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Dee meters
- Thread starter Lazybones1222
- Start date
look s good in appearance i like the fact the you can zero the meters from the front would like to see the spec's of the curcuit design tho..
distortion said:Lazybones.. 1000 watts? What good is that meter
Josh you know I am more of a skip talker than a key clown. 1000 watts will get er' done just fine for what I want to do. But thanks for your concern.
I only need 1000 watts since the pep of my base set up is only doing around 900 watts pep. Yup I'm a duck. I guess my main question is does it measure PEP. I can't find that answer anywhere it seems.
Beetle said:
That was what I was thinking Beetle. There are very rare to find new in the box since Dee is now out of business, but I really like the headphone monitoring jack with volume control on the meter.
The seller said it did measure peak - or PEP, not sure which. Anyhow, I ordered one so I will know soon.
If anyone is interested in buying one, the only one I know that has them new in stock is:
chargercharger.com
Unless there's a wall-wart, or batteries to go inside, it won't measure peak. PEP, perhaps -- but not peak. That requires a bit of electronic circuitry to analyze the signal's characteristics, which are constantly changing. PEP's a lot easier, but average is easiest.
The "Dee Ultimate" meters I saw being promoted a few years back were touted as the same design as a "Dozy" meter.
Don't know, never have seen one in the flesh.
If that's what's inside, it's a "Passive" peak-reading meter.
Puts a capacitor big enough to "filter" the modulating audio between the diodes and the meter's coil circuit. For you geek types out there, it's called an "integrator" and makes the pointer respond to peak power, sorta.
Since you are borrowing power from the RF signal to push that pointer against its return spring, the inertia of the needle and coil will cause it to "average" the peaks and valleys in your audio waveform. This tends to cancel them out, so that a (only) 100%-modulated AM signal swings upward only slightly if at all.
The capacitor behind the "Peak" switch on this type meter is being 'charged up' by your RF signal passing through. It gets discharged back into the meter's coil circuit during the "valleys" in your modulated audio waveform.
SO LONG AS YOU CHARGE THIS CAPACITOR FASTER THAN YOU DISCHARGE IT, the meter won't fall back (much) during the 'valleys' in the audio waveform. Provides a "peak-reading" function that LOOKS purty.
But on the low-power scales, there isn't as much current available to charge that "peak" capacitor. The capacitor never gets fully charged before the meter's coil starts to discharge it during the valleys. It's not unusual to whistle into a radio and see 18 Watts PEP on the 100 Watt scale. Flip to the 1000 scale, and the same radio shows 25 Watt peaks. Your mileage may vary. All 'passive' peak-reading meters share this flaw, to some degree.
On the highest power scales, this kind of meter can read within 90 or 95% of true PEP power. But it depends a LOT on the audio waveform. And it's not all that friendly to SSB signals. Works better on AM.
An "active" peak-reading meter requires a power source of some kind. Battery, AC cord, something. Sure wish I could remember the name, but one company made one without a power cord, only a battery. It would 'hog' a few milliWatts from your RF and charge a battery from that. You had to run over 100 Watts PEP to do it, but so long as you would transmit before tha last charge ran down, the peak-hold amplifier circuit would be powered indirectly from your radio's RF output. The more often you talked on it, the more charge would be stored for running the peak-reading amplifier.
Main advantage of the "active" peak meter is that the "peak-hold" capacitor now discharges a LOT more slowly, and holds the meter needle firmly at the peak-power level, whatever power range you use. The amplifier circuit inside drives the meter's coil without drawing a lot of current away from the peak-hold capacitor. Won't be 'stingy' on SSB, either.
Drawbacks are more parts, more expense, needs a power source, only a little more accuracy, depending on how you use it. Or a lot more accuracy, if you use SSB.
But when the "Dee" meters were introduced, they were a "Dozy" with a different name on them. Something about a trademark lawsuit over the name "Dozy", I think.
73
Don't know, never have seen one in the flesh.
If that's what's inside, it's a "Passive" peak-reading meter.
Puts a capacitor big enough to "filter" the modulating audio between the diodes and the meter's coil circuit. For you geek types out there, it's called an "integrator" and makes the pointer respond to peak power, sorta.
Since you are borrowing power from the RF signal to push that pointer against its return spring, the inertia of the needle and coil will cause it to "average" the peaks and valleys in your audio waveform. This tends to cancel them out, so that a (only) 100%-modulated AM signal swings upward only slightly if at all.
