[Elecraft] KX3/KXPA100 Power Output Difference

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

A 20% error is not at all unusual in commercial wattmeters either. The famous "Bird" units are only accurate to 5% of full scale. That means that if you are reading 1/2 scale the accuracy is only 10% and only 20% as 1/4 scale. Since Hams tend not to buy all the slugs needed to ensure their meters read near full scale for every measurement, and do not have the slugs professionally calibrated at regular intervals (1 year or so), 20% is a pretty optimistic accuracy at almost every power level. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm
Sent: Friday, December 1, 2017 8:24 PM
To: Jim Ruff; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3/KXPA100 Power Output Difference

Jim,

Amateur wattmeters are notoriously "famous" for their inaccuracies. 
Errors of up to 20% are not unusual, and in many cases it depends on the band because the voltage produced by the measurement diodes are frequency dependent.

So bottom line, don't worry about the 10 watt differential.  You are like the man with two watches who does not really know what time it is!

On the KX3 Yahoo Group question, I receive individual emails (not the digest), but something has happened, and I cannot post to any of the Yahoo groups that I am subscribed to for the past 2 weeks.  I think Yahoo has "gone to the dogs".

73,
Don W3FPR

On 12/1/2017 9:33 PM, Jim Ruff via Elecraft wrote:
> I using a KX3/KXPA100 and I'm noticing that when I'm in TX the RF 
> meter on the rig matches the set power of the rig, but on the KXP100 meter, it shows 10 or more watts less output.  Some examples:Rig   Amp50w  40w60w  50w70w  60w80w  70w Here is what i've checked so far.  The Powerwerx PS is showing 13.8v when receiving and dips to 12.9v when in TX, so I don't believe I have a voltage problem.  I've moved the rig's power connection  back and forth from the front of the Powerwerx  PS to the top power pole connection on the back of the KXPA100 with no change.I've also re-tuned all bands from 10-40 meters with my LDG100 remote tuner and the highest SWR I receive is 1.4:1 on 30 and 40 meters.  All of the other bands are 1:1 to 1.2:1, so I don't think I'm getting any power foldback because of high SWR..  Does anyone have any thoughts on what's causing this differential, and if two power output meters are never going to be in sync, which meter is the most accurate?
> Also, as an aside. Is there something wrong with the KX3 group from 
> Yahoo? I haven't recieved a digest in days and when I try to get into 
> the group I get an error message Thanks,Jim W7JHR 
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email 
> list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to 
> donwilh at embarqmail.com
> 
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to ron at elecraft.com