At risk of error paraphrasing prior discussions, let me try to explain: Elecraft implemented the implicit gain calibration at 5 and 50W believing that it was a subtle and harmless way of triggering gain cal. Users could do it intentionally (albeit tediously) and if it happened accidentally it would be quick and transparent, all but invisible to the user. Field testers and others objected on the grounds that they didn't want calibration to recur if they "accidentally" or on purpose set power to the magic levels, clearly rather common power targets. So Elecraft provided a switch in MENU | "TX Gain Cal via TUNE". If it's ON, you get the original, automatic, single-band, single-power level calibration at 5 or 50W settings. If it's OFF, you need to do gain calibration yourself. N6TV developed a *k4cal* command-line utility that automates this process, doing 5 and 50W calibration on all bands in "one swell foop." It takes about a minute and leaves your K4 settings exactly as they were prior to execution except that gain cal has been done thoroughly. It provides an output report showing how much things changed, although interpreting the numbers is left to the student.
At further risk of perhaps providing an old link, I'll suggest https://www.kkn.net/~n6tv/K4cal.zip as a way to get Bob's utility. If that's obsolete, eagle-eye Bob will probably catch it and provide a better link. ;-) Maybe some day this and other utilities from N6TV, Elecraft, and others could be combined into a single, GUI-controlled package accessible from the Elecraft Web site. But that would be a while into the future, if ever. 73, /Rick N6XI On Sun, Jan 16, 2022 at 9:41 AM David Gilbert <ab7e...@gmail.com> wrote: > > That begs the questions of why it ISN'T in the manual or tech note > addendum, and why it hasn't been addressed by Elecraft. > > Worst case, it would make more sense to have the gain calibration done > at some odd power level like 5.3 watts and 53 watts instead of power > levels that users would typically set. > > Dave > > > On 1/16/2022 7:41 AM, Richard Ferch wrote: > > You may or may not consider this logical, but: The description of the > > transmitter gain calibration procedure in the manual does not call up any > > special calibration menu. It just says transmit a carrier at exactly 5.0 > > watts or exactly 50 watts. Apparently the firmware uses these power level > > settings as a trigger to do a gain calibration. > > > > Not wanting to do unexpected gain calibrations while operating, I have > > always set my power to 4.9 watts when I want to operate QRP, and to 49 > > watts if I want to operate at 50 watts. > > > > I am fairly sure I saw a post here by one of the elecraft techs about > this > > not so very long ago. > > > > 73, > > Rich VE3KI > > > > > > N7WS wrote: > > > > It is not in the manual, but has appeared here many times, without > logical > > explanation. > > > > Wes N7WS > > > > On 1/16/2022 6:52 AM, j...@kk9a.com wrote: > >> I have not heard this either. Is this in the manual? 5 watts would be a > >> tough output to avoid if you enjoy QRP. > >> > >> John KK9A > >> > >> KE8G wrote: > >> > >> Hmm, I've never heard that 5 or 50 watts of power shouldn't be run. > >> > >> 73 de KE8G - Jim > >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > Message delivered to ab7e...@gmail.com > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to rta...@gmail.com > -- -- Rick Tavan Truckee and Saratoga, CA ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
