K2 power calibration questions

[Jeff Wandling W7BRS-2]

Preconditions:

K2 #6665
25W regulated power supply.
500W dummy load
paddle
headphones


I'm at a point where I'm calibrating the power on the K2 (pg 78-80 of the
manual).

Let me refer to pg. 78.


"Set power to 2 W
...
Put the K2 into TUNE and adjust L1 for maximum output"

Hold TUNE, watching the display..

It starts out at 2W.

I can adjust L1 to get way more than 2W.   Over 7W.

I can adjust L2 to get way more than 2W.

When it says "adjust L1 for maximum power"  what is that really trying to
say?

Above the last two steps on left-side pg 78 it says "Note:  [the power may
go up adjust POWER to maintain between 1 and 2W]"

Ok so what I notice is that after I hold TUNE, adjust L1 L2 for max power
(say I leave it at 7W).  The next time I hold tune, it starts out again at
about 2W.

The exact repro case:

set POWER to 2W
put the green tuner tool in L1, ready for TUNE.
Hold TUNE   start mental timer
display reads 2W
I turn L1 to make it read say, 7W.
I tap TUNE.   A few seconds elapsed.

put the green tool back in L1, ready for TUNE.
Hold TUNE   start mental timer
display reads 2.2W
I tap TUNE after a second or so.

Is this normal?


Differnet question:

On page 78 it refers to HiCur message.  I can supply 20A, but what's the
recommended HiCur limit set in the K2?  I just got done building, I don't
want to fry it before I clean the rosin off. hi hi, or maybe it's a self
cleaning radio... ;-)

Page 79 --

I really can't do these tests well because I can't get a signal.  What was
the Elecraft mini kit for helping do these tests, I think there's a signal
generator right?


Page 80

For Tx alignment, what is the recommended HiCur limit set in the K2?  I'm
hitting HiCur only on the 10 and 12m combo as I find the peak.


Thanks in advance.  If the replies are made to me directly, I can
summarize neatly for the list as appropriate.


-jeff


--
Jeff Wandling DE W7BRS K3 #2105 K2 #6665   http://w7brs.com/k3
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[David Woolley (E.L)]

W7BRS wrote:

> When it says "adjust L1 for maximum power"  what is that really trying
> to say?

You are trying to maximise the signal getting through that tuned circuit
on a system that is periodically trying to adjust the power to match the
demanded power and which has an absolute maximum power that it can
output, and may overheat if you demand a high power with limited drive.

As you tune the circuit, the power will increase, but, after a while,
the firmware will decide that it is no longer 2 W and try to compensate.

Note that you are not calibrating the power at this stage, you are
maximising the gain.

> On page 78 it refers to HiCur message.  I can supply 20A, but what's the
> recommended HiCur limit set in the K2?  I just got done building, I

<= 3.5 Amps, although it should say in the manual.

> don't want to fry it before I clean the rosin off. hi hi, or maybe it's
> a self cleaning radio... ;-)
>
> Page 79 --
>
> I really can't do these tests well because I can't get a signal.  What

There are no tests on page 79, or rather the page numbers depend on the
version of the manual.

> was the Elecraft mini kit for helping do these tests, I think there's a
> signal generator right?
>
>
> Page 80
>
> For Tx alignment, what is the recommended HiCur limit set in the K2?  
> I'm hitting HiCur only on the 10 and 12m combo as I find the peak.

3.5 Amps, or what it says in the manual.


--
David Woolley
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Elecraft products and more general topics related ham radio"
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