Help me Understand my meter!!

[JJim]

Hey everybody.

I just picked up a new meter yesterday at my LCBS. The meter is obviously a "No Frills" brand. It has no name nor paperwork. It just has a PW-1000 CN label on the front panel. This is a crossfire type of meter. The problem I am having is; I do not know how to read the damn thing. Of course, I understand the power reading, but it is the SWR part that I am confused about. I am going to try attaching a photo of the meter so somebody can let me know how to read my SWR. Also, could somebody explain to me the "Forward" and "Reflected" scales.

Thanks
73's
-Jim

 

[Hardhead]

Read where the needles cross.
Nothing to set I don't believe.

 

[boomer111]

Forward is the power output. Reflect is the watts reflected back towards the radio, not going out the antenna. A well tuned antenna will have less reflected watts than and untuned antenna. Where the two neddles cross is the swr , it's read on the swr scale. Usually you can read both swr and reflected watts at the same time. For instance swr of 1.3 is equal to 2% reflected watts. If forward power is 100 watts and swr is 1.3 then 2% reflect equals 2 watts. Good idea when running an amp to have the reflect below 2%. Lower the better, less heat. If running radio alone don't sweat if it's under 2.0. Even 3.0 will be ok but your 25% reflected so only 3/4 of your power is getting out the antenna. The radio can handle this alone. Amp has much more power so the reflected number can kill the radio quickly as well as the amp. I got my reflect down to about 1/4 watt at 200 key. That about 1/8%.

 

[JJim]

Meter Help

Great! Got it now!
Thanks for all of the help guys. I have to admit feeling a little stupid asking the question to begin with
Oh, Well. Live and learn I quess.

Thanks again

-jim

BTW:
Voyage VR9000
Galaxy Echo Talk Desk Mic
M400 Antenna
Pyramid 35amp PS.
Medium power = DK @ 7.5 watts SWR = 1.2 shy

 

[Thestonerguy]

Re: Meter Help

Great! Got it now!
Thanks for all of the help guys. I have to admit feeling a little stupid asking the question to begin with
Oh, Well. Live and learn I quess.

Thanks again

-jim

There's nothing stupid about a question as long as you learn from it. I had my share of "stupid" questions way back when.

 

[bandaid kid]

Re: Meter Help

Great! Got it now!
Thanks for all of the help guys. I have to admit feeling a little stupid asking the question to begin with
Oh, Well. Live and learn I quess.

Yes, but you have to 'set' the meter before you can read it. Do you know how to do that? The reading will not be accurate otherwise. We just went through this in the CB radio section. Go look up there.

73

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

What is there to set with a cross needle meter other than the power range? There is no calibration needed with them as they simply read forward and reflected power and where the two meters cross is where the SWR is read.They are essentially self calibrating.

 

[bandaid kid]

OK, I stand corrected. I don't use those sorts of meters.

73