SWR bars higher than display numbers

[Jorge Diez - CX6VM]

Hello,

 

I noticed that I have 6 SWR bars that is over 2:1

 

I did TUNE and I read 1.6

 

In my Powermaster SWR I read 1.23

 

Why the difference, at least between the 1.6 I read in my K3 display and the
bars in the meter of the K3 that show +2 of SWR?

 

Thanks

Jorge

CX6VM/CW5W

K3 #4077

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[AC7AC]

CONTENTS DELETED

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[Jorge Diez - CX6VM]

Hello Ron,

thanks for your help.

I continue trying, also with the antenna directly to the K3, and I
discovered that the problem is when I have ON my ALS1300 amplifier.

If the ALS1300 is OFF or in STANDBY, the SWR in the K3 is 1.0 and I see only
1 bar in the meter.

If the ALS1300 is ON, then the SWR in the K3 is 1.7 and I have the 5-6 bars.

So something wrong with this new Amplifier?

73,
Jorge
CX6VM/CW5W
K3 #4077

-----Mensaje original-----
De: Ron D'Eau Claire [mailto:[hidden email]]
Enviado el: Jueves, 17 de Febrero de 2011 03:23 p.m.
Para: 'Jorge Diez - CX6VM'; [hidden email]
Asunto: RE: [Elecraft] SWR bars higher than display numbers

Hello Jorge:

Assuming you have a KAT3 built in tuner in the K3, the TUNE (autotune)
attempts to set the SWR between the output filters in the K3 and the KAT3
input to 1:1 for maximum efficiency. The "tuner" can do nothing to change
the SWR on the transmission line leaving the tuner (or K3 if using the
KAT3).

If you do not have the KAT3 or have it bypassed, the readings still will not
be identical.

How long is the cable between the coupler on your Powermaster and the K3?

Whenever the SWR is not 1:1, the SWR value will vary along the length of the
transmission line. The "length" is, of course, length is wavelengths or
fractions of a wavelength, so the higher the frequency the more impact a
given line will have on the reading.

Try mounting the Powermaster coupler directly on the antenna jack of the K3
using a male-male adapter for a close to a zero length connection as you can
get. The readings should be much closer. They are unlikely to ever agree
exactly on all frequencies since SWR meters are not precision instruments -
they don't need to be. Small variations are not important to the performance
of the system.

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Jorge Diez - CX6VM
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 8:39 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] SWR bars higher than display numbers

Hello,

 

I noticed that I have 6 SWR bars that is over 2:1

 

I did TUNE and I read 1.6

 

In my Powermaster SWR I read 1.23

 

Why the difference, at least between the 1.6 I read in my K3 display and the
bars in the meter of the K3 that show +2 of SWR?

 

Thanks

Jorge

CX6VM/CW5W

K3 #4077

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[Guy, K2AV]

If you get normal power output from the ALS1300 I would not worry about it.
The actual drive impedance of most amplifiers varies considerably with load,
frequency and power level. SWR does not tell you if power is being
transferred, just that as the power is being transferred the sink impedance
is not 50 ohms resistive.

73, Guy.

On Thu, Feb 17, 2011 at 12:47 PM, Jorge Diez - CX6VM <
[hidden email]> wrote:

> Hello Ron,
>
> thanks for your help.
>
> I continue trying, also with the antenna directly to the K3, and I
> discovered that the problem is when I have ON my ALS1300 amplifier.
>
> If the ALS1300 is OFF or in STANDBY, the SWR in the K3 is 1.0 and I see
> only
> 1 bar in the meter.
>
> If the ALS1300 is ON, then the SWR in the K3 is 1.7 and I have the 5-6
> bars.
>
> So something wrong with this new Amplifier?
>
> 73,
> Jorge
> CX6VM/CW5W
> K3 #4077
>
> -----Mensaje original-----
> De: Ron D'Eau Claire [mailto:[hidden email]]
> Enviado el: Jueves, 17 de Febrero de 2011 03:23 p.m.
> Para: 'Jorge Diez - CX6VM'; [hidden email]
> Asunto: RE: [Elecraft] SWR bars higher than display numbers
>
> Hello Jorge:
>
> Assuming you have a KAT3 built in tuner in the K3, the TUNE (autotune)
> attempts to set the SWR between the output filters in the K3 and the KAT3
> input to 1:1 for maximum efficiency. The "tuner" can do nothing to change
> the SWR on the transmission line leaving the tuner (or K3 if using the
> KAT3).
>
> If you do not have the KAT3 or have it bypassed, the readings still will
> not
> be identical.
>
> How long is the cable between the coupler on your Powermaster and the K3?
>
> Whenever the SWR is not 1:1, the SWR value will vary along the length of
> the
> transmission line. The "length" is, of course, length is wavelengths or
> fractions of a wavelength, so the higher the frequency the more impact a
> given line will have on the reading.
>
> Try mounting the Powermaster coupler directly on the antenna jack of the K3
> using a male-male adapter for a close to a zero length connection as you
> can
> get. The readings should be much closer. They are unlikely to ever agree
> exactly on all frequencies since SWR meters are not precision instruments -
> they don't need to be. Small variations are not important to the
> performance
> of the system.
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Jorge Diez - CX6VM
> Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 8:39 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] SWR bars higher than display numbers
>
> Hello,
>
>
>
> I noticed that I have 6 SWR bars that is over 2:1
>
>
>
> I did TUNE and I read 1.6
>
>
>
> In my Powermaster SWR I read 1.23
>
>
>
> Why the difference, at least between the 1.6 I read in my K3 display and
> the
> bars in the meter of the K3 that show +2 of SWR?
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
> Jorge
>
> CX6VM/CW5W
>
> K3 #4077
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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[N5GE]

