[Elecraft] KX3 power out

[Frank O'Donnell]

On 7/11/20 1:19 PM, Grant Youngman wrote:
> As a start, I’d recommend running through TX GAIN calibration using the KX3 Utility …

Good suggestion. If a 2-meter module is installed, as is the case with 
mine, I wonder if the automated calibration using the KX3 Utility flies 
through all the bands including that one? I wouldn't want to start 
pressing buttons and find out the wrong way. The reason for my concern 
is that I only have one dummy load, the MFJ-260C. I'd like to get ahold 
of the Oak Hills Research RFL-100 mentioned here recently, but 
unfortunately when I tried to order one a few days ago his website said 
all sales had been suspended indefinitely due to COVID. I guess I can 
either scrounge another dummy load, or do the calibration band-by-band 
manually.

Re Mark's questions about the Bird 43 and slugs, I do have an older Bird 
that I don't trust a great deal, but this one was bought new about a 
year ago, and the slugs are the same vintage or newer. I can try them 
out with other radios.

As for Walter's point about the ATU, the results are mighty odd. I just 
set the KX3 to 40 meters with 15 watts out, appropriate slug in the Bird 
43, set ATU to bypass and started keying. The power out dropped to about 
5w. I then set ATU to auto and tapped the ATU Tune button. With the 
radio still set to 15w out, the Bird now peaked at about 25w! Is it 
plausible that antenna tuning activity within the KX3 could actually 
increase the TPO by ~5x? Or does that cast even more suspicion on the Bird?

Frank