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KX3: ALC on digital issue

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Thorpe, Jeffrey

KX3: ALC on digital issue

I've followed the directions in Fred Cady's book and the steps in the fldigi manual for setting receive and transmit levels. (Use the 'tune' button in fldigi, adjust computer output to 4 bars on ALC meter, keep mic setting where I use for voice - 5) and all seems ok to this point. When I go to transmit however, all bars on the ALC meter come on.
The only thing different is when using 'tune' I have output set to 0 watts. When transmitting it's set to 10 watts. Any ideas?

Jeff kg7hdz
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: KX3: ALC on digital issue

Jeff,

Connect a dummy load rather than the antenna and try it at 10 watts. If
the problem is not present, you can blame it on RF-in-the-shack being
picked up by the audio input or your computer.
If you do have an RF problem, the cure is in the antenna field. Better
common mode chokes to keep the common mode current at bay.

73,,
Don W3FPR

On 2/5/2016 9:04 AM, Thorpe, Jeffrey wrote:
> I've followed the directions in Fred Cady's book and the steps in the fldigi manual for setting receive and transmit levels. (Use the 'tune' button in fldigi, adjust computer output to 4 bars on ALC meter, keep mic setting where I use for voice - 5) and all seems ok to this point. When I go to transmit however, all bars on the ALC meter come on.
> The only thing different is when using 'tune' I have output set to 0 watts. When transmitting it's set to 10 watts. Any ideas?
>

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Thorpe, Jeffrey

Re: KX3: ALC on digital issue

Will do. Thanks Don.

Jeff kg7hdz

> On Feb 5, 2016, at 7:25 AM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Jeff,
>
> Connect a dummy load rather than the antenna and try it at 10 watts. If the problem is not present, you can blame it on RF-in-the-shack being picked up by the audio input or your computer.
> If you do have an RF problem, the cure is in the antenna field. Better common mode chokes to keep the common mode current at bay.
>
> 73,,
> Don W3FPR
>
>> On 2/5/2016 9:04 AM, Thorpe, Jeffrey wrote:
>> I've followed the directions in Fred Cady's book and the steps in the fldigi manual for setting receive and transmit levels. (Use the 'tune' button in fldigi, adjust computer output to 4 bars on ALC meter, keep mic setting where I use for voice - 5) and all seems ok to this point. When I go to transmit however, all bars on the ALC meter come on.
>> The only thing different is when using 'tune' I have output set to 0 watts. When transmitting it's set to 10 watts. Any ideas?
>>
>

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Jim Rodenkirch

Re: KX3: ALC on digital issue

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Jim Rodenkirch

Re: KX3: ALC on digital issue

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Thorpe, Jeffrey

Re: KX3: ALC on digital issue

In reply to this post by Jim Rodenkirch

I actually noticed the same thing too...the only difference was that I was transmitting Contestia 4/250.

Jeff - kg7hdz

> On Feb 5, 2016, at 08:36, Jim Rodenkirch <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Hey, guess what I found out.....I saw the same thing while operating JT9/65.
>
> BUT, every time I rotated the pwr control knob, the ALC was exactly where I
> had adjusted it to, SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I experimented a little and varied
> the pwr out prior to transmitting.....guess what???? The power level bars
> indicate exactly where I set the pwr at....looks to me like the KX3 will
> display then set pwr when you start transmitting in JY9/65 and, if you touch
> the pwr knob after you start transmitting the KX3 display your ALC
> setting.....just sayin'!!!
>
> I don't do any other digital/rtty mode so don't know how the KX3 works wid
> 'dem!!!
>
> 72 de Jim R. K9JWV
>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KX3-ALC-on-digital-issue-tp7613593p7613602.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
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GM4JJJ

Re: KX3: ALC on digital issue

In reply to Jim et al

Using Digital modes like WSJT JT65b and FSK441 here with my KX3 and let me explain what I see and how I interpret it. I am curious to know if you see something different.

