On Feb 5, 2005, at 6:51 AM, k7fm wrote:
My opinion on S meter readings is that the manufacturers may
intentionally
distort the readings to sell product. They are conscious that often
the
buyer will compare two radios and the one with the highest s meter
reading
on a weak signal is the one purchased. It would be easy to design an s
meter on a $3,000 dollar radio to be accurate - if the manufacturer
wanted
to.
At one time, there was an unaccepted standard of 50 uv for S9 and 6 db
per s
unit. I recall the early Collins receivers came out pretty close on 20
meters. On the other hand, my late model Icom might go 3 s units for
6 db.
It would be easy to get it right - if the ARRL lab started rating s
meter
accuracy. But, they seem to consider it not a big deal, so it never
will
be.
After George Grammar left QST,things changed and the advertisers became
more important than QST subscribers. When an advertised in QST,
manufactured, "3kW" tuner caught fire at 900W in the ARRL Lab, it was
not reported in QST. When the ARRL Lab technician noted that a
3cx1200A7 amplifier made by the same manufacturer exhibited signs of
parasitic arcing during testing in the Lab, the problem was not
reported in the QST Product Review.
If it is important, you can take a signal generator and make your own
calibration table - similar to the calibration curve of the old HRO.
Colin
K7FM
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Richard L. Measures, AG6K, 805.386.3734. www.somis.org
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