[Elecraft] K3 Abnormal Behavior

Mon Dec 2 15:57:40 EST 2019

Hi Jim, 

The symptom you observed is exactly how the K3 normally operates 
when the audio level is too low. 

The correct way to set up your audio level to: 

- place the K3 in TX TEST mode 

- click the TUNE button on the WSJT-X main screen 

- adjust the audio level to display four bars with the fifth bar flickering 
on the ALC display. The K3 COMP display should read zero. 

- click the WSJT-X TUNE button once more 

- place the K3 in TX NORMAL mode 

- set the K3 PWR control for desired output power. 

- NEVER use the WSJT-X power slider or the K3 MIC control to 
adjust the output power. Use them only to maintain four bars 
with the fifth bar flickering on the K3 ALC display 

Good luck! 

73 
Frank 
W3LPL 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Jim Kennedy" <kennedyjp at cableone.net> 
To: "donwilh" <donwilh at embarqmail.com> 
Cc: "elecraft" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Monday, December 2, 2019 8:29:43 PM 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Abnormal Behavior 

Hi again Don, this morning on a cold start the K3 power indicator tracked with the Bird watt meter. Technically competent and not one to give up easily I continued to trouble shoot almost to the verge of paralysis analysis. I put the K3 on the bench and lashed it up as it were in the station including Tigertronics USB digital interface. Fired it up and again had low power slowly climbing operating in FT8 using the tune tab in the WSJT program to key the rig. Hmmm better check SSB,FM,CW,AM modes. What the "H" I got full output on the Bird 43 !!! Back to TX Data mode. Hit the tune tab in FT8 and power coming up slowly again ?? Something wrong in the TX DATA mode ?? Well as it turns out, somehow the TX audio setting on the Tigertroncis USB interface got reduced and it was a simple matter of not enough transmit audio in TX Data mode. Turned up TX audio on the Tigertronics USB interface less than one division and "voila" full power output. I'm still a little puzzled about the symp 
toms but for now my K3 is back in operation. Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions and help. This is a great group of hams. Excuse me while I go wipe the egg off my face. Jeesh ! 

Jim 
W7OUU 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Kennedy" <kennedyjp at cableone.net> 
To: "donwilh" <donwilh at embarqmail.com> 
Cc: "elecraft" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Sunday, December 1, 2019 4:46:00 PM 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Abnormal Behavior 

Hi Don, I have checked it with both my Bird 43 and Daiwa CN801. Both with the same results. Now with the K3 warmed up there is no problem. I will have to wait for another cold start since I didn't even bother to see if the power meter in the K3 was tracking with the other two. I'll post again when on a cold start if the K3 tracks the same. 

Tnx es 73's 
Jim 
W7OUU 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Don Wilhelm" <donwilh at embarqmail.com> 
To: "Jim Kennedy" <kennedyjp at cableone.net>, "elecraft" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net> 
Sent: Sunday, December 1, 2019 11:09:08 AM 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Abnormal Behavior 

Jim, 

How were you observing the power increase? There is a big difference in 
how your situation can be analyzed depending on whether the power 
increase is noted by the K3 display or whether with an external wattmeter. 

I am not saying that you have no problem, but that the area to look can 
be different depending on how you observe the power increase. 

73, 
Don W3FPR 

On 11/30/2019 1:26 PM, Jim Kennedy wrote: 
> Fired up my K3 the last couple of mornings and noticed this. As the autotuner was searching for a solution the power output was slowing rising. Not so unusual right . But, after the tuner made a match the K3 was reading about 40w of output. I went into tune mode again (key down), the antenna was matched 1:1 but the output was slowly coming up so I let it continue. A slow climb to full output after about a minute or so was achieved. I have eliminated the tuner as the problem by using it on another transceiver. I'm thinking it may be a heat related issue somewhere, my guess is it's possibly on the PA board and possibly a solder problem, but then again it could be that same issue anywhere in the drive chain. If I don't transmit for a period of time it will repeat but not as bad as from a cold start. No other abnormal behavior has been noted. Any ideas ? Thanks in advance. Serial # 3378 
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