K3 & ALS 600

[Bob Wehking]

I have a K3, S/N 225 & an ALS 600, S/N 12911 that I would like to
interface. Do I need to connect the ALC to the amp. Anything else needed
to get the two to play together?
 
Bob
WB8DDI
 
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[w7aqk]

You can hook up the ALC if you want, but don't need to.  Just connect the
amp to the keying line on the K3, and the antenna, and you are good to go.
It only takes about 40 watts of drive from the K3 to get 400 plus out of the
ALS-600.

Dave W7AQK


----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Wehking" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 8:50 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 & ALS 600

>I have a K3, S/N 225 & an ALS 600, S/N 12911 that I would like to
> interface. Do I need to connect the ALC to the amp. Anything else needed
> to get the two to play together?
>
> Bob
> WB8DDI
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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[Steven Pituch-3]

Hi Bob,
I do not use ALC with my ALS600 and my K3.  Works great without it.  Usually
use about 45 Watts in and get about 450 Watts out for MARS on 2.2 to 4.1
MHz.  Just connect "key out" on back of K3 to "relay" on back of ALS600.
There is also a recommendation that is worth reading in the K3 manual to not
use ALC for certain purposes.

I am real careful tuning for low swr at 5 watts in first.  

Steve, W2MY

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[Joe Subich, W4TV-4]

> It only takes about 40 watts of drive from the K3 to get 400
> plus out of the ALS-600.

If you choose not to connect the ALC line you need a way to
absolutely prevent the K3 from providing more than approximately
50 Watts of drive.  Excess drive will damage the transistors
in the amplifier.  You will also be generating a very dirty
signal until the transistors die.

73,

   ... Joe, W4TV
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Dyarnes
> Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 11:33 AM
> To: Bob Wehking; [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 & ALS 600
>
>
> You can hook up the ALC if you want, but don't need to.  Just
> connect the
> amp to the keying line on the K3, and the antenna, and you
> are good to go.
> It only takes about 40 watts of drive from the K3 to get 400
> plus out of the
> ALS-600.
>
> Dave W7AQK
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bob Wehking" <[hidden email]>
> To: <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 8:50 AM
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 & ALS 600
>
>
> >I have a K3, S/N 225 & an ALS 600, S/N 12911 that I would like to  
> >interface. Do I need to connect the ALC to the amp. Anything else
> >needed  to get the two to play together?
> >
> > Bob
> > WB8DDI
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > 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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[Jim Brown-10]

On Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:59:23 -0600, Steven Pituch wrote:

>I do not use ALC with my ALS600 and my K3.

You're doing it right. Modern power amps do not need ALC except as
"belt and suspenders" protection when something goes wrong (by
modern, I mean those made in the last 30 years).

The right way to drive a power amp is to control output by setting
drive level from the transceiver (in this case, the K3) AND
carefully tune the power amp for maximum output as read on a meter
in line with the antenna. The combination of these actions minimizes
distortion products from the power amp.

Setting the transceiver to more than the needed drive power and
depending on ALC to reduce the drive often causes the amp to be
overdriven, so it produces distortion (splatter, harmonics). Not
nice.

73,

Jim K9YC


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[Mark n2qt]

the K3 is also good in that you can select the power output to be band
specific.
(under CONFIG).  So if your amp needs 50w on 15 and 35w on 80, set it once
and don't worry about it anymore.

Mark n2qt

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Brown" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 1:01 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 & ALS 600

> On Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:59:23 -0600, Steven Pituch wrote:
>
>>I do not use ALC with my ALS600 and my K3.
>
> You're doing it right. Modern power amps do not need ALC except as
> "belt and suspenders" protection when something goes wrong (by
> modern, I mean those made in the last 30 years).
>
> The right way to drive a power amp is to control output by setting
> drive level from the transceiver (in this case, the K3) AND
> carefully tune the power amp for maximum output as read on a meter
> in line with the antenna. The combination of these actions minimizes
> distortion products from the power amp.
>
> Setting the transceiver to more than the needed drive power and
> depending on ALC to reduce the drive often causes the amp to be
> overdriven, so it produces distortion (splatter, harmonics). Not
> nice.
>
> 73,
>
> Jim K9YC
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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>
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>

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