[Elecraft] SPE 1K-FA Amp hookup and ALC Question

[Bob McGraw K4TAX]

I agree with Jim, K9YC on the ALC points.

With older radios, namely tube types which required the exciter PA to be 
loaded correctly to be linear, this power level would overdrive many 
amplifiers.   Hence ALC from the amp to the transceiver/transmitter was 
required to control the drive power.

Today's radios have much more accurate power control methods. These 
methods are far superior to those found in most amps.   Most solid state 
amps have adequate protection with regard to overdrive, again ALC from 
the amp to the radio is not needed. And as Jim indicated, if one chooses 
to use ALC from the amp to the transceiver and it is not properly 
adjusted, one can expect signal report issues and unfriendly neighbors 
on the radio spectrum.

73

Bob, K4TAX


On 10/9/2017 4:50 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
> On 10/9/2017 12:48 PM, Clay Autery wrote:
>> I'm being given an SPE 1K-FA for use with my fully current K3s.
>>
>> I'm being told that the K3s and SPE don't play well together using 
>> "ALC".
>> A conflicting report is telling me that Elecraft addressed the ALC 
>> issue.
>
> I owned one of these amps for a few months, having bought it to get 
> more power on 6M than the KPA500 did.  I didn't like it much. You 
> probably know that ALC should NEVER be used between a rig and an amp 
> to set the output power. That's a recipe for creating harmonics, 
> clicks, and splatter. The right way to do it is to reduce drive power. 
> If you're going to use ALC at all, set output power by reducing drive 
> and use ALC ONLY to protect the amp when something goes wrong with an 
> antenna (like the operator connecting the wrong one). :)
>
> 73. Jim K9YC
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