Fwd: [K3] CQ WW WPX RTTY - a mini summary

[mark roz]

Toby,

I was operating RTTY AFSK mode. Driving K3 from my
computer sound card. I was using VOX or PTT.
At the start of transmission the output power of the
K3
would jump to 50W. However the power of K3 was
adjusted to 25W level. So, K3 would put out 50W at
first and than quickly go back to proper level of 25W.

This would put my AMP in to fault every time.
Does anybody know what am I doing wrong?

Mark  

--- Toby Deinhardt <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:17:03 +0100
> From: Toby Deinhardt <[hidden email]>
> To: 'Elecraft Reflector' <[hidden email]>
> CC: Bernhard Buettner <[hidden email]>,
> "[hidden email] >> Hans Gall" <[hidden email]>
> Subject: [Elecraft] [K3] CQ WW WPX RTTY - a mini
> summary
>
> Just got home from our local club station.
>
> For my first ever shortwave RTTY and my VHF RTTY
> experience is a couple
> decades old, i.e. before packet radio, I must say I
> am very happy how
> easy the K3 could be set up and how well it worked.
> Especially as an
> almost absolute beginner in this mode, there were no
> serious hick ups,
> not one. Mni thx to Ben, DL6RAI, who helped set up
> the laptop software.
>
> I did notice one strange thing, and am wondering if
> anyone else saw
> this. I used FSK and not AFSK, and when the FSK line
> is toggled, the
> power output goes up and down. The power meters in
> the K3, the PA, the
> matchbox and the SWR meter were a tad nervous while
> transmitting. As
> long as the K3 transmits an unmodulated signal the
> power level is stable.
>
> At any rate, after 930 QSOs and with a claimed score
> of just under 1.5
> million, I can say I am one happy ham.
>
> vy 73 de toby
>
>
>
>   BAND   QSO DUP  PFX  POINTS   AVG
> -----------------------------------
>     80   274   0  134    1026  3.74
>     40   492   0  242    2076  4.22
>     20   164   0   52     400  2.44
>     15     0   0    0       0  0.00
>     10     0   0    0       0  0.00
> -----------------------------------
> TOTAL   930   0  428    3502  3.77
> ===================================
>        TOTAL SCORE : 1 498 856
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[dj7mgq]

Hi Mark,

 > ...would jump to 50W...

I haven't noticed anything like it, and we haven't had any problems with
interfacing the K3 to various amps. Both my K2s do this just a little
but not my K3.

Maybe you you should double check your audio levels? Could be the
AGC/ALC not reacting fast enough to excessive levels of audio - just a
wild stab in the dark.

vy 73 de toby

mark roz wrote:

> Toby,
>
> I was operating RTTY AFSK mode. Driving K3 from my
> computer sound card. I was using VOX or PTT.
> At the start of transmission the output power of the
> K3
> would jump to 50W. However the power of K3 was
> adjusted to 25W level. So, K3 would put out 50W at
> first and than quickly go back to proper level of 25W.
>
> This would put my AMP in to fault every time.
> Does anybody know what am I doing wrong?
>
> Mark  

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[Julian, G4ILO]

mark roz wrote

Toby,

I was operating RTTY AFSK mode. Driving K3 from my
computer sound card. I was using VOX or PTT.
At the start of transmission the output power of the
K3
would jump to 50W. However the power of K3 was
adjusted to 25W level. So, K3 would put out 50W at
first and than quickly go back to proper level of 25W.

This would put my AMP in to fault every time.
Does anybody know what am I doing wrong?

I have noticed that if I increase the mic gain level while transmitting, the output increases a little and then slowly drops back to the level selected by the power control. If I reduce the input level again, the output drops and then slowly comes back again. So it would seem that there is some slow acting AGC operating to keep the level correct. The solution is probably to adjust the audio input level by slowly bringing it up from 0 until the measured output stops increasing, then you know you have just enough output and no more.