I have several questions, along with a description of what is happening.
First, an observation (1.00b version on 30m): menu items don't seem to take hold until you go back into the menus, perhaps a power down would also do this. Example, changing the reference frequency at 27 MHz has no effect until you exit the menu, go back in and exit the menu a second time.
IN case it is relevant, I have beacon mode set up, but, each time when I go back out of menus, I exit the beacon mode.
I attached a wire to the central probe (RF power probe) and a wire to the RF output at the antenna jack. Thinking that touching these two together would give me RF power reading, however, as we shall see, no need to touch them together, not even any need to transmit (?!).
Meanwhile I also created a lead to jumper the top and bottom of the 3 test pins, so as to have a battery reading, and also be able to see on the Volt meter how many volts is supplied (by the way, is this measured including the drop caused by the diode I presume).
What is interesting though is the RF power test. If I enter the RF power menu, I already have showing the RF power output without transmitting. If I then key down, the value drops slightly by about 0.1W. When keying the display goes a little dimmer, just as it does when transmitting (less noticeable on higher voltages). BUT there is no signal at all audible in a separate receiver. If, I exit the test menu and transmit, still no power goes out on the receiver, until I switch to other VFO and back again.
Then if I go back into the menu to test RF power, there is silence, as expected, no signal, but still the power is being shown, as before mentioned. Now if I key down, the separate receiver picks up the strong signal, and the RF power test meter indicates the same power with that slight 0.1W drop. Then when I let go of the key there is a permanent low power signal being sent on exactly the TX frequency, picked up by the separate receiver which only stops if I exit the test menu.
Does any of this make sense? What is going on here? Even though I cannot find the signal being transmitted (if indeed it IS being transmitted) at those points mentioned above, and even though RF power now gives me readings simple with a short wire connected to the pin but going nowhere, and even without any transmission, the values as I have noted down, match what might be expected.
Note that the values and all the above descriptions are exactly what happens no matter if no antenna is connected at all or if antenna (previously matched to 50 Ohms via tuner on main rig) is connected. I don't have a dummy load but clerly connecting a dummy load would? not make any difference to the above events.
Voltage -- idle --- key down
7V - 0.70W - 0.64W
8V - 0.90W - 0.82W
9V - 1.12W - 1.02W
10V - 1.37W - 1.26W
11V - 1.63W - 1.51W
12V - 1.93W - 1.80W
13V - 2.25W - 2.11W
13.8V - 2.51W - 2.36W
14V - 2.59W - 2.45W
14.5V - 2.78W - 2.62W
These match expected values and close to as measured at a friend's QTH on his power meter when in line with a dummy load. They are perhaps a little low for 30m spec but could be improved by experimentation with LPF etc, but, the question of this post are in the inexplicable (to me) events above mentioned. Any ideas or help would be very much appreciated. It appears to be magic that my QCX measures output power without any output power being apparent.
I wonder if I can start playing with the components and if this will result in changes.
