HL2 - Output at 7 Watts Regardless of Drive

[Adam Hosa]

Hi all! 

I set up my HL2 according to the videos Ive found online - Im seeing my output power sit at 7 watts continuously, the temperature rises fast, and it backs down to 2 watts. I can change the sliders, settings, etc - nothing is affecting the drive values. Any suggestions? Newly received, I do have the heatsink installed, board seems to be fine - 

Thanks, 
Adam N1AH
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[Adam Hosa]

Ive tried everything with my settings - when I click transmit,  the temperature shoots up to like 220c - something must be wrong. 

Adam

[Luca EA8DJR]

Hi Adam, check if you have damaged some smd component installing the heatsink. It happens sometime.

[Julian White]

I'm really new to the HL2, but have spent a day or two working with RF in my life.
On what little info we have this strongly sounds like oscillation though. You have another SDR you could "sniff" with. Wide bandwidth is better, but even a RTL dongle could help spot it.

[Steve Haynal]

Hi Adam, 

Please remove the HL2 from the enclosure and try briefly transmitting into a dummy load. Do you still see the same extreme rise in temperature?

Please provide pictures of the top and bottom of the HL2 board, especially clear and detailed around the hole which provides pressure to the enclosure/board heat sink. If components were damaged or stripped in this area during assembly, it can lead to the behavior you are seeing.

73,

Steve

kf7o

[Adam Hosa]

Ive sent the board out for repair since Id assume its been damaged. I have to say the heat sink install/design is probably one of the worst Ive seen for something that costs ~300 dollars - and i've successfully assembled many kits in my life be it from from elecraft or many of the other sites out there that sell them. Its quite a shame. 

Thanks, 
Adam N1AH

[ron.ni...@gmail.com]

The heatsink seems to be designed in such a way that is looks like it should go in upside down or backwards to many people.  I think the heatsink needs to be redesigned with a channel cutout for the case bottom rail and a much wider bottom foot to make it far more difficult to insert any other way.  Anyone here good with CAD drawing applications?

73, Ron, N6YWU

[Mike W]

Installing the HL2 heatsink is childsplay if you think about the problem before hacking it.

Slide the board out of the case sufficiently to put the heatsink against the PCB. Put a correctly sized drill bit shank (iirc its 3.2mm but might be 3mm or 3.5mm) through the PCB and the heatsink and slide the two into the case until the drill shank contacts the case, slide the shank out until it clears the case but still holds the heatsink and the pcb in position and then slide the assembly into final position. No chance of damage because the heatsink is kept in position by the case side and the drill shank.

I think I've assembled about eight HL2's and never had any issue with the heatsink positioning/installation.

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