[Elecraft] [K2] SWR meter reads 'funny' on just 20 meters

[Phil Wheeler]

It sounds like something may be amiss in the K2 
for 20m; not sure how or what.  But it may be the 
SGC is getting to 1.5:1 on 20 also -- since the K2 
seems to be reading 1.8:1 for a dummy load which 
is 1.0:1 we can assume.

Do you have another rig you can test this with -- 
or maybe a meter you can place at the output of 
the K2 as a redundant measure of SWR or forward 
and reflected power?

Phil w7ox

On 5/6/14, 6:21 PM, inventor61 . wrote:
> Don (and list)
>
>
> I just replaced my 'back up shack' antenna today (it was a 45/90 OCF
> experiment) with a 138' open wire fed doublet.  The center is up 50' and
> the elements are more-or-less installed.  They will get more installed
> later.
>
> I used the 'Ladder-Snap' pieces to make the feedline.  In 35 years of being
> licensed and active, I have never had an open wire fed antenna.  They look
> cool, kinda retro, sort of old (like me, I am 53 today), a real classic.
>
> Anyway, I fired up the old K2 and hooded it up to the new aerial.  The K2
> (the same one since 1999) has the KAT2 installed, which works well, but the
> ATU portion isn't in line for this setup.  Instead, I have a
> DC-phantom-powered SGC-239 out at the feedpoint.
>
> Inside, I have an A-B switch that can steer the rig's output to a lab grade
> 50 ohm load.
>
> On all bands but 20 meters, the outside tuner quickly found a 'solution'
> for the new doublet, none worse a match that 1.5:1.  Nice.  However, on 20,
> the K2 said it was 3.0:1  ...
>
> Hmm..
>
> I flipped to the dummy load.  All bands show 1:1 on the K2 display except
> for 20, where it reads 1.8:1 ... into 50 ohms.
>
> I switched the K2 display to read FWD & REV, instead of SWR, and then the
> display showed 5.7W fwd and 0.7W reverse into the dummy load.
>
> So, what do you think the problem might be?
>
> Thanks in advance for the opinion.  Hope you're enjoying the terrific
> weather.
>
>
> Steve KZ1X
> Chapel Hill
> __________