Flex 6300 1/2 power only on 80 meters when hitting the tune tab.

Don Stefanik

When I hit the tune tab on my Flex 6300 and have the tune set for 100 watts I get full power on all the bands except 80 meters. It will only read about 56 watts.  Not sure if I am getting 100 watts out when transmitting either.

Bill -VA3WTB

Can you try tuning into a dummy load? what do you get then?

Neal - K3NC

I would also try it in steps (into a dummy load), try it at 25 watts and see what your external power meter reads, then  50 watts, 75 watts, 100 watts.

Don Stefanik

Same thing. I have the MFJ 1000 watt pail.  Fine on all the other bands but not on 80. I restarted the MFJ-998 tuner and the 6300 to see if they needed to be rebooted. Still the same.

Bill -VA3WTB

Neil, perhaps he has an persistence thing going on, maybe a factory reset?

Don Stefanik

Did that. Watts on tuner show lower than on the radio. I start at 0 and go up to 100. It stops at about 56 watts. 

Bill -VA3WTB

A factory reset? It sounds like a persistence is causing this. A reset will make a new persistence data base.

Greg N8GD

Take the tuner out of the circuit and connect the dummy load directly to the radio.  Also, is your tune power slider (below the "RF Power" slider) set all the way to the right - maximum?  It's remembered (persistence) for each band.

Bill -VA3WTB

Greg makes a good point. I was thinking you connected your dummy load directly to your radio without the tuner for this test. If that fails then a factory reset may be in order.

Don Stefanik

Will try that. Thanks.
VA3KBC

WX7Y

One more thing to look at,
What is your supply voltage AT the Radio when the Radio is Transmitting? 
Easy way to check this is if you have DDUTIL program running, it is in the upper left of the main window in DDUTIL.
Should NOT drop below 13.6V when your transmitting for a full 100 Watts output

73's
Bret
WX7Y

KC7ES

Thanks for that tip..wondering why my output was low..now I know my PS is on the low side; down to 12.2v under full load.Yikes!

Bill -VA3WTB

I have mine set to run at 14.2 on transmit.
I believe Gerald runs his at 14.5

Don Stefanik

I just put in a new Astron 35m in line. It has the adjustable voltage and amperage. I had it set for 14.5. But didnt check it when keyed up. Wondering why its ok on the other bands. Ill check it tonight.

KC7ES

I wonder about the accuracy of the DDUtil input voltage, or at least where the reading is being derived.3 different DVM's agree within +/- 0.02v thatt he Vdc at the power poles is 13.7v, yet DDutil reports 13.4v. Just thought to throw this out for discussion. Flex spec is 13.8vDC +/- 15%.

Bill -VA3WTB

It is very accurate, there are 2 places that the voltage can be taken. Before the fuse and after the fuse..
With Flex meter as example it gives you both readings, before and after the fuse, both read differently.

KC7ES

Installed Flex Meter (very neat!) and the readings are lower that DDUtil. In the words of Charlie Brown..."Arghh!"Time to get into the Astron and tweak it up.

Don Stefanik

ok. finally had a chance to test things out. I hooked up the mfj pail dummy load direct to the 6300.
Still low power on 80. Over 110 watts on all the other bands. 
Should I do  factory reset? And if so what is the procedure?

Don Stefanik

Thanks Dave k9uwb.
Still only get about 82 watts on 80 meters.
I get 113 on 160...120 watts on 40 and 126 watts on 20 meters

I may just send in the 6300 to Flex for them to do a checkover. Im not on much in the summer so I wont miss it.

Don Stefanik

ok...now my water fall doesnt move when I transmit. 

Don Stefanik

Had to enable water fall. dah

Bill -VA3WTB

how are you reading your power?
there is no way you should be getting 126w on any band.

Don Stefanik

On my mfj 998 intelatuner. Plus the meter on the radio/ laptop screen.