TopBand: re: SWR meters

[W8JITom@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-02-19 02:45:11 EST, you write:
>
>Gad, what a long string of personal attacks mixed with a little bit of
>antenna and SWR information.  The comments about "lieing SWR meters" are
>especially interesting.  If you get a high reading when you expect a low
>one is the meter "lieing" or telling the truth .... or vice versa?  One of
>the great misconceptions about SWR is the belief that you can achieve the
>magical 1:1 with a reactive load of 50-ohms impedance .... if a meter says
>otherwise (maybe 1.2:1 or worse) then it must be faulty. 

I put my meters on a polygraph.....  

Seriously, that's right Wes and one of the points I was trying to make in the
middle of all the growling.

It is impossible to get a 1:1 SWR with any load
reactance other than close to zero unless the meter design is
defective, even then the errors are generally small.

The 25 ohms resistance plus 25 ohms reactance equals a 1:1
SWR is a common wive's tale.

In my opinion, and it's just an opinion, re-doing a PA to match a 
mismatched antenna is wasting time. But the fact, and it is a fact, is
PA components in the tank are under MUCH more stress than components
at the antenna would be.

73 Tom

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