[Elecraft] K3 Firmware 5.26 and CONFIG:EXT ALC

[Phil Wheeler]

Thanks for the report of your experience, Paul. 
I've not gone to 5.29 for the reasons you stated; 
now I will.

73, Phil W7OX

On 6/25/15 7:25 PM, Paul Kirley wrote:
> My K3 serial number is 1322; it is of 2008 vintage.  I loaded beta 5.26
> firmware because I installed a newly purchased KXV3B transverter/preamp
> board.
>
> Today I noticed that new firmware version 5.29 was available.  When I
> read the release notes, it looked like the release would not affect my
> old K3, only newly minted K3S rigs.
>
> But when I checked CONFIG:EXT ALC under version 5.26, I found the
> setting to be ON t-5.5.  I changed this to OFF t-4.0, the default
> according to the K3 manual.  (Numeric keypad 1 toggles between ON and
> OFF, although the manual isn't specific.)
>
> Then I cycled the power on my K3, a normal shutdown and startup.
> Sadly, CONFIG:EXT ALC was back to ON t-5.5.
>
> At that point, I decided that I had better install firmware version
> 5.29.  After its installation, I found the default CONFIG:EXT ALC
> setting, which persisted after power cycling.  This is my preferred
> setting, as I have nothing capable of more than 100 watts.
>
> I also tested my K3 to see if version 5.29 would incorrectly reset a
> non-default CONFIG:EXT ALC back to the default after power cycling, but
> that problem did not occur.
>
> Anyone who has loaded firmware version 5.26 would do well to replace it
> with version 5.29 and then to check CONFIG:EXT ALC for his preferred
> value.
>
> Incidentally, I also looked at CONFIG:ADC REF, which I vaguely recalled
> setting some time back.  It showed the non-default value 4.94 under
> both firmware versions 5.26 and 5.29, which caused me no concern.
>
> 73, Paul W8TM