K3 Low Output on 15

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K3 Low Output on 15

K9MA
The output of my K3 (SN 4657) has suddenly dropped 10-15 W on 15 meters,
from about 100 W to 85-90.  The other bands haven't changed, nor has the
supply voltage (13.6 V at full power). Restoring to a previous
configuration does not help.  I had a similar problem early on, also on
15, and had to ship the K3 back to Elecraft, who replaced the 10 W
module, but not the KPA3.  15 seems to be a problematic band.  Has
anyone else seen a problem like this?

73,

Scott  K9MA

--
Scott  K9MA

[hidden email]

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Re: K3 Low Output on 15

WILLIE BABER
My 2014 purchased K3 is 20-25 watts low on 14mhz but all other bands are good.  ....just haven't worried about it as I normally use 50 watts or less to drive an amplifier.  I'll look into it after ARRL DX CW in February, so long as it doesn't get worse.

73, Will, wj9b

CWops #1085
CWA Advisor levels II and III
http://cwops.org/

--------------------------------------------
On Sat, 11/12/16, K9MA <[hidden email]> wrote:

 Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Low Output on 15
 To: [hidden email]
 Date: Saturday, November 12, 2016, 3:37 PM
 
 The output of my K3 (SN 4657) has
 suddenly dropped 10-15 W on 15 meters,
 from about 100 W to 85-90.  The other bands haven't
 changed, nor has the
 supply voltage (13.6 V at full power). Restoring to a
 previous
 configuration does not help.  I had a similar problem
 early on, also on
 15, and had to ship the K3 back to Elecraft, who replaced
 the 10 W
 module, but not the KPA3.  15 seems to be a problematic
 band.  Has
 anyone else seen a problem like this?
 
 73,
 
 Scott  K9MA
 
 --
 Scott  K9MA
 
 [hidden email]
 
 ______________________________________________________________
 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
 Message delivered to [hidden email]
 
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Re: K3 Low Output on 15

Gary Gregory-2
Issue not seen on mine. Had it since January 2007 so maybe you have an
issue?
Gary

On Nov 13, 2016 11:59, "WILLIE BABER" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> My 2014 purchased K3 is 20-25 watts low on 14mhz but all other bands are
> good.  ....just haven't worried about it as I normally use 50 watts or less
> to drive an amplifier.  I'll look into it after ARRL DX CW in February, so
> long as it doesn't get worse.
>
> 73, Will, wj9b
>
> CWops #1085
> CWA Advisor levels II and III
> http://cwops.org/
>
> --------------------------------------------
> On Sat, 11/12/16, K9MA <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>  Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Low Output on 15
>  To: [hidden email]
>  Date: Saturday, November 12, 2016, 3:37 PM
>
>  The output of my K3 (SN 4657) has
>  suddenly dropped 10-15 W on 15 meters,
>  from about 100 W to 85-90.  The other bands haven't
>  changed, nor has the
>  supply voltage (13.6 V at full power). Restoring to a
>  previous
>  configuration does not help.  I had a similar problem
>  early on, also on
>  15, and had to ship the K3 back to Elecraft, who replaced
>  the 10 W
>  module, but not the KPA3.  15 seems to be a problematic
>  band.  Has
>  anyone else seen a problem like this?
>
>  73,
>
>  Scott  K9MA
>
>  --
>  Scott  K9MA
>
>  [hidden email]
>
>  ______________________________________________________________
>  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
>  Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Message delivered to [hidden email]
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Re: K3 Low Output on 15

w0mu
Did you do a re-calibration?  Is this output confirmed on a external
meter?  Do the K3 and external meters agree is what I am asking.

Is there some way you are getting rf back into the rig just in 15m?

Does it do this on a dummy load?

Have you taken the K3 completely out of line, no computer, no amp, no
tuners etc?


