Monitoring through the utility program – Elecraft KXPA100 Manual User Manual
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If you don’t have Internet access, you can obtain a firmware upgrade on CD. If you don't have a computer, you
can send your KXPA100 to Elecraft to be upgraded. See Customer Service and Support, page 5.
Forcing a Firmware Load
If an error condition occurs that prevents a firmware load, you can force a load as follows. Of course, this
presumes there is not failure in your PC or the KXPA100 hardware.
Switch the KXPA100 off. If you are using the KXPA100 in Basic mode, you can do this with the front
panel
OFF/ ON
switch. If you are using the KXPA100 with a KX3 connected by the KX3-KXPA100
Adapter cable, you will need to switch the KX3 off.
Exit and restart the KXPA Utility program (or click close on the Port tab and then test communications.)
Click
SEND FIRMWARE TO KXPA100
button.
Turn the KXPA100 on again when a window appears in the KXPA Utility instructing you to do so.
Monitoring through the Utility Program
Start the KXPA Utility and click in the
Operate
tab to monitor the amplifier and ATU operation and command
an ATU tune operation.
Amplifier
Input Power: The RF drive power received from the transceiver.
Forward Power: The forward power measured by the internal SWR bridge.
Reflected Power: The reflected power measured by the internal SWR bridge.
Last SWR: The standing wave ratio (SWR) measured by the internal SWR bridge during the last
transmission.
Frequency: The driving RF signal frequency measured by the amplifier. This is used by the amplifier to
select the correct band and over-rides any other input such as the band data from a KX3 connected
through the KX3 to KXPA100 Adapter Cable.
Band: The band the amplifier is switched to using the above frequency data.
Drain Current: The current in amperes drawn by the amplifier transistors at the current or most recent
transmission.
Supply Voltage: The power supply voltage measured internally at the amplifier.
Dissipated Power: The amount of power dissipated as heat by the power transistors. When the amplifier
is connected to a low SWR load and delivering its rated 100 watts output, this will be roughly equal to
the Forward Power reported indicating the maximum efficiency of about 50%. However, when the
amplifier is feeding a higher SWR load or is run at lower powers, the dissipated power will rise relative
to the output power indicating that the amplifier is operating below optimum efficiency.