[Elecraft] Product Suggestion - 500W Dummy Load

Don Wilhelm w3fpr at embarqmail.com
Thu Sep 17 21:37:24 EDT 2015


While a dummy load that has a power rating greater than your maximum 
transmit power is a worthwhile addition to any hamshack - at higher 
power levels, I do not see them being used as precision measurement 
devices, but only as a temporary load for the purposes of "tuning up" or 
operating into a dummy load for test purposes.

While the "Tune Up" situation has been largely eliminated for "No Tune" 
amplifiers, there is still the question of how to do a TUNE into an 
antenna when you have a tuner such as the KAT500 in line - but that 
tunes into the antenna at reduced power with the Elecraft K-line, and 
the tune cycle is relatively short.

The net that I see of all that is one does not need a precision dummy 
load for high power levels.
At the 100 watt level, I do find a need for precision dummy loads which 
can be used for lab measurement devices, bu at higher power levels in 
the normal hamshack, I do not understand a need for a precise 50 ohm 
non-inductive load (as long as you do not stray too far from that 50 ohm 
point.

In other words, the gallon size "cantenna" dummy loads should suffice 
for most purposes in the ham shack that I can conceive of - primarily 
providing a suitable load for a high power transmitter for routine test 
purposes.

Those who do precision measurements at high power levels will have to 
invest in precision dummy loads, but for typical ham use, I don't think 
that level of precision is necessary.  Such precision comes at a cost.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/17/2015 8:19 PM, Byron Peebles wrote:
> I'd love to find Elecraft offering a 500W dummy load to match the K-Line.
> No one even makes a sturdy paint can anymore.
>
> 73, Byron
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