Topband: AIM4170 in TDR mode - LU2DKT

[Eduardo Araujo]

Dear Topbanders,                             I would like to share with you an experience using AIM4170 to measure our beverages.
Prior to the last CQWW and to install our 6th beverage, instead of using the Autek or the MFJ to test the installed ones, I decided to play with the AIM4170 in TDR mode as someone suggested here a few months ago.
We were greatly surprised about the information provided by the tool with just one pass.
We detected 3 problems in one of the beverage: 1 - Water in the last meter of coax which included an RF choke using a #31 material toroid.2 - Fresh vegetation leaves touching the beverage from the beginning and for about 32 mts3 - One of the support poles had fallen and a portion of the beverage was touching the ground
The good thing about using the AIM instead of MFJ or Autek is that it clearly showed 3 simultaneous problems and also provided distances were anomalies were occurring. If I use VF=1 the distance to the problem in the beverage were very close. 
Besides of having the AIM data which can be viewed using the AIM SW (without having the instrument), I prepared 2 images to shared with you, one with the 3 problems and the other one with all 3 problems solved.
I do not know how to upload the images to share it with you so if someone is interested, drop me a note and I can send it to you or if someone is willing to upload them for me will also be great.
Finally in a exchange with  Bob W5BIG he accepted my suggestion to include in a future SW version, the graphics overlay function, not available in TDR mode which in my opinion would be great for this purpose.
Surely it can be done using other instruments but perhaps it could be interesting for some members without having the tool or this experience
´73....Eddie, LU2DKT and Mario LU8DPM