K2 power with and without PA

[JEAN-FRANCOIS MENARD-2]

I'm very hesitating about building de 100W PA for the K2, because
sometime I would like to use it on field in dxpedition.

I would like to know, if you install the 100W PA, and you run the K2 at
5W or 15W on batteries in the field, is the K2 will drain more power
because the PA is installed, or it will drain normal power like about
180 mA - 240 mA on receive ???

And in TX at 5W or 15W, will the K2 drain the same power if you have
the PA or not ???

On the field, I could use an external batterie if I installed the 100W
PA.......

Thanks for your help.....


A little newbie.... VA2VYZ

===============================================
Jean-François Ménard / VA2VYZ
[hidden email]

Club d'Astronomie Amateur de Sherbrooke
Club Radio Amateur de l'Estrie

Mon site web personnel : http://homepage.mac.com/jfmenard
===============================================
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[Gregg Lengling]

The 100 amp has a new power connector...if you use the original you are only
using the QRP portion and shouldn't have more than a milliamp or two of
extra drain.  Personally you can just remove the amp (the new lid) and put
your old top on and you're back to a QRP K2.\


Gregg R. Lengling, W9DHI, Retired
Administrator http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org
K2/100 S#3075 KX1 S# 57
Member:  ARRL, RSGB, RCA, WERA and ORC
 


-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of JEAN-FRANCOIS MENARD
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 7:35 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K2 power with and without PA

I'm very hesitating about building de 100W PA for the K2, because
sometime I would like to use it on field in dxpedition.

I would like to know, if you install the 100W PA, and you run the K2 at
5W or 15W on batteries in the field, is the K2 will drain more power
because the PA is installed, or it will drain normal power like about
180 mA - 240 mA on receive ???

And in TX at 5W or 15W, will the K2 drain the same power if you have
the PA or not ???

On the field, I could use an external batterie if I installed the 100W
PA.......

Thanks for your help.....


A little newbie.... VA2VYZ

===============================================
Jean-François Ménard / VA2VYZ
[hidden email]

Club d'Astronomie Amateur de Sherbrooke
Club Radio Amateur de l'Estrie

Mon site web personnel : http://homepage.mac.com/jfmenard
===============================================
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[Don Brown-4]

HI

The K2/100 will work the same as a QRP K2 if the power is supplied through the normal round power connector. When powered through the PowerPole connector on the KPA100 the amplifier is enabled. You can also disable the amp in the secondary menu. If you disable the PA the current should be about the same as the QRP K2. Of course you will need to use an external battery or power supply. One other option is to split the K2 and the KPA100. In this arrangement the KPA100 is installed in a matching EC2 box and the K2 will have the normal K2 top with the battery option if you like. A control cable and a RF cable connect the two together and the K2 can be used by it self in the field. The KAT100 tuner can also be installed into the same EC2 box with the KPA100.

Don Brown
KD5NDB
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: JEAN-FRANCOIS MENARD<mailto:[hidden email]>
  To: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>
  Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 7:34 PM
  Subject: [Elecraft] K2 power with and without PA


  I'm very hesitating about building de 100W PA for the K2, because
  sometime I would like to use it on field in dxpedition.

  I would like to know, if you install the 100W PA, and you run the K2 at
  5W or 15W on batteries in the field, is the K2 will drain more power
  because the PA is installed, or it will drain normal power like about
  180 mA - 240 mA on receive ???

  And in TX at 5W or 15W, will the K2 drain the same power if you have
  the PA or not ???

  On the field, I could use an external batterie if I installed the 100W
  PA.......

  Thanks for your help.....


  A little newbie.... VA2VYZ

  ===============================================
  Jean-François Ménard / VA2VYZ
  [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>

  Club d'Astronomie Amateur de Sherbrooke
  Club Radio Amateur de l'Estrie

  Mon site web personnel : http://homepage.mac.com/jfmenard<http://homepage.mac.com/jfmenard>
  ===============================================
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  Elecraft mailing list
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  Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm<http://mailman.qth.net/subscribershtm>
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[al_lorona]

> I would like to know, if you install the 100W
> PA, and you run the K2 at 5W or 15W on
> batteries in the field, is the K2 will drain
> more power because the PA is installed, or
> it will drain normal power like about
> 180 mA - 240 mA on receive ?

> Jean-François Ménard / VA2VYZ

Jean-Francois,

I believe that with the PA installed, even if you shut off the PA's power supply and run QRP power, the current drain will be greater than the K2 QRP version. I don't have my schematic in front of me, but I believe there are circuits in the PA that draw current from the RF board of the K2. You can expect something like 150 mA quiescent current drain from the PA.

Therefore, if you are going to operate in the field from batteries, then you should physically remove the PA and replace with the QRP top cover to achieve the (approx) 200 mA receive current.

Regards,

Al  W6LX

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[wayne burdick]

Installing the KPA100 increases the K2's receive-mode current drain by
100-200 mA. So if minimizing current drain for battery operation is a
consideration, you might want to remove the KPA100 temporarily.
Removing the six screws and unplugging the unit takes about one minute.

As an alternative, many of our customers have installed the KPA100 in
our full-height KAT100-2 ATU rather than in the K2 itself. This makes
it easy to grab the K2 and leave the QRO hardware behind -- just unplug
the RF and control cables.

73,
Wayne
N6KR


>> I would like to know, if you install the 100W PA, and you run the K2
>> at 5W or 15W on batteries in the field, is the K2 will drain more
>> power because the PA is installed, or it will drain normal power like
>> about 180 mA - 240 mA on receive ?

As mentInstalling the KPA100 increases K2 receive-mode current drain by
approximately 100-200 mA. In transmit mode, additional current is
drawn, but this will not be included in the voltage/current display.


---

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