[Elecraft] K3 Power-hunting on FT8

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

I've recently started operating FT8, and on advice from other K3 users, 
have been adjusting the power slider in WSJT-X to a level just short of 
or just into the first flickers of ALC.  I did this because I was 
advised that setting the slider for 4 or 5 bars of ALC generated junk in 
the FT8 passband.  I am running the K3 in Data A mode

Since I did this, I've noticed strange (to me, anyway) behavior from my 
K3.  When WSJT-X starts an FT8 transmit cycle, after I have just 
switched to the current band or changed the power slider in WSJT-X or 
the PWR control on my K-3, the K3's power output starts essentially at 
zero and slowly ramps up through 1- 1 1/2 FT8 transmit cycles.  Once it 
reaches the expected level, subsequent transmissions stay at that level.

I've been told (not by Elecraft) that this behavior is a result of the 
K3's firmware "hunting" for the right power level, but such a slow and 
repetitious behavior doesn't fit with the rest of what I've come to 
expect from my K3.  It doesn't happen on CW or SSB either. So what's 
going on?

-- 
73, Pete N4ZR