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Current setting?

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WE0H

Current setting?

What should I have my Current setting set at? I see it occasionally
showing high current when running SSB on the bench into a 50 ohm load.
Is this some sort of current limiting setting for the power amp? It was
set at 2.x amps and I set it to ~3.5a tonight and noticed the 160m power
shot up to 10w on the Bird meter after that. Before moving the current
setting up, it would show maybe 2-5w output just talking into the mic. I
run the compression at 2:1 and the other setting at 3. I think I am
saying that right but I am a newbie to this rig so...hi hi...
Also using a Kenwood MC-43S mic. The audio sounds clean listening on a
TS-440 on all bands 160 thru 10m, skipping 30m of course...

Thanks much,
Mike
WE0H
K2 S/N 6698
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: Current setting?

Mike,

What is the voltage of your power supply? If it is 13.8 volts or
higher, there should be no HI CUR messages during normal operation with
CAL CUR set to 3.50. If the PS voltage is low (or you have a bad power
cable connection), you may see those messages at higher power settings.
The K2 maintains power level, and for any given power, it will take more
current if the voltage is low.

If you power supply voltage is good, but your power output is low, Hi
Curr warnings are an indication of a problem. I assume the power
outputs that you site are average readings on SSB - if so, that is
probably OK. What do you get when you use TUNE is the real question.

You may leave the CAL CUR setting at 3.50 Amps or even higher. You
might see some HI CURR messages on particular bands if you run the power
control all the way to max - but don't do that, just set the power to 12
watts or less and you should not see any.

Yes, the CAL CUR setting will limit the power output if that current is
exceeded. That is really a helpful indicator if one is running from a
battery - the message tells you that the battery voltage has dropped and
a re-charge may be necessary. If used in that manner, you can set the
CAL CUR to any point you desire, but with an AC power source, you can
run CAL CUR up to 4 amps with no problem.

73,
Don W3FPR

Mike-WE0H wrote:

> What should I have my Current setting set at? I see it occasionally
> showing high current when running SSB on the bench into a 50 ohm load.
> Is this some sort of current limiting setting for the power amp? It was
> set at 2.x amps and I set it to ~3.5a tonight and noticed the 160m power
> shot up to 10w on the Bird meter after that. Before moving the current
> setting up, it would show maybe 2-5w output just talking into the mic. I
> run the compression at 2:1 and the other setting at 3. I think I am
> saying that right but I am a newbie to this rig so...hi hi...
> Also using a Kenwood MC-43S mic. The audio sounds clean listening on a
> TS-440 on all bands 160 thru 10m, skipping 30m of course...
>
> Thanks much,
> Mike
> WE0H
> K2 S/N 6698
>
>

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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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WE0H

Re: Current setting?

Hi Don,

OK on the KAT2.

On the current question, I am seeing 14.36v supplied to the radio on
receive and 14.21v on transmit. A little bit of a drop with the long
wires to my assembly bench where I have been testing the K2 at. Power
output using the TUNE button and running through a Bird 43 meter into a
50 ohm Decibel load, varies from 10w at 1.8mc, 15-18w from 3.5mc thru
24.9mc and back down to 10w at 28.5mc. The power setting is at 10.0w on
the radio. I did not see any high current indicator when I tested it a
few minutes ago. I seen the high current message last night with the
current setting as it was factory default. It is now set to 3.5a. I
noticed the radio will put out 20w on any band from 75m thru 17m but as
you said keep it at 10w. Voltage measurements are with a Fluke 77 DVM
measured at the radio's power cable.

Mike
WE0H

Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Mike,
>
> What is the voltage of your power supply? If it is 13.8 volts or
> higher, there should be no HI CUR messages during normal operation
> with CAL CUR set to 3.50. If the PS voltage is low (or you have a bad
> power cable connection), you may see those messages at higher power
> settings. The K2 maintains power level, and for any given power, it
> will take more current if the voltage is low.
>
> If you power supply voltage is good, but your power output is low, Hi
> Curr warnings are an indication of a problem. I assume the power
> outputs that you site are average readings on SSB - if so, that is
> probably OK. What do you get when you use TUNE is the real question.
>
> You may leave the CAL CUR setting at 3.50 Amps or even higher. You
> might see some HI CURR messages on particular bands if you run the
> power control all the way to max - but don't do that, just set the
> power to 12 watts or less and you should not see any.
>
> Yes, the CAL CUR setting will limit the power output if that current
> is exceeded. That is really a helpful indicator if one is running
> from a battery - the message tells you that the battery voltage has
> dropped and a re-charge may be necessary. If used in that manner, you
> can set the CAL CUR to any point you desire, but with an AC power
> source, you can run CAL CUR up to 4 amps with no problem.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> Mike-WE0H wrote:
>> What should I have my Current setting set at? I see it occasionally
>> showing high current when running SSB on the bench into a 50 ohm
>> load. Is this some sort of current limiting setting for the power
>> amp? It was set at 2.x amps and I set it to ~3.5a tonight and noticed
>> the 160m power shot up to 10w on the Bird meter after that. Before
>> moving the current setting up, it would show maybe 2-5w output just
>> talking into the mic. I run the compression at 2:1 and the other
>> setting at 3. I think I am saying that right but I am a newbie to
>> this rig so...hi hi...
>> Also using a Kenwood MC-43S mic. The audio sounds clean listening on
>> a TS-440 on all bands 160 thru 10m, skipping 30m of course...
>>
>> Thanks much,
>> Mike
>> WE0H
>> K2 S/N 6698
>>
>