TenTec
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TenTec] Orion (original) S-meter

To: "Ron Castro" <ronc@sonic.net>,"Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion (original) S-meter
From: "Mike" <gu3whn@cwgsy.net>
Reply-to: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec@contesting.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 13:51:56 -0000
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
"Scotch" is a drink.  The Scots are a proud nation.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Castro" <ronc@sonic.net>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2006 8:39 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion (original) S-meter


> True enough about S-meters historically being a relative indication. 
> There
> was a time in late 50's and early 60's when the "S-meter wars" started
> between the manufacturers, mostly Hallicrafters and Hammerlund.  On each
> successive model, they boosted the sensitivity so that if you did a
> side-by-side comparison, the radio showing the highest reading would be
> thought to be superior. The strategy worked for a while, until everybody 
> got
> wise!
>
> I  think that was about the time that the S-9 = uV, and 6 dB per S-unit
> standard got popular, and Collins stuck to it pretty rigorously.  They are
> still known as having "Scotch" (as in 'tight-fisted') meters.
>
> Obviously readings are relative since a receiver hooked to a dipole at 10'
> will read far less than one connected to a 6 over 6 over 6 array on a 180'
> tower.  The benefit of accurately calibrated meters are to help in antenna
> comparisons, getting a "ball-park" on F/B ratios, relative conditions
> between stations that talk on a regular basis (I do that on 75 all the
> time), comparing two stations in nearby locations, etc.  Both my KWM-380 
> and
> my TS-870 have S-meters that are remarkably accurate, although I 
> determined
> that the '380 uses a 5-dB/S-unit standard instead of 6.  The 870 has a
> menu-selectable option that automatically changes the S-meter reading to
> compensate for the preamp.
>
> It would be nice to have readings that correlate to a known standard in 
> the
> Orion.
>
> Ron
> N6AHA
>


_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>