 during transmit when the actual SWR is probably 1.0 - 1.  The 1.2 - 1 shows with a 50-ohm dummy load connected directly to the antenna jack of the K3 or with an antenna using a Johnson Matchbox adjusted to 1 - 1 using an LP-100 digital wattmeter. The dummy load when attached directly to a different modern transceiver at the antenna jack shows 1.0 - 1.

If I mistune the Johnson Matchbox, the K3 SWR indication does go up but no matter how I tune the Matchbox, the K3 never shows below 1.2 - 1. The Matchbox attached to the other modern transceiver shows 1 - 1.

I don’t see an adjustment for the K3 SWR minimum setting in a menu. And I do not see anything mentioned in the K3 Operating Manual or the KE7X Extended Manual.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Bob W1XT
Sun City West, AZ
K1, KX1 K2 1434, K2 5843, K3 and other units.