Re: [Elecraft] W2 Wattmeter wish
Its only $465 for an LP-100A if you build it yourself... and its plenty accurate if you just use it out of the box. You can even calibrate it yourself if you've got a few dummy loads. ~Brett On Mon, 2010-02-22 at 20:54 -0500, k2zls wrote: > Ken, > >Thanks for the heads up, but I've already been researching and > here's > what I've found. The LP-100a with dual standard 3K couplers comes in > at > around $660 assembled and calibrated. It's worth the extra money > for > me to have everything done and not have to send it back for fixing > and > calibration. The PowerMaster already assembled and tested with 2nd > coupler option at $670. Both units are outstanding and its hard to > choose between them. What really got me going on this is the Alpha > 4510 > watt meter ($945). Just look at the LED display only and visualize a > display like that on the W2 and you will see what I mean. It's > awesome. > The 7-segment displays come in all sizes and colors. Just take a > look > at the average digital clock on your nightstand. Same thing. > >But, my thinking is that the W2 with 2 couplers, (200 standard) > and > 2000 watt come in at about $330. How much more do you think ELECRAFT > would have to spend to come up with an updated display. Maybe change > box size and re-arrange the display, but still keeping the current > configuration intact. At only half the cost of it's competition, it > leaves a lot of headroom for development and profit. > >I would like to see a comment or two from ELECRAFT regarding > feasibility. It would make all the difference in the world > especially > if it could be an upgrade or add-on to the existing unit. > > __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] W2 Wattmeter wish
Ken, Thanks for the heads up, but I've already been researching and here's what I've found. The LP-100a with dual standard 3K couplers comes in at around $660 assembled and calibrated. It's worth the extra money for me to have everything done and not have to send it back for fixing and calibration. The PowerMaster already assembled and tested with 2nd coupler option at $670. Both units are outstanding and its hard to choose between them. What really got me going on this is the Alpha 4510 watt meter ($945). Just look at the LED display only and visualize a display like that on the W2 and you will see what I mean. It's awesome. The 7-segment displays come in all sizes and colors. Just take a look at the average digital clock on your nightstand. Same thing. But, my thinking is that the W2 with 2 couplers, (200 standard) and 2000 watt come in at about $330. How much more do you think ELECRAFT would have to spend to come up with an updated display. Maybe change box size and re-arrange the display, but still keeping the current configuration intact. At only half the cost of it's competition, it leaves a lot of headroom for development and profit. I would like to see a comment or two from ELECRAFT regarding feasibility. It would make all the difference in the world especially if it could be an upgrade or add-on to the existing unit. 73 Tony K2ZLSELECRAFT ROCKS __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] W2 Wattmeter wish
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 ) 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:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > 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:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] W2 Wattmeter wish - Additional
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 elecraftcov...@rfwave.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] W2 Wattmeter wish
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 elecraftcov...@rfwave.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[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 ) 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:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
