MFJ sells a push-button step-attenuator (I designed it) that has 1
dB steps up to 81 dB.
It uses surface mount components and 0.5% chip resistors on a
groundplane double sided board with BNC connectors, so it is very
good up to a few hundred MHz.
Assuming it is assembled correctly by the mechanical monster
that places and solders surface mount components, it would be an
excellent and reasonable cost attenuator for signal measurements.
I'm always amazed at how often I hear one S unit defined as 6dB.
There is not only NO standard establishing 6dB, none of the radios
ever come close. Most radios shoot for around 5dB (even Drake,
Collins, etc) and wind up being about 1 dB at the low end of the
scale up to perhaps 5 or so at the S-9 area.
I've never found a radio yet that is even close to being reasonable
over more than the upper part of the scale. This is probably one
reason why some antennas are said to operate on special theories
and surpass "conventional theory" and defy the results predicted
by models for gain and F/B ratio.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com
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