[TenTec] S meter

[Stuart Rohre]

To further the discussion on S meter residual readings.  If you have 
static charge, you can make up a soap bubble and water solution and 
paint a coating on the plastic meter face.  Let dry, and then that will 
keep charge from building up.

This offset may also be an artifact of the circuit.  Do not take the 
meter apart to "re-zero".  Do the soap treatment (carefully) and 
consider the residual some "character" to the meter.  The S meter 
readings will not be much affected by the offset.  There is little 
standardization among ham equipment S meters; thus S 9 is probably 
pretty close but S5 is "in the ball park" and no more.  Some time when 
you have time on your hands go to the QST archives of ARRL, and read the 
article about S meters and signal strength.

I think someone pointed out that the zero changes depending on vertical 
or horizontal placement of the meter.  Normally, you don't want all the 
pointer and coil weight on the one back bearing when adjusting, so 
adjustments must be done with the meter vertical like it is used for rig 
sitting normally straight on a table. Small meters are mass produced 
now, if no front adjustment slot, you are at the mercy of the production 
yield, quality of the meter pivots, and bearings.

-Stuart Rohre
K5KVH