I have never been able to get used to the digital wattmeters for
tuning up the amp. Guess I'm just old fashioned !!
73, Dick, W1KSZ
-----Original Message-----
From: amps-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:amps-bounces@contesting.com]On
Behalf Of Gary Smith
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 10:11 AM
To: amps@contesting.com
Subject: [Amps] Fw: Needed, quality watt meter
----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Smith
To: Roger
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 9:40 AM
Subject: Re: [Amps] Needed, quality watt meter
It is not portable, but it is nice. I am using a Wavenode WN-2 watt meter
along with the included software. It is a very nice convenience to look at
the computer screen and see rf peak and average output along with reflected
power at the same time. The sensors remote very nicely, the digital readout
sits atop the amp. Imo, this is one of "the best of both worlds" I have
seen to date. also in the software package is a on screen scope that allows
you to see the audio/cw wave form while transmitting.
73, Gary...wa6fgi
----- Original Message -----
From: Roger
To: Amps@contesting.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 6:59 PM
Subject: [Amps] Needed, quality watt meter
Again, I find I have a question that probably goes best both on amps as
well as tower talk and I do not cross post.
A while back my Bird 43 Thruline Wattmeter was destroyed, or at best,
"over cooked" by the Muffler shroud on my large lawnmower. (It's a long
story)
The thing got so hot it actually blew the end out of one of the slugs
and the glass in the meter is cracked along with a very smoky housing.
At any rate, I need to replace the watt meter and come up with a valid
quote for the 43 and slugs. This actually brings up two questions.
Where is the best place to get the purchase price on a model 43 AND
slugs. Remember that even IF they pay for all of the "old meter and
slugs" it's certainly not going to pay the "long dollar" so I need to
shop as if I were the one purchasing as I really am.
The second question is what is the "best" meter in the portable class
that does not cost as much as a piece of laboratory test equipment.
I'm currently using a Daiwa CN-801 between the amp and the Palstar AT5K
tuner. The 801 which is 2KW full scale goes right up against the pin at
full carrier into a Palstar DL5K dummy load. The AT5K internal watt
meter shows 2KW, which is what it should show IF the amp is running as
it should when going up to "tilt". So I know the 801 is at the least,
generous. However I have no way of checking it against the internal watt
meter of the AT5K in the PEP mode. I never had a chance to compare
either of the two against the Bird 43. I'm well aware of many of the
problems getting an accurate reading which is why I'm working into a
"dry" dummy load with two honkin big resistors and TWO fans that sound
like I need to tie the desk down when they kick into high.
This leaves me with two problems. One is the requirment for a meter that
will hit 2500 or 3000 watts full scale for the dummy load. Running this
much full scale means that when running the legal limit which I desire
to maintain in PEP, I will only be half scale with all the inaccuracies
that adds in. I would *like* to come up with something that will be good
enough to use as a reference for the meters in current use at least into
the dummy load. The CN-801 is generous enough that when it shows 1500
PEP I'm likely to be some where around 1 KW PEP. Yes, I realize the
difference between 1 and 1.5KW is not very large db wise.
Any suggestions?
73
Roger (K8RI)
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