Setting Tune power to get 5W out

[Bruce Schober]

When I click the Tune button, I only get between 0.4 and 1.4W out of the HL2 depending on the band.  I need 5W to run the ATU on my SPA125B.  How do I increase the drive level when using Tune?  I have drive set to 0dB and Use Drive Slider selected in the Transmit setup.  I am using Thetis V2.9.0.8 HL2 Beta5.

Thanks,

Bruce

KO4PRE

[Paul-M1TZR]

Hi Bruce

If you open setup, select the transmit tab, you will see a tune section on the left hand side. You have 3 choices, use Drive Slider, Tune Slider or Fixed Drive.

Drive does what it says and matches where you have your drive set

Tune Slider adds another slider which will be dedicated power in tune mode.

Use fixed power allows you to set a predetermined value.

Hope that resolves your issue.

73

Paul

[Bruce Schober]

Hi Paul,

Thank you for the suggestion.  I changed to Tune Slider and ran into 2 problems.  1) I saw no increase in the output power compared to using Drive Slider and 2)  The Tune Slider is not visible in the program skin but it is there and can be adjusted.  Looks like a program bug or a problem with the skin.  

Here is a screen shot of the sliders.    You can see that the Slider Label is visible and I can change the dB value but the slider itself is missing.

I am left with my original question.  Is there a way to get 5W of power when using the Tune?

Thanks,

Bruce

[Bruce Schober]

I updated to V2.10.0 HL2-Beta1.  The screen shot is from that program.

Bruce

[Paul-M1TZR]

Hi Bruce

I am still on v2.9.0.8 and don't see what you do when I select Tune slider.

If you look at my screen shot, this gives me 5w on Tune. Or setting the fixed drive to 0.0 as its dB

Good Luck 

Paul

[Rick Langford (N8SDR)]

I have mentioned this a few Times, SOME SKINS do not show sliders correctly, I have tried and seen several in which the skins don't show the Tune slider or even the ATT level when using PS

Sometimes the skin just doesn't appear correctly due to other system VIDEO settings as well. 

[Bruce Schober]

Hi Paul,

Are you measuring the power out an measuring 5W or are you assuming that 0dB = 5W?  My understanding is that the drive level is a relative measure of the power, not a calibrated output.

I have changed over to SDR-Console.  This program gives me enough drive out of the HL2 to run the ATU on the XPA125B.

Bruce

KO4PRE

[Paul-M1TZR]

Morning Bruce

Yes I am seeing 5w on an external meter when set at 0db. It also translates to what my amp then puts out if I put that in line.

Paul