VSWR Power Meter - Why Buy One?

[@gingermongoose3325]

It was an SWR/Power meter that turned me into a radio ham. Many years ago when I had pretty much the best CB radio set up available at that time, (Ham International Jumbo, Antron A-99 - with the fire up & ground plane kits, Fat Boy 600w linear amplifier) I decided that I would like a meter in line (More to crow about my power output than anything else, I hasten to add, I've grown up a bit since then.) Anyway prior to installing the in-line meter everything was wonderful, working the world on SSB, easily doing 100 miles on FM in most directions, I duly installed the meter in line, it wasn't a cheap one, I was expecting great things. Well, the SWR was through the roof, the power was fluctuating like mad, not getting out, however once I took the meter out of line normal service was resumed. However the seeds of doubt had been sown on my "perfect" set up. In a fit of pique I sold all my CB gear, took my 1st radio exam, & 2 weeks later had my M3 licence, I'd made enough money from the sale of my CB gear to invest in a semi decent ham set up. Armed with my new ham gear I carefully began to set up my new station, diligently checking every lead & joint. Then the cause of my in line debacle came to light..........................A faulty patch lead. Probably a blessing in disguise, I had loads of fun on CB, but Ham has broadened my horizons in a positive direction. Best wishes, Glynne 2E0GLN

[@nigelb5341]

Love the Jumbo, I had 2 of them. Maybe work you on Bath Repeater sometime? 73 M0CPU ;-)

[@arthurgiannakis2156]

The biggest advantage for me with a separate meter is that it is portable. Its not the display or the perception of better accuracy. For example, I can take my meter right to the antenna feed point and do my measurements there. Other than needing some RF drive, it's generally a passive device, unless you want an antenna analyser. When I design and install an antenna, I want to know its performance at the feed point... first. With a build in rig meter you have to lug the whole radio to the feedpoint to do that, plus you also have to power it. I know which I'd rather have for this purpose.

[@glenmartin2437]

My first HF rig did not have a built in meter. So I got a separate meter. It helped when my antenna accumulated ice and the VSWR changed. I simply removed the ice from the antenna, the VSWR shifted and I was back in operation. N0QFT

[@timothystockman7533]

I have a MFJ-939 auto-tuner at the antenna feed point, over 100 feet from the shack, fed by buried DXE400MAX coax. I use the built-in SWR meter on my IC-7100 to determine when the auto-tuner has finished its work. After a significant QSY, i key up at low power and watch the SWR jump around for a few seconds until it drops to a low value, at which point I'm tuned up on the new frequency.

[@Captain-ku2rm]

Love your videos Peter! They're always well organized, and have some good advice. I have an MFJ-864 SWR/Power meter, with the cross needles, which I have installed inline on my Yaesu FT-847 that's in the shack. But, it's also worth mentioning that having a digital VSW/Power meter for portable use is a good idea. I like having a digital readout meter, especially for mobile installations, since it's just easier to read.

[@watersstanton]

Thanks for sharing 73 Peter

[@martinchristiansen556]

The built-in SWR-meter in the transciever is great for showing which SWR the final stage in the transciever looks into - and it should be as low as possible. But because many modern transcievers also have built-in antenna tuners, you may very quickly forget about what your REAL SWR is. Here an external SWR-meter will always show you the real SWR of your antenna system, and immediately tell you if your antenna system has sudddenly become faulty or changed to the worse. Without an external SWR meter your built-in antenna tuner might tune away such a fault without you realizing it and thus push your antenna system another step towards a (big) "dummy load".

[@watersstanton]

Hi Martin. You make an interesting point and warning. Thanks. Peter.

[@Pioneer936]

It would only be accurate if swr was measured at the feedpoint, but I would be concerned about reactance that is the actual issue that causes radio damage

[@VK7AM]

Peter do you remember the KW Electronics SWR Power meter. Shades better than the LAB! I worked for Rowley Shears and did the design work on that and the KW76 Rx, KW77 Mk 4 The little mobile TX , the Vespa 2M transverter amongst the other gear we designed and built. We did meet back in the old days with Tom Whithers. At Victoria Street Exhibition Centre in London and others back in the early 60's They were the day's 7 3 Alan GM3MHD

[@watersstanton]

Hi there. Yes great days - I agree. I had KW200B myself,

[@stephenslater7489]

Labgear was the professional radio manufacturing division of Pye of Cambridge. Labgear made a lot of broadcasting equipment.

[@watersstanton]

But rubbish at making CSWR meters!

[@stephenslater7489]

I was just saying who Labgear were. I didn't know they made such meters. I'm really enjoying your videos. Thanks.

[@daviddelaney363]

Interesting. Thank you for the information. I will need to understand this more fully as I have an SX-200 Power Meter (new) and am setting up my first station. My first observation is that the word "meter" implies it just tells something, meaning it does not actually "do" anything. Like the speedometer on your car. But if it actually "does" something then it would seem that it is tuning a parameter which would mean that a better name might be "power tuner". (?)

[@watersstanton]

It’s a meter to indicate VSWR. It monitors the results of changes you make to your antenna, or matching with an ATU.