On 11/12/2016 7:01 PM, Gary Gregory wrote:

> Issue not seen on mine. Had it since January 2007 so maybe you have an
> issue?
> Gary
>
> On Nov 13, 2016 11:59, "WILLIE BABER" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> My 2014 purchased K3 is 20-25 watts low on 14mhz but all other bands are
>> good.  ....just haven't worried about it as I normally use 50 watts or less
>> to drive an amplifier.  I'll look into it after ARRL DX CW in February, so
>> long as it doesn't get worse.
>>
>> 73, Will, wj9b
>>
>> CWops #1085
>> CWA Advisor levels II and III
>> http://cwops.org/
>>
>> --------------------------------------------
>> On Sat, 11/12/16, K9MA <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>>   Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Low Output on 15
>>   To: [hidden email]
>>   Date: Saturday, November 12, 2016, 3:37 PM
>>
>>   The output of my K3 (SN 4657) has
>>   suddenly dropped 10-15 W on 15 meters,
>>   from about 100 W to 85-90.  The other bands haven't
>>   changed, nor has the
>>   supply voltage (13.6 V at full power). Restoring to a
>>   previous
>>   configuration does not help.  I had a similar problem
>>   early on, also on
>>   15, and had to ship the K3 back to Elecraft, who replaced
>>   the 10 W
>>   module, but not the KPA3.  15 seems to be a problematic
>>   band.  Has
>>   anyone else seen a problem like this?
>>
>>   73,
>>
>>   Scott  K9MA
>>
>>   --
>>   Scott  K9MA
>>
>>   [hidden email]
>>
>>   ______________________________________________________________
>>   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
>>   Message delivered to [hidden email]
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Re: K3 Low Output on 15

K9MA
Yes to all.  There's no question that something has changed within the
K3.  15 was always marginal, with higher current at 100W than the other
bands, but now the maximum current on 15 is lower than it used to be,
which makes me suspect the LPA module.  When I recently did a new TxGain
calibration, 15 did not change much, (HP 12 to 19), but 24 MHz did (HP
08 to 46). LP calibrations changed by similar amounts.  However, output
on 24 MHz is normal, as is the current.  The calibration did not change
output or current on 15.

73,

Scott  K9MA


On 11/13/2016 22:37, W0MU Mike Fatchett wrote:

> Did you do a re-calibration?  Is this output confirmed on a external
> meter?  Do the K3 and external meters agree is what I am asking.
>
> Is there some way you are getting rf back into the rig just in 15m?
>
> Does it do this on a dummy load?
>
> Have you taken the K3 completely out of line, no computer, no amp, no
> tuners etc?
>
>
> On 11/12/2016 7:01 PM, Gary Gregory wrote:
>> Issue not seen on mine. Had it since January 2007 so maybe you have an
>> issue?
>> Gary
>>
>> On Nov 13, 2016 11:59, "WILLIE BABER" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>>> My 2014 purchased K3 is 20-25 watts low on 14mhz but all other bands
>>> are
>>> good.  ....just haven't worried about it as I normally use 50 watts
>>> or less
>>> to drive an amplifier.  I'll look into it after ARRL DX CW in
>>> February, so
>>> long as it doesn't get worse.
>>>
>>> 73, Will, wj9b
>>>
>>> CWops #1085
>>> CWA Advisor levels II and III
>>> http://cwops.org/
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------
>>> On Sat, 11/12/16, K9MA <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>>
>>>   Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Low Output on 15
>>>   To: [hidden email]
>>>   Date: Saturday, November 12, 2016, 3:37 PM
>>>
>>>   The output of my K3 (SN 4657) has
>>>   suddenly dropped 10-15 W on 15 meters,
>>>   from about 100 W to 85-90.  The other bands haven't
>>>   changed, nor has the
>>>   supply voltage (13.6 V at full power). Restoring to a
>>>   previous
>>>   configuration does not help.  I had a similar problem
>>>   early on, also on
>>>   15, and had to ship the K3 back to Elecraft, who replaced
>>>   the 10 W
>>>   module, but not the KPA3.  15 seems to be a problematic
>>>   band.  Has
>>>   anyone else seen a problem like this?
>>>
>>>   73,
>>>
>>>   Scott  K9MA
>>>
>>>   --
>>>   Scott  K9MA
>>>
>>>   [hidden email]
>>>
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________________________


--
Scott  K9MA

[hidden email]

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Re: K3 Low Output on 15

OE5CSP-Chris
In reply to this post by K9MA
I have had the same problems on 15 and a recalibration did not fix the problem. Max output on 15m is 90w and I always thought it was a firmware bug. I didn´t bother that much because there is hardly any difference between 90 and 100w, but on the other hand it is nice to see that everything works properly.
73,Chris-OE5CSP.