Elecraft

Using Yaesu Quadra VL-1000 with K3/ ALC?

Classic

List

Threaded

8 messages Options

Dean L

Using Yaesu Quadra VL-1000 with K3/ ALC?

I'm working on a Yaesu VL1000 for a friend and wondering if anybody's had
experience setting up ALC with the K3 and the VL1000?
Is it necessary?
I'm not much of a QRO guy as you can probably tell.

Thanks in advance for your help 73

Dean K2WW
______________________________________________________________
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]

Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Re: Using Yaesu Quadra VL-1000 with K3/ ALC?

> Is it necessary?

Yes. The Quadra produces is rated 1000 W output with approximately
60W drive. The K3 will overdrive it resulting in splatter/IMD and
potential damage to the transistors.

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 2020-07-16 7:25 PM, Dean L wrote:
> I'm working on a Yaesu VL1000 for a friend and wondering if anybody's had
> experience setting up ALC with the K3 and the VL1000?
> Is it necessary?
> I'm not much of a QRO guy as you can probably tell.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help 73
>
> Dean K2WW

______________________________________________________________
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]

Vic Rosenthal

Re: Using Yaesu Quadra VL-1000 with K3/ ALC?

ALC is not needed if you set the K3 to 60w (or whatever the appropriate
drive is for each band) using the K3's per-band option.

Using ALC to control the drive will also introduce distortion.

The only disadvantage of the per-band power setting is that if you want
to run more than 60w when you operate barefoot, you have to remember to
turn it back down when you want to use the amp. This is automatic with
the KPA500 and 1500, but not with a non-Elecraft amp.

I once created a macro which would set the power and activate one of the
K3's digital outputs, which I used to control a relay that switched an
amp in line. That worked. But now I just run 60 or 70w when I'm
barefoot. There isn't that much difference from the full 100w.

73,
Victor, 4X6GP
Rehovot, Israel
Formerly K2VCO
CWops no. 5
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
.
On 17/07/2020 3:48, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:

>
>> Is it necessary?
>
> Yes. The Quadra produces is rated 1000 W output with approximately
> 60W drive. The K3 will overdrive it resulting in splatter/IMD and
> potential damage to the transistors.
>
> 73,
>
> ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
> On 2020-07-16 7:25 PM, Dean L wrote:
>> I'm working on a Yaesu VL1000 for a friend and wondering if
>> anybody's had experience setting up ALC with the K3 and the
>> VL1000? Is it necessary? I'm not much of a QRO guy as you can
>> probably tell.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your help 73
>>
>> Dean K2WW
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]

john@kk9a.com

Re: Using Yaesu Quadra VL-1000 with K3/ ALC?

In reply to this post by Dean L

Every amp that I use I would overdrive with the Elecraft set at 100
watts. I am not familiar with the Quadra, I typically adjust the PWR
(power output) control to the desired wattage and have not had an
issue with any that that I have used. I see a lot of talk about using
ALC on the SPE Expert amp list. I have not used this brand and do not
why ALC appears to be recommend for them. I have not connected an ALC
cable in decades.

John KK9A

Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:

> Is it necessary?

Yes. The Quadra produces is rated 1000 W output with approximately
60W drive. The K3 will overdrive it resulting in splatter/IMD and
potential damage to the transistors.

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 2020-07-16 7:25 PM, Dean L wrote:
> I'm working on a Yaesu VL1000 for a friend and wondering if anybody's had
> experience setting up ALC with the K3 and the VL1000?
> Is it necessary?
> I'm not much of a QRO guy as you can probably tell.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help 73
>
> Dean K2WW

______________________________________________________________
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]

Joe Subich, W4TV-4

Re: Using Yaesu Quadra VL-1000 with K3/ ALC?

*IF* the user can remember to turn the exciter power level down before
turning on the amplifier, ALC is not necessary. However, it remains the
only failsafe way to prevent damage to the amplifier from sustained
overdrive. Given the cost of replacing transistors in the amplifiers,
I would certainly implement ALC with any amplifier (unless, of course,
it could automatically set exciter power level as the KPA500 or KPA1500
with the K3/K3S).

73,

... Joe, W4TV

On 2020-07-17 8:59 AM, [hidden email] wrote:

> Every amp that I use I would overdrive with the Elecraft set at 100
> watts. I am not familiar with the Quadra, I typically adjust the PWR
> (power output) control to the desired wattage and have not had an issue
> with any that that I have used. I see a lot of talk about using ALC on
> the SPE Expert amp list. I have not used this brand and do not why ALC
> appears to be recommend for them. I have not connected an ALC cable in
> decades.
>
> John KK9A
>
>
> Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
>
> > Is it necessary?
>
> Yes. The Quadra produces is rated 1000 W output with approximately
> 60W drive. The K3 will overdrive it resulting in splatter/IMD and
> potential damage to the transistors.
>
> 73,
>
> ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
> On 2020-07-16 7:25 PM, Dean L wrote:
>> I'm working on a Yaesu VL1000 for a friend and wondering if anybody's had
>> experience setting up ALC with the K3 and the VL1000?
>> Is it necessary?
>> I'm not much of a QRO guy as you can probably tell.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your help 73
>>
>> Dean K2WW
>

Charlie T, K3ICH

Re: Using Yaesu Quadra VL-1000 with K3/ ALC?

In reply to this post by john@kk9a.com

I always felt that the ALC control into an SS amp is the amp's last resort
to being over-driven (= damaged?).
Yes, for normal operation, set your radio at a lower power to drive the amp
to the desired level, which does NOT activate the ALC.
However, if you do something "un-smart", the ALC will hopefully protect the
amp's input.

Just to make this plain, do NOT run your 100/200 watt radio at max output
and depend on the ALC connection to cut it back.

73, Charlie k3ICH

______________________________________________________________
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]

Jim Brown-10

Re: Using Yaesu Quadra VL-1000 with K3/ ALC?

On 7/17/2020 6:35 AM, Charlie T wrote:
> ust to make this plain, do NOT run your 100/200 watt radio at max output
> and depend on the ALC connection to cut it back.

Right! Using ALC between power amp and rig to set TX power is a recipe
for massive splatter and clicks.

73, Jim K9YC
______________________________________________________________
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]

Dean L

Re: Using Yaesu Quadra VL-1000 with K3/ ALC?

In reply to this post by Charlie T, K3ICH

Thanks for the responses.
From what I can gather, on a K3, manually adjust power out, (set it in the
menu)
Use ALC as a backup protector.

Call it a day.

This AMP makes a KW without much drive ( nowhere near 65w in)

73
All the best
Dean
K2WW

On Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 11:26 Charlie T <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I always felt that the ALC control into an SS amp is the amp's last resort
> to being over-driven (= damaged?).
> Yes, for normal operation, set your radio at a lower power to drive the amp
> to the desired level, which does NOT activate the ALC.
> However, if you do something "un-smart", the ALC will hopefully protect the
> amp's input.
>
> Just to make this plain, do NOT run your 100/200 watt radio at max output
> and depend on the ALC connection to cut it back.
>
> 73, Charlie k3ICH
>
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]
>