Jorge,

The input to your amplifier is not presenting a 50 ohm load to the transmitter.

Check your amplifier's manual and see if there is a method of adjusting the
input impendence on the amplifier.  Some amplifiers will have an adjustment for
several bands.  Look at the back of the amplifier and see if it has adjustment
holes for bands in it.

WARNING!!!! IF YOU DO HAVE ADJUSTMENT PORTS, BE SURE TO READ THE AMPLIFIERS
MANUAL AND DO THE ADJUSTMENT AS DESCRIBED IN THE MANUAL.

WARNING!!! MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO AN AMPLIFIER WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS
CAN KILL YOU!!!

73,

Tom Childers
Radio Amateur N5GE
Licensed since 1976
QCWA Life Member 35102
ARRL Life Member
Retired Professional
C# Software developer
http://www.n5ge.net 

On Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:47:19 -0200, "Jorge Diez - CX6VM"
<[hidden email]>  wrote:

>Hello Ron,
>
>thanks for your help.
>
>I continue trying, also with the antenna directly to the K3, and I
>discovered that the problem is when I have ON my ALS1300 amplifier.
>
>If the ALS1300 is OFF or in STANDBY, the SWR in the K3 is 1.0 and I see only
>1 bar in the meter.
>
>If the ALS1300 is ON, then the SWR in the K3 is 1.7 and I have the 5-6 bars.
>
>So something wrong with this new Amplifier?
>
>73,
>Jorge
>CX6VM/CW5W
>K3 #4077
>
>-----Mensaje original-----
>De: Ron D'Eau Claire [mailto:[hidden email]]
>Enviado el: Jueves, 17 de Febrero de 2011 03:23 p.m.
>Para: 'Jorge Diez - CX6VM'; [hidden email]
>Asunto: RE: [Elecraft] SWR bars higher than display numbers
>
>Hello Jorge:
>
>Assuming you have a KAT3 built in tuner in the K3, the TUNE (autotune)
>attempts to set the SWR between the output filters in the K3 and the KAT3
>input to 1:1 for maximum efficiency. The "tuner" can do nothing to change
>the SWR on the transmission line leaving the tuner (or K3 if using the
>KAT3).
>
>If you do not have the KAT3 or have it bypassed, the readings still will not
>be identical.
>
>How long is the cable between the coupler on your Powermaster and the K3?
>
>Whenever the SWR is not 1:1, the SWR value will vary along the length of the
>transmission line. The "length" is, of course, length is wavelengths or
>fractions of a wavelength, so the higher the frequency the more impact a
>given line will have on the reading.
>
>Try mounting the Powermaster coupler directly on the antenna jack of the K3
>using a male-male adapter for a close to a zero length connection as you can
>get. The readings should be much closer. They are unlikely to ever agree
>exactly on all frequencies since SWR meters are not precision instruments -
>they don't need to be. Small variations are not important to the performance
>of the system.
>
>Ron AC7AC
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: [hidden email]
>[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Jorge Diez - CX6VM
>Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 8:39 AM
>To: [hidden email]
>Subject: [Elecraft] SWR bars higher than display numbers
>
>Hello,
>
>
>
>I noticed that I have 6 SWR bars that is over 2:1
>
>
>
>I did TUNE and I read 1.6
>
>
>
>In my Powermaster SWR I read 1.23
>
>
>
>Why the difference, at least between the 1.6 I read in my K3 display and the
>bars in the meter of the K3 that show +2 of SWR?
>
>
>
>Thanks
>
>Jorge
>
>CX6VM/CW5W
>
>K3 #4077
>
>______________________________________________________________
>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
>
>______________________________________________________________
>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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