power troubles

[Todd Ruby]

here is the situation: I hold xmit to tune the ameritron al 1200 to  
1400 watts.Then when  I key the mike all i am getting is 300 watts  
out. i hold tune again and it is showing hi power.

help pse!




73
de
todd
WB2ZAB

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[N5GE]

On Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:54:06 -0400, WB2ZAB wrote:

>here is the situation: I hold xmit to tune the ameritron al 1200 to  
>1400 watts.Then when  I key the mike all i am getting is 300 watts  
>out. i hold tune again and it is showing hi power.
>
>help pse!
[snip]

Some questions/things to check:

Are you just keying the mic without speaking into it?

Have you tried whistling into the mic?

Are you using a dummy load?

Comments:

If you are using a non peak reading watt meter you will not see a full 1400w on
the watt meter.  What you will see is the average power output which could be
considerably less than the key down on tune output.  Whistling into the mic
should give you the same reading as your tuning output unless you have the mic
gain too low.

You may have the mic gain too low.

Don't try to get the watt meter to read 144 watts when you speak into the mic
unless the meter is a peak reading meter.  If it's not a peak reading watt meter
and you drive the amp on speech to 1400 watts on the meter you may damage the
amp, and you will surely be transmitting more than the legal limit (1500w PEP).

If I'm assuming that your level of expertise in using an amplifier and watt
meter, please forgive me.

Tom, N5GE - SWOT 3537 - Grid EM12jq

"They that can give up essential liberty
to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety."

--Benjamin Franklin 1775


Support the entire Constitution, not
just the parts you like.

http://www.n5ge.com
http://www.eQSL.cc/Member.cfm?N5GE

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[Jim Cox]

Are you using a true peak reading wattmeter?  An average meter will only
read about what your seeing.  Jim K4JAF


----- Original Message -----
From: "Todd Ruby" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 7:54 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] power troubles

> here is the situation: I hold xmit to tune the ameritron al 1200 to  1400
> watts.Then when  I key the mike all i am getting is 300 watts  out. i hold
> tune again and it is showing hi power.
>
> help pse!
>
>
>
>
> 73
> de
> todd
> WB2ZAB
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com 

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[alsopb]

There have been numerous posts on this topic.

I wish somebody using current firmware would get out an oscilloscope and see if the K3 putting out peak power or not on SSB.   A study with various gain and compression levels would help.  

You can bet when my K3 arrives, I'll test this.

Meters (even "PEP" LED displays) can't be trusted to read peak power for SSB.

K3KO

Todd Ruby wrote

here is the situation: I hold xmit to tune the ameritron al 1200 to  
1400 watts.Then when  I key the mike all i am getting is 300 watts  
out. i hold tune again and it is showing hi power.

help pse!




73
de
todd
WB2ZAB

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [e-mail]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com