Dosy Test Equipment

[pat8942]

Are Dosy meters of pretty good quality?
I want to start getting some test tools and I don't want to spend a fortune,these are just for my own use so I really don't need high dollar status stuff, just good accurate instruments.
Any and all feedback will be greatly appreciated.

 

[bama_hotshot]

They are good meters for the price. Most every base station operator I know around where I am has a Dosy Model 4001 and is well satisfied. They are not quite as "tight" and tend to show higher readings than a Bird or MFJ but they are IMHO among the best for the money if you want a meter that can be used for SSB, AM modulation, Power, and SWR readings. Hope that helps you.

 

[GnG8d]

There is nothing wrong with Dosy. Once you buy a meter, it all becomes relative to your station anyhow, just make sure that you and your tech are on the same sheet of music. I have in the past, had my tech calibrate my meter to his if I was taking equipment in for other reasons, I wouldn't make a special trip for that though.

Also, the Dosy being "loose" or "happy" is largely a myth.

 

[psycho]

Are Dosy meters of pretty good quality?
I