New (to me) PGXL user questions

Jim Altman

I am brand new to anything Flex and my recently acquired PGXL. I have questions. I am sure the amp is fine and that these are user error or ignorance matters. My setup: Yaesu FTDX101MP->PGXL->LP100A->Palstar AT-Auto->Dipoles and/or Mosley Pro 67B. I have read and read and kind of understand how MEffA works. My banddata cable has not yet arrived so i am using RFSense. Both the CAT ports on the Yaesu are already in use. Firmware is the latest. 3.8.9. I have and use the Utility. Upon getting it home i did a factory reset to its fresh to me. It is running on 240 volts.

First in SSB, Class is AAB and MEffA turns itself off. Fine. Drive power set at 50 watts generally gives me about 10-1100 watts out. But then it goes up to 15-1600 watts for a bit. If i set drive up to 65-70 watts i get close to 1500 out, but if it pops up, i hit 1900-2000. If i want to run a sustained 1500 watts out how do i make it do pick one or the other. 65-70 watts drive seems awfully high to me, but if its not out of school, what me worry?

Second, FT8. Class AB, MEffA truns on. Fine. Like SSB power levels out seem to jump about more than i wish. Probably MEffA kicking in, or out. (this is not a discussion of the merits of running power in FT8) If want to run 1500 watts i have turn the drive up. A friend nearby consistently gets about 1300+ out from his PGXL with 30 watts drive. If turn the drive up to 50-60 watts i will see 1300+, but then i might suddenly be doing 1750 or 1800.

It seems like in both situations, the higher power occurs more frequently when the amp is cold and first turned on and less frequently as it warms.

I don't mind power levels changing with MEffA kicking in or out and i can adjust accordingly, but it seems more erratic than that and I just want a greater consistency in drive required for particular outputs. Does it learn my operating levels and i just need to give it more time? Are there other places or methods to effect settings i don't know about? Is this inconsistency just part of life with the PGXL i need to learn to live with? I don't need (or want) to run legal limit ALL the time, but i do want to be in good control of my output without having to constantly be nursemaiding my eye on the power out to prevent excessive power.

Thanks for any help and learning,
73, Jim W4UCK

David Decoons, wo2x

when on SSB, check bias by keying up without speaking. Do this when power is lower then again when power is higher. Bias should be set to 4 amps for SSB. If it starts lower then bias increases you should open a support ticket as a fluctuating bias can be indications of possible hardware issue.

Jim Altman

Thank you very much taking time to think about this. Dead key SSB on all bands looks to be 3 amps with no creep. Hard to tell, without speaking, if that transmission will be high or lower power, but dead key, speak, repeat, consistently 3 amps.
I appreciate your time and thoughts.
Jim

P.S. What would be the symptoms if my prior owner failed to obey the adminishment to not update firmware without a stop at 3.7.28 to update the database?

Gordon, ve7on

This is a very common Japanese radio problem. I had an FTDX-9000MP an the transmitter output was different on almost every transmission. A very nice radio but the transmitter drove me crazy.

Gordon

Jim Altman

Output on my 101MP has always been very stable. I opened a trouble ticket and they want me to ship it off to Texas.

Thanks and 73
Jim