[@ssubaihi]

i loved that word "psychological reason" , it all about the HF gears

[@gregmihran8616]

Another great instructional video Peter. I completely agree with your passion for a big external SWR/Power meter. I actually prefer the double-needle version because I can monitor forward, reflected powers and SWR all at the same time. One thing you didn't address which confuses a lot of HAMs is where to put the meter - before or after your external turner (assuming you have one). I've always placed the meter between the transceiver and the tuner so I can monitor what the transceiver sees with the tuner impact. Of course, I could also do that on the transceiver meter but, as you said, I like the big meters. On the other hand, other folks like it after the tuner so you can see what the metrics are as you feed your 'antenna system'. What is your opinion? 73s Greg KJ6ER Silicon Valley

[@watersstanton]

Thanks Greg

[@vk5jajay147]

Top video Peter, I still got my very first vswr/pwr meter which I purchased at a Ham Convention before I got Licenced. Own many vswr/pwr meters these days 👌😎

[@alanread6596]

I have watched all your video's they are excellent & very informative

[@meulia]

Great video. I use Yaesu FT891 I check the amount of power out (5 Watts is selected) using a dummy load connected to external VSWR meter through jumper cables. . To my surprise the result iwas significantly different. The Yaesu internal power meter showed around 5 Watts reading. But the external instruments showed less than 2 Watts. I used AM carrier to create stable signal for testing at 7090 kHz. I am a new ham and it worries me. Last week I was mistakenly transmit using a wrong antenna for 5 seconds in 5 Watts. The screen displayed "high SWR". How silly I was. But the radio seems fine. Questions: how will I know that the final circuit is operating normally? Should I have to worry? Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks Peter de YDØRTA. 73.

[@watersstanton]

It is extremely unlikely any damage has resulted. Those radios can run into an ooen circuit and survive. Don’t worry. The low poser indication may be due to 2 possible reasons. High VSWR or most likely common mode problems. Try winding a few turns if the ciax around a ferrite core near the the meter or change the length of the feeder. Common mode current can make a VSWR meter read incorrectly. 73 Peter

[@dericksherwood3611]

Good explanation Peter I'm. Sure lot of new comers appreciate your experience and open interesting comments from someone who knows his stuff.. Regards Derick G1AEG

[@watersstanton]

Many thanks

[@RobPetty622]

If the PEP is actually displaying Avg power, then What does the Avg level read?

[@g0fvt]

Some peak reading meters with active electronics do read PEP well, others make a less effective attempt, often with capacitors in the metering circuit.

[@paganphil100]

The Diamond SX200 meter and the Avair AV-201 (as shown in this video) are identical, externally at least. Is there really much difference or is this just another case of "branding" the same product differently for sale in different countries? This is a very common practice within photographic equipment sales (identical lenses all made by the same manufacturer but advertised & sold under many different brand-names) and I suspect it may also be the case here.

[@watersstanton]

Well one is made in Taiwan and the other in Japan! Peter.

[@KeepEvery1Guessing]

"Everybody knows that the Bird is the word."

[@g0fvt]

I have 7 Bird power meters, they are obviously an industry standard but you have to be careful with them too, for example I have a 4304A a very versatile meter for use between 25MHz and 1GHz it has also got a range switch for full scales of 5,15,50,150 and 500W. My HF power meter was reporting quite high PEP so as a quick doublecheck I put it inline with the Bird 4304A and a load and did a quick check on a 28MHz carrier.... 1000w on one meter and 500ish on the other! The Bird has a correction factor of approximately 2 at that frequency so the results were consistent. It is easy to get caught out when you are used to using these meters on PMR where the frequency is higher than the correction factor threshold. The Bird meters can get VERY expensive if you buy a wide range of slugs for the limited frequency bands that they cover and the range of full scale powers plus the cost of a PEP module. They are not insanely accurate either, the 4304a is +/- 7% of full scale for most of it's range. They are nevertheless good meters but they do have limitations. So Bird MIGHT be the word (approximately)

[@stephenwilliams5201]

My pixie2s have no meters. as other older rigs haven't. Even at qrp good qrp reading means that every milliwatt gets out. Kv4li

[@martinreid9056]

also handy for the end of a coax run

[@bsdguy]

I didn't know the guy from Game of Thrones was in to HAMs.

[@va3hie]

The ONLY reason to get one is they look cool! Cheers.

[@oOoUNDERTAKERSoOo]

Very nice video. TNX and 73 de IU2IDU

[@watersstanton]

Many thanks

[@DvorTerrier]

If you have an external VSWR meter, you can constantly monitor SWR while your transceiver display shows some other important data. When you connect an amplifier to your transceiver, your buit-in VSWR meter is measuring the VSWR of the input of the amplifier, not of your antenna. Your amplifier may have a built-in VSWR meter, but if you connect an antenna tuner, it will stop showing the actual VSWR of your antenna -- it will show the VSWR of the antenna tuner. Your antenna-tuner built-in VSWR meter will show the artificial ("improved-for-the-sake-of-the-amplifier) VSWR of your antenna. However, if you connect an external VSWR meter between your antenna tuner and your antenna, you will be able to keep an eye on the ACTUAL VSWR of your antenna! Let's say the VSWR of your antenna has always been around 1:3, and all of a sudden you see 1:8 -- it means something bad has happened to your antenna. Psychologically, all your built-in VSWR meters will be whispering to you "Good boy!", but your external SWR meter will say "Dude, lift your lazy butt and build a good resonant antenna, for crying out loud! Your receiving will improve, and more power will be radiated!" Thank you, external VSWR meter; you are the man! 73! W1NM

[@watersstanton]

Yes indeed. 73 Peter

[@Pioneer936]

That's not altogether true a non resonant antenna can be just as efficient as a resonant antenna and in some cases more efficient

[@DvorTerrier]

@David White I am just an amateur, David; at least, I am trying to understand how antennas work by participating in discussions, etc. If my ignorance offended you -- I am sorry.