The capacitor behind the "Peak" switch on this type meter is being 'charged up' by your RF signal passing through. It gets discharged back into the meter's coil circuit during the "valleys" in your modulated audio waveform.
SO LONG AS YOU CHARGE THIS CAPACITOR FASTER THAN YOU DISCHARGE IT, the meter won't fall back (much) during the 'valleys' in the audio waveform. Provides a "peak-reading" function that LOOKS purty.
But on the low-power scales, there isn't as much current available to charge that "peak" capacitor. The capacitor never gets fully charged before the meter's coil starts to discharge it during the valleys. It's not unusual to whistle into a radio and see 18 Watts PEP on the 100 Watt scale. Flip to the 1000 scale, and the same radio shows 25 Watt peaks. Your mileage may vary. All 'passive' peak-reading meters share this flaw, to some degree.
On the highest power scales, this kind of meter can read within 90 or 95% of true PEP power. But it depends a LOT on the audio waveform. And it's not all that friendly to SSB signals. Works better on AM.
An "active" peak-reading meter requires a power source of some kind. Battery, AC cord, something. Sure wish I could remember the name, but one company made one without a power cord, only a battery. It would 'hog' a few milliWatts from your RF and charge a battery from that. You had to run over 100 Watts PEP to do it, but so long as you would transmit before tha last charge ran down, the peak-hold amplifier circuit would be powered indirectly from your radio's RF output. The more often you talked on it, the more charge would be stored for running the peak-reading amplifier.
Main advantage of the "active" peak meter is that the "peak-hold" capacitor now discharges a LOT more slowly, and holds the meter needle firmly at the peak-power level, whatever power range you use. The amplifier circuit inside drives the meter's coil without drawing a lot of current away from the peak-hold capacitor. Won't be 'stingy' on SSB, either.
Drawbacks are more parts, more expense, needs a power source, only a little more accuracy, depending on how you use it. Or a lot more accuracy, if you use SSB.
But when the "Dee" meters were introduced, they were a "Dozy" with a different name on them. Something about a trademark lawsuit over the name "Dozy", I think.
73
yeah great posts. This meter (got it yesterday) has a power pack, and claims in the manual it does "automatic" peak power output readings. Peak not PEP. No switch - no average.
I know this was addressed in another thread, but I can not find it now.
What is the difference between PEP and Peak? And is there a formular to get one from the other?
I know this was addressed in another thread, but I can not find it now.
What is the difference between PEP and Peak? And is there a formular to get one from the other?
how do you like that meter???
i just bought one new in the box on yahoo auctions...........
http://auctions.yahoo.com/i::98966579
i MOSTLY wanted one for SWR and the 1000 watt limit doesnt phase me either lol
scott
i just bought one new in the box on yahoo auctions...........
http://auctions.yahoo.com/i::98966579
i MOSTLY wanted one for SWR and the 1000 watt limit doesnt phase me either lol
scott
Well, I like it and I do not like it.
I like the watt meter, seems right on, bordering on stingy, and the ranges are perfect for what I do.
With a fair amount of power thrown at it, the SWR meter pot is a bit touchy, and so is the modulation meter pot, and both have to be readjusted everytime you change the deadkey of the radio. The headphones are a joke - cord is to short to use.
But, it looks great, is backlit, and does it's job by letting me know if something is amiss. So overall it is a keeper.
Lazy
I like the watt meter, seems right on, bordering on stingy, and the ranges are perfect for what I do.
With a fair amount of power thrown at it, the SWR meter pot is a bit touchy, and so is the modulation meter pot, and both have to be readjusted everytime you change the deadkey of the radio. The headphones are a joke - cord is to short to use.
But, it looks great, is backlit, and does it's job by letting me know if something is amiss. So overall it is a keeper.
Lazy
thanx for the quicky review
i have a decent set of headphones so thats not a big deal
i mostly wanted one for the same reason you did .....just to make sure everything is ok
sounds ike a winner
thanx again
scott
i have a decent set of headphones so thats not a big deal
i mostly wanted one for the same reason you did .....just to make sure everything is ok
sounds ike a winner
thanx again
scott
It looks like H&Y still has this item in stock http://www6.mailordercentral.com/hyelectronics/products.asp?dept=44