In using the Bird 43 outside the bandpass listed on the slug, I have found that
the meter works very well for tuning an antenna for minimum SWR. The power
readings on the meter are just not accurate when the frequency being measured
is outside the slug bandwidth. I have not gone all the way down to HF to make
a comparison, since I have some HF slugs, but the variety of VHF/UHF slugs I
have work fine to tell me that something is wrong with an antenna or feedline,
or even a Z Matcher adjustment when used out of band. You just can't record
the power readings as actual.
73 - Jim W5ZIT
--- On Tue, 11/25/08, Keith Foor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
From: Keith Foor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] Need SWR meter recomendation
To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 11:16 PM
The design is better than anything else because of
the way it samples. Cheap meters measure RF voltage, that with a high
impedance load can rise greatly, showing a very inaccurate reading. Bird
slugs measure current, and they are band pass. So it you use a slug
for HF to measure VHF it just will not work. A cheap HF voltage meter will
show your 40 watt VHF radio doing 75 watts.
