[Elecraft] Weird K-3 Power Behavior

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

Yes - although there have also been some analysis done that seems to 
show that, in FT8,  with any ALC bars visible, signals begin to widen 
out, and at 4 bars there is a lot of junk between signals.  Just 
repeating what I've been told -  I don't have the ability to check this 
myself.

I was running FT8 just below 1 bar, and found the driving power to my 
amp took 7 or 8 transmit periods to get to full power each time I 
adjusted my power, even by a tenth of a watt.  I'm now running 3 bars 
(third flickering) and power-up behavior is much better.

73, Pete N4ZR

On 4/6/2024 3:33 PM, W3FPR wrote:
> According to the DSP software engineer (Lyle Johnson) ALC begins at 
> the 5th bar, and with the 5th bsr flickering shows no ALC action - 5th 
> on solid, it does show some ALC.
>
> To keep the audio drive for digital modes correct set so the 5th bar 
> just flickers.  Less than that the audio drive will ramp up and 
> produce "power hunting" at the output.  More than that, you will go 
> into distortion (ALC Compression) which will not produce the cleanest 
> signal.
>
> The Fred Cady books also agree on that.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 4/6/2024 3:03 PM, Fred Jensen wrote:
>> Hmmm ... I thought that the ALC started AT the 5th bar and the first 
>> 4 bars were sort of a VU-meter.  Hence Don's occasional advice, "4 
>> full bars and the 5th occasionally flickering." I've been known to 
>> get things wrong in the past however.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
>> Sparks NV DM09dn
>> Washoe County
>>
>> Bob McGraw wrote on 4/6/2024 8:50 AM:
>>> Just to be clear on the point.  The correct audio level should 
>>> produce 4 bars indicated on the ALC Scale.  Actual ALC action does 
>>> not start until after the 5th bar.
>>>
>>> Yes, after any power adjustment, the audio system does start at 
>>> lower gain, quickly ramping to the desired level.  This is done to 
>>> prevent any potential power overshoot.  After the initial 
>>> transmission at the new power setting, the remainder of 
>>> transmissions are at the proper power level setting.
>>>
>>> 73
>>>
>>> Bob, K4TAX
>>>
>>>
>>> On 4/5/2024 5:50 PM, elecraft-request at mailman.qth.net wrote:
>>>> Message: 14
>>>> Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2024 21:03:20 -0400
>>>> From: Pete Smith N4ZR<pete.n4zr at gmail.com>
>>>> To:elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Weird K-3 Power Behavior
>>>> Message-ID:<59c02b5d-1800-4a78-9d73-60461d231efb at gmail.com>
>>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
>>>>
>>>> I just set the audio to be sure I'm? hitting 4 bars of ALC,and the 
>>>> cycle
>>>> of adjust K-3 power to full expected drive to the KPA-1500 is now more
>>>> like CW, but the question remains -? after I adjust the power a tiny
>>>> fraction in either direction, why does the K-3's output power drop way
>>>> back and relatively slowly recover?
>>>>
>>>> 73, Pete N4ZR
>>
>>
>>
>
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