W2 Wattmeter wish
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It looks like the W2 is well on its way, but I just wanted to
present my case why I can't buy one. The display is just not presented accurately enough for me. It takes a computer link to present the info in detail and thats not what I envision doing. It seems that the info is there in the box almost down to the watt, but you can't be sure what your power is squinting at a bar graph to tell you that you are somewhere within 100 watts of your target. To my way of thinking it's only relative info. Not good for me. Here's what I would think would be a KILLER that I would buy in a minute. I would like to see two windows of 7-segment GREEN LEDS. (Thats 4 characters XXXX) to display the forward power and another window to display the SWR. (X.XX) These LEDs would be large enough to read across the room. I would then buy two directional couplers. A low power at 200 watts is more than enough for the input side of the QRO AMP and another for the output side at 2500 watts. That way both sides of the AMP can be monitored with just one press of the sensor switch. But, thats something you can already do with the current configuration. The real deal is observing the actual power out of the amp and SWR. The current bar graph would supplement these windows and provide and easy way to see the trends while tuning. There are other units out there that are, perhaps, more accurate and even present FREQ readouts, but the main problem with these is all the info is cluttered on one screen which is hard to decipher. I like the W2 format but, it just needs to be taken to another level. LEDs would really standout and should be able to present the info as accurate as the computer. Thanks ELECRAFT and I hope it continues to keep getting better. 73 Tony K2ZLS ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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Hello Tony,
I have a W2 and I'm really pleased with it and the accuracy of the readings. I'm fussy ... probably too much so ... about power readings and have satisfied myself that the W2 display is -at least- as accurate as the two Bird meters that are permanently installed in my station. I have a low-power sensor on the output of my K3 and a high-power sensor on the output of my PA, which allows me to read the power of either / both units. I find that ... regardless of power level ... the LED for a given power agrees with the Birds at the point where it just illuminates. The SWR LED display is especially handy when tuning an antenna tuner for minimum reflected power. I don't think one can ask for better accuracy than this from any power meter likely to be found in the average amateur station. 5 - 10% of full-scale is considered accurate in the wattmeter world. 73! Ken Kopp - K0PP [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Tony Scesny
Hello Tony,
LP100A from Larry Philip, which is a vector power meter, will fulfill your requirement BUT it is more expensive. I have both LP100A and W2. Since LP100A does not have a V/U coupler, I get my W2 to cover the V/U band segment. Bird meter is so called the industrial standard (if well calibrate), I would prefer both LP100A and W2. These meters are at least as accurate as the Bird. 73 Johnny VR2XMC ----- 郵件原件 ---- 寄件人﹕ k2zls <[hidden email]> 收件人﹕ [hidden email] 傳送日期﹕ 2010/2/22 (一) 11:14:15 AM 主題： [Elecraft] W2 Wattmeter wish It looks like the W2 is well on its way, but I just wanted to present my case why I can't buy one. The display is just not presented accurately enough for me. It takes a computer link to present the info in detail and thats not what I envision doing. It seems that the info is there in the box almost down to the watt, but you can't be sure what your power is squinting at a bar graph to tell you that you are somewhere within 100 watts of your target. To my way of thinking it's only relative info. Not good for me. Here's what I would think would be a KILLER that I would buy in a minute. I would like to see two windows of 7-segment GREEN LEDS. (Thats 4 characters XXXX) to display the forward power and another window to display the SWR. (X.XX) These LEDs would be large enough to read across the room. I would then buy two directional couplers. A low power at 200 watts is more than enough for the input side of the QRO AMP and another for the output side at 2500 watts. That way both sides of the AMP can be monitored with just one press of the sensor switch. But, thats something you can already do with the current configuration. The real deal is observing the actual power out of the amp and SWR. The current bar graph would supplement these windows and provide and easy way to see the trends while tuning. There are other units out there that are, perhaps, more accurate and even present FREQ readouts, but the main problem with these is all the info is cluttered on one screen which is hard to decipher. I like the W2 format but, it just needs to be taken to another level. LEDs would really standout and should be able to present the info as accurate as the computer. Thanks ELECRAFT and I hope it continues to keep getting better. 73 Tony K2ZLS ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Tony Scesny
I failed to mention that Array Solutions -does- make
a wattmeter that likely meets your needs. It's their PowerMaster model, which you can view on their website. 73! Ken Kopp - K0PP [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Tony Scesny
Larry Phipps at Telepost inc also makes the LP-100A that does just what
you want as well... You get a two line display with a VFT display that is very high contrast. You get one line for power and one for SWR. You can also change that to be FWD and REF power if you want. You also get a LOT more for your money on that in that you can get at all the phase information as well. If you're willing to hook it up to a computer you can get a full smith plot of your antennas. Its also quite inexpensive and comes in a full up solder together kit if you wish. ~Brett (KC7OTG) On Sun, 2010-02-21 at 22:14 -0500, k2zls wrote: > It looks like the W2 is well on its way, but I just wanted to > present my case why I can't buy one. The display is just not presented > accurately enough for me. It takes a computer link to present the info > in detail and thats not what I envision doing. It seems that the info > is there in the box almost down to the watt, but you can't be sure what > your power is squinting at a bar graph to tell you that you are > somewhere within 100 watts of your target. To my way of thinking it's > only relative info. Not good for me. > > Here's what I would think would be a KILLER that I would buy in a > minute. I would like to see two windows of 7-segment GREEN LEDS. > (Thats 4 characters XXXX) to display the forward power and another > window to display the SWR. (X.XX) These LEDs would be large enough to > read across the room. I would then buy two directional couplers. A low > power at 200 watts is more than enough for the input side of the QRO AMP > and another for the output side at 2500 watts. That way both sides of > the AMP can be monitored with just one press of the sensor switch. > But, thats something you can already do with the current configuration. > > The real deal is observing the actual power out of the amp and SWR. > The current bar graph would supplement these windows and provide and > easy way to see the trends while tuning. There are other units out > there that are, perhaps, more accurate and even present FREQ readouts, > but the main problem with these is all the info is cluttered on one > screen which is hard to decipher. I like the W2 format but, it just > needs to be taken to another level. LEDs would really standout and > should be able to present the info as accurate as the computer. > > Thanks ELECRAFT and I hope it continues to keep getting better. > > 73 Tony K2ZLS > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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