[TowerTalk] SWR is what SWR meter measures

[Michael Tope]

---- Original Message ----- 
From: "Martin, AA6E" <martin.ewing at gmail.com>
> possible over-current and over-voltage conditions) and for maximum Tx
> output.  In some cases (TDR) it is easy to relate forward and reverse
> power to a particular "piece" of energy - a wave packet, and an
> impedance mismatch is recognizable as a mirror - a source of reflected
> energy.
> 
> In the extreme, our arguments here resemble the wave/particle debates
> in physics.  Sometimes electrical signals behave more like particles
> (radar, TDR), sometimes more like waves (CW network analysis). Neither
> description is wrong.

Well said, Martin. That is the beauty of transmission line theory. The time
domain "reflection" model of what is going on is consistent with the steady
state "circuit" model of what is going on. The trick is knowing when to 
use one model over the other and understanding both models well enough
to know that they really are consistent. The latter parts is where people
have a hard time as evidenced by the long raging debate between 
VE9SRB and W2DU as to exactly what happens at the source when a 
reflected wave returns from the load and is "re-reflected". I'll stop there
as thinking about Best and Maxwell's debate gives me a headache. 

73  de Mike, W4EF..........................................