[Elecraft] [KX3] Power Consumption
Trying to do some planning for Field Day battery operation. We are planning to use a KX3 at 5w, CW. Could someone(s) give me a feeling for RX current draw. I would like this to be with the Backlight ON, and other normally ON functions activated. Likewise, what current draw should we see with key down CW at 5w? Thanks, - 73, John, N0TA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Power Consumption
John, The VFO B Altermate display when set for current will tell you that information for your particular KX3. The manual says receive current will be in the range of 150 to 200 ma. and depends on backlight, preamp isolation amp and whether or not the internal speaker is used. I have not measured TX current at 5 watts, but I would expect somewhere in the vicinity of 2 amps. 73, Don W3FPR On 1/9/2015 4:44 PM, Reilly, John wrote: Trying to do some planning for Field Day battery operation. We are planning to use a KX3 at 5w, CW. Could someone(s) give me a feeling for RX current draw. I would like this to be with the Backlight ON, and other normally ON functions activated. Likewise, what current draw should we see with key down CW at 5w? Thanks, - 73, John, N0TA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Power Consumption
With backlight on, RX current should be roughly 170 to 230 mA (no AF signal) depending on band. TX current at 5.0 W should be about 1.0-1.4 A in CW/FM/FSK-D modes and 1.4-1.8 A in SSB/AM/PSK-D/DATA-A/AFSK-A modes. Actual current will vary with band and antenna load impedance. The reason 5.0 W current drain is lower in CW/FM/FSK-D modes is that the KX3 uses its higher-impedance PA transformer winding at this level. The upper limit for use of the high-Z winding is 5.0 W in CW/FM/FSK-D and 3.0 W in all other modes. If you're above the limit for a given mode, the lower-Z winding is used to minimize transmit IMD at higher power levels. 73, Wayne N6KR On Jan 9, 2015, at 1:44 PM, "Reilly, John" wrote: > Trying to do some planning for Field Day battery operation. We are planning > to use a KX3 at 5w, CW. > > Could someone(s) give me a feeling for RX current draw. I would like this to > be with the Backlight ON, and other normally ON functions activated. > Likewise, what current draw should we see with key down CW at 5w? > > Thanks, > - 73, John, N0TA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Power Consumption
This simple response to a current requirement question is also a testament to the amazing design decisions used to make this little gem what it is. Designing products for a hobby you are passionate ( and participate) in produces amazing products. Thanks Elecraft -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KX3-Power-Consumption-tp7596947p7596953.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:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Power Consumption
Very cleverly done, Wayne:-) Phil W7OX On 1/9/15 3:26 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: The reason 5.0 W current drain is lower in CW/FM/FSK-D modes is that the KX3 uses its higher-impedance PA transformer winding at this level. The upper limit for use of the high-Z winding is 5.0 W in CW/FM/FSK-D and 3.0 W in all other modes. If you're above the limit for a given mode, the lower-Z winding is used to minimize transmit IMD at higher power levels. 73, Wayne N6KR On Jan 9, 2015, at 1:44 PM, "Reilly, John" wrote: Trying to do some planning for Field Day battery operation. We are planning to use a KX3 at 5w, CW. Could someone(s) give me a feeling for RX current draw. I would like this to be with the Backlight ON, and other normally ON functions activated. Likewise, what current draw should we see with key down CW at 5w? Thanks, - 73, John, N0TA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Power Consumption
Here are some numbers I measured, transmit was with a CW carrier: TX Current RX Current Band5W* 10W*15W 20W 25W With KXPA 60 1.17A 2.22A 20 1.20A 2.20A 7.75A 8.75A 9.50A .200A .450A 10 1.40A 2.50A * add .25A with KXPA on Gary Mitchelson NC3Z Davidsonville, MD FM18 NC3Z/4 Pamlico County, NC FM15 www.mitchelson.org On 1/9/2015 4:44 PM, Reilly, John wrote: Trying to do some planning for Field Day battery operation. We are planning to use a KX3 at 5w, CW. Could someone(s) give me a feeling for RX current draw. I would like this to be with the Backlight ON, and other normally ON functions activated. Likewise, what current draw should we see with key down CW at 5w? Thanks, - 73, John, N0TA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to nc3z.g...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] KX3: Power Consumption at 15W?
Anyone happen to know power consumption of the KX3 when running at the relatively new 15W RF output setting? I had read a while back that it was around ~2.1A at 10W. Looking at tiny power supply options and don't want to underrate. Tom, W2YF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX3: Power Consumption at 15W?
I recommend a power supply with a current rating of 6 amps or greater for the KX3 (and K2/10 or any other Elecraft legacy gear). My reason is that you likely have accessories in the shack that need to be powered. Using a power supply that is only marginal for the transceiver is false economy IMHO. If you have a 20 or 30 amp power supply available, use it. There is no sense in having a marginal power supply just because the transceiver only draws 2.1 amps at 10 watts. This advice is for home stations, for portable operation the answer will be different and depend on the operating aspirations. 73, Don W3FPR On 4/5/2016 10:38 PM, Tom Crayner wrote: Anyone happen to know power consumption of the KX3 when running at the relatively new 15W RF output setting? I had read a while back that it was around ~2.1A at 10W. Looking at tiny power supply options and don't want to underrate. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX3: Power Consumption at 15W?
Don, Agree wholeheartedly, when home I connect up to a Rigrunner hanging downstream off a 35A power supply. I was looking for something small (portable) to toss in a travel bag when on vacation. Tom On Tue, Apr 5, 2016 at 11:34 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: > I recommend a power supply with a current rating of 6 amps or greater for > the KX3 (and K2/10 or any other Elecraft legacy gear). > My reason is that you likely have accessories in the shack that need to be > powered. > Using a power supply that is only marginal for the transceiver is false > economy IMHO. > If you have a 20 or 30 amp power supply available, use it. There is no > sense in having a marginal power supply just because the transceiver only > draws 2.1 amps at 10 watts. > > This advice is for home stations, for portable operation the answer will > be different and depend on the operating aspirations. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > On 4/5/2016 10:38 PM, Tom Crayner wrote: > >> Anyone happen to know power consumption of the KX3 when running at the >> relatively new 15W RF output setting? >> >> I had read a while back that it was around ~2.1A at 10W. Looking at tiny >> power supply options and don't want to underrate. >> >> >> > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to tcray...@gmail.com > __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX3: Power Consumption at 15W?
Running my KX3 on a bench power supply with built-in current monitoring, I haven’t seen it use more than 2.5 amps on SSB, when cranked up to 15W. I use the Pro Audio Engineering PAE-Kx33 power supply for plug-in travel operation, which is good for 4 amps: https://proaudioeng.com/products/pae-kx33-low-rfi-ac-power-supply/ It’s the size of a small laptop power supply and works quite nicely. Tim - KC1EOQ > On Apr 5, 2016, at 10:38 PM, Tom Crayner wrote: > > Anyone happen to know power consumption of the KX3 when running at the > relatively new 15W RF output setting? > > I had read a while back that it was around ~2.1A at 10W. Looking at tiny > power supply options and don't want to underrate. > > Tom, W2YF > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to kc1...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com