Using Mode DATA A (Important because it turns off any transmit equalisation and compassion you may have set on SSB mode).

Initially turn Power down to 0 while setting up. To prevent any accidental QRM, or use a dummy load.

While sending data from the digital software, adjust mic gain and or level from sound card interface to get just over 4 bars on the "ALC" bargraph. This is not really ALC but rather audio level that the bargraph is displaying. It is not until 5 bars that ALC is actually produced, so try to keep it just below 5 bars. The transmit audio level is now set correctly and should need to be touched again.

Still while transmitting data you can now adjust POWER with the control and you will not see any change in the ALC level, however the power that you have set will be shown in numerals on the display. If you have an external RF power meter you can confirm that indeed the power level is adjusted in realtime as you vary the POWER control while transmitting in DATA A. [It is this part that you seem to have a different result? Are you saying the POWER control does not adjust the power out while transmitting ? - It most certainly does on my KX3]

It is important to not try and adjust power by varying the audio level from the sound card interface or the mic gain control, as that will lead to an unstable power level.

Ignore any online instructions that tell you to adjust power and ALC by audio level adjustment, they refer to non Elecraft radios which work in an entirely different manner.

73 from David GM4JJJ

> On 5 Feb 2016, at 16:37, Thorpe, Jeffrey <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I actually noticed the same thing too...the only difference was that I was transmitting Contestia 4/250.
>
> Jeff - kg7hdz
>
>> On Feb 5, 2016, at 08:36, Jim Rodenkirch <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> Hey, guess what I found out.....I saw the same thing while operating JT9/65.
>>
>> BUT, every time I rotated the pwr control knob, the ALC was exactly where I
>> had adjusted it to, SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I experimented a little and varied
>> the pwr out prior to transmitting.....guess what???? The power level bars
>> indicate exactly where I set the pwr at....looks to me like the KX3 will
>> display then set pwr when you start transmitting in JY9/65 and, if you touch
>> the pwr knob after you start transmitting the KX3 display your ALC
>> setting.....just sayin'!!!
>>
>> I don't do any other digital/rtty mode so don't know how the KX3 works wid
>> 'dem!!!
>>
>> 72 de Jim R. K9JWV
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KX3-ALC-on-digital-issue-tp7613593p7613602.html
>> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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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>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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Edward R Cole

Re: KX3: ALC on digital issue

In reply to this post by Thorpe, Jeffrey

Hmm! That would explain what happened in 2m digital mode eme the
other day. I tried changing drive level to my 8877 by raising the K3
PWR level and the amplifier stopped outputting (anode went from 780ma
to 80ma (quiescent load)). Checking drive level on my bird power
meter showed it dropped from 55w to 5w?? K3 PWR level had dropped to
0.10mw (running transverter mode). So I reset it to 0.39mw and
re-keyed into transmit and I again had 55w drive and 1300w output;
never repeated the fault.

I wondered what had caused this. This was using the K3 and not a KX3
but perhaps the firmware does strange things if you try readjusting
RF PWR while in xmit mode (PTT keyed)?

If the display switches to ALC then one could be adjusting AF drive
instead of RF power (but how? since Line-in is adjusted by the
SPEED/MIC knob and not CMP/PWR. (could I have grabbed the wrong knob?).

Hasn't repeated so may be just one of those "things".

73, Ed - KL7UW
sorry this is old e-mail; catching up reading the digest today.

Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2016 09:32:00 -0700 (MST)
From: Jim Rodenkirch <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3: ALC on digital issue
Message-ID: <[hidden email]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

meant to type, ".......looks to me like the set power when you start
transmitting in JY9/65 and, if you touch the pwr control knob after you
start transmitting, the KX3 switches into a "display your ALC
setting.....just sayin'

73, Ed - KL7UW
http://www.kl7uw.com
"Kits made by KL7UW"
Dubus Mag business:
[hidden email]

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