KXPA100 with PX3

[Bob N3MNT]

What band are you seeing this reduced power out on.  It will most likely be different for each band.

[Don Wilhelm]

Ray,

Did you do the basic KX3 Power Calibration as well as the Power
Calibration with the KXPA100?  See Appendix B of the KXPA100 manual.

The external wattmeter has nothing to do with it, the power is measured
internally by the KX3 and KXPA100 circuits.

You will need a good 50 ohm dummy load that is flat through 6 meters.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/2/2017 12:42 PM, [hidden email] wrote:

> Hi Don,
>
> I tried that but an external wattmeter confirmed the KXPA100 forward
> and reflected power readings.  Something in the KX3 is holding down
> the power output when PA is ON, but not when PA is off.
>
> 73 Ray W2RS
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]>
> To: rsoifer1 <[hidden email]>
> Cc: elecraft <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Mon, Jan 2, 2017 10:33 am
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KXPA100 with PX3
>
> Ray,
>
> Have you tried running the TX Gain Calibration on the KX3?
> It may be that the KX3 wattmeter is not well calibrated.
>
> If you do the TX Gain Calibration manually, it must be done on each band.
> The KX3 Utility automates the process.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 1/2/2017 11:55 AM, [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]> wrote:
> > Don and others,
> >
> > The good news is that you were right: the RJ-45 connectors in the
> > control cable were not making good contact. I fixed that and PA ON
> > operation of the KXPA100 is now working.
> >
> > The bad news, however, is that in Basic operation with PA OFF, the
> > KX3/KXPA100 puts out full power, but the most I can get out of it with
> > PA ON is 50-60 watts. The attenuator is set for OUT/AUTO and there is
> > no more than 1 or 2 watts reflected power.
> >
> >
>

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[Nr4c]

You may just need more volts at the amp. For full power from KXP100 you'll need at least 14 to 14.5 volts at the amp end of the cable. From battery power, use two short cables of at least  AWG 12 or 14 wire.

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill

> On Jan 2, 2017, at 12:32 PM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Ray,
>
> Have you tried running the TX Gain Calibration on the KX3?
> It may be that the KX3 wattmeter is not well calibrated.
>
> If you do the TX Gain Calibration manually, it must be done on each band.
> The KX3 Utility automates the process.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>> On 1/2/2017 11:55 AM, [hidden email] wrote:
>> Don and others,
>>
>> The good news is that you were right: the RJ-45 connectors in the control cable were not making good contact.  I fixed that and PA ON operation of the KXPA100 is now working.
>>
>> The bad news, however, is that in Basic operation with PA OFF, the KX3/KXPA100 puts out full power, but the most I can get out of it with PA ON is 50-60 watts.  The attenuator is set for OUT/AUTO and there is no more than 1 or 2 watts reflected power.
>>
>>
>
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[Elecraft mailing list]

Don and all,


The KXPA100 is working fine now, well within specs.  



You were right again; the system was way out of calibration.  All told, there were two problems: the calibration and the RJ-45 connectors in the control cable.


I also replaced the 22A switching power supply with a big old 35A linear supply that just loafs at the 14.5A current drain from the KXPA100.


Many thanks to all on the Elecraft reflector.


73 Ray W2RS

To: rsoifer1 <[hidden email]: elecraft <[hidden email]>


Sent: Mon, Jan 2, 2017 11:49 am
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KXPA100 with PX3

Ray,

Did you do the basic KX3 Power Calibration as well as the Power
Calibration with the KXPA100?  See Appendix B of the KXPA100 manual.

The external wattmeter has nothing to do with it, the power is measured
internally by the KX3 and KXPA100 circuits.

You will need a good 50 ohm dummy load that is flat through 6 meters.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/2/2017 12:42 PM, [hidden email] wrote:

> Hi Don,
>
> I tried that but an external wattmeter confirmed the KXPA100 forward
> and reflected power readings.  Something in the KX3 is holding down
> the power output when PA is ON, but not when PA is off.
>
> 73 Ray W2RS
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]>
> To: rsoifer1 <[hidden email]>
> Cc: elecraft <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Mon, Jan 2, 2017 10:33 am
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KXPA100 with PX3
>
> Ray,
>
> Have you tried running the TX Gain Calibration on the KX3?
> It may be that the KX3 wattmeter is not well calibrated.
>
> If you do the TX Gain Calibration manually, it must be done on each band.
> The KX3 Utility automates the process.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 1/2/2017 11:55 AM, [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]> wrote:
> > Don and others,
> >
> > The good news is that you were right: the RJ-45 connectors in the
> > control cable were not making good contact. I fixed that and PA ON
> > operation of the KXPA100 is now working.
> >
> > The bad news, however, is that in Basic operation with PA OFF, the
> > KX3/KXPA100 puts out full power, but the most I can get out of it with
> > PA ON is 50-60 watts. The attenuator is set for OUT/AUTO and there is
> > no more than 1 or 2 watts reflected power.
> >
> >
>

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