Re: [Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-04 Thread Stewart Baker
I need a little more RF tickling the spider's legs to get them to move off the open wire feeder :-) Stewart G3RXQ On Sat, 03 Jan 2009 21:22:49 -0500, p...@n4lcd.com wrote: I always use 5W, ... when I tune up my external ATU. I have my K3 set to use 0.2 Watt for tuning my external LDG tuner as

[Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-03 Thread Stewart Baker
No problem Wayne. I always use 5W, and the LP-100A when I tune up my external ATU. 73 Stewart G3RXQ On Fri, 2 Jan 2009 10:01:08 -0800, wayne burdick wrote: Stewart Baker wrote: The K3 output was from ANT1 using the internal ATU. The ATU was automatically tuned to 1:1 on all bands. The

[Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-03 Thread Phil Debbie Salas
I always use 5W, ... when I tune up my external ATU. Actually, I use 15 watts for tuning both the internal K3 tuner, as well as my external MFJ-998 tuner. I do this for two reasons: 1) I get much better SWR agreement between 15 watts and full power than I do with 5 watts and full power,

Re: [Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-03 Thread Brett Howard
One thing I think would be really slick is to see a path in which someone can insert a watt meter such as the LP-100 into the chain between the output and the antenna tuner where it belongs. I really like all of the flexibility that the RX ANT path affords... Would be really neat to be able to

Re: [Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-03 Thread Stewart Baker
On Sat, 3 Jan 2009 07:34:13 -0600, Phil Debbie Salas wrote: I always use 5W, ... when I tune up my external ATU. Actually, I use 15 watts for tuning both the internal K3 tuner, as well as my external MFJ-998 tuner. I do this for two reasons: 1) I get much better SWR agreement between 15

[Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-03 Thread Phil Debbie Salas
Hot switching RF in an external ATU is not to be recommended for any radio at any level. BUT - you DO hot-switch your K3's RF output when using any relay-based auto-tuner, including the internal K3 auto-tuner. So my reasoning is that I'd rather hot-switch the 100-watt PA at 15 watts rather

Re: [Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-03 Thread Stewart Baker
On Sat, 3 Jan 2009 08:58:57 -0600, Phil Debbie Salas wrote: Hot switching RF in an external ATU is not to be recommended for any radio at any level. BUT - you DO hot-switch your K3's RF output when using any relay-based auto-tuner, including the internal K3 auto-tuner. So my reasoning is

Re: [Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-03 Thread Don Wilhelm
Phil, There is a huge electrical difference between switching an additional inductor in series with the load (or a capacitor in parallel) than what is commonly seen as hot-switching which results in the amplifier seeing an open circuit until the relay closes. A very high RF voltage will

[Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-03 Thread Phil Debbie Salas
There is a huge electrical difference between switching an additional inductor in series with the load (or a capacitor in parallel) than what is commonly seen as hot-switching which results in the amplifier seeing an open circuit until the relay closes. A very high RF voltage will exist if the

Re: [Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-03 Thread Don Wilhelm
Phil, It is perfectly OK to do that, but I believe you are being more conservative than necessary. The KAT3 is designed to 'take it' and the PAs of the K3 (either high power or low power) are also - if that were not the case, there would be a big warning statement in the manual. In

Re: [Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-03 Thread paul
I always use 5W, ... when I tune up my external ATU. I have my K3 set to use 0.2 Watt for tuning my external LDG tuner as it will theoretically tune with 0.1 Watt. Works great. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You

[Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-02 Thread wayne burdick
Michael E Fox (N6MEF) wrote: My factory-assembled K3 is reading 1.0 SWR while my LP-100A and tuner both agree on about 1.4-1.5. The KAT3's stray impedance (in bypass mode) may impact the SWR as seen by the K3's bridge, since this bridge is between the ATU and the LPFs. This effect would be

[Elecraft] Re: k3 SWR readings seem generous

2009-01-02 Thread wayne burdick
Stewart Baker wrote: The K3 output was from ANT1 using the internal ATU. The ATU was automatically tuned to 1:1 on all bands. The results I got for 2:1 VSWR are as follows:- LP-100 K3 160 1.991.8 80 1.99