Connect K3S to Non-elecraft Amp (WU6R)

[Elecraft mailing list]

How do I connect my K3S to a non-Elecraft amp?  The amp has an ALC and PTT RCA connections.  The K3S has PTT In and Key Out RCA connections. 


73,
Mark WU6R
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[Jim Brown-10]

On 10/18/2020 4:54 PM, Mark Wheeler via Elecraft wrote:
> How do I connect my K3S to a non-Elecraft amp?  The amp has an ALC and
> PTT RCA connections.  The K3S has PTT In and Key Out RCA connections.

Key Out to PTT on the amp. Do NOT use ALC -- it's a recipe for splatter
and clicks. Always set amp power by adjusting power out on the transceiver.

73, Jim K9YC
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[Nr4c]

K3 key out to amp key in or PTT plus usual RF cable. No Alc.

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill

> On Oct 18, 2020, at 7:56 PM, Mark Wheeler via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> How do I connect my K3S to a non-Elecraft amp?  The amp has an ALC and PTT RCA connections.  The K3S has PTT In and Key Out RCA connections.
>
>
> 73,
> Mark WU6R
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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[Elecraft mailing list]

Thanks,

Mark

> On Oct 18, 2020, at 8:57 PM, Nr4c <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> K3 key out to amp key in or PTT plus usual RF cable. No Alc.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> ...nr4c. bill
>
>
>> On Oct 18, 2020, at 7:56 PM, Mark Wheeler via Elecraft <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> How do I connect my K3S to a non-Elecraft amp?  The amp has an ALC and PTT RCA connections.  The K3S has PTT In and Key Out RCA connections.
>>
>>
>> 73,
>> Mark WU6R
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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[Jim Brown-10]

On 10/18/2020 5:51 PM, Steve Sykes wrote:
 > You should also set a TX delay of at least 10 ms in the K3S, so of
the solid state amps require more, maybe 20 ms

That depends a LOT on the amp. I'd RTFM for the amp before setting that
much delay, which is usually limited by antenna TR switching. TenTec
made one (maybe the first) solid state ham amp, and all of their amps
used vacuum relays for antenna switching. They switched in less than 8
msec. K4XU, designer of TenTec's tube amps later worked for Alpha. The
86 and 87A were the last he did for them. They used diode switching,
which is very fast. And in bar conversation, he made a point of saying
that he designed the RF section, not the control circuitry.

I operated two of his TenTec Titan 425, bought used (their first legal
limit tube amp) in my station for about 12 years of heavy contesting,
until my purse got heavy enough to replace them with a pair of used
87As, and this past summer, one of the 87As became a spare for a KPA1500
(so I could get legal limit on 6M). Elecraft amps also use diode
switching for antennas.

73, Jim K9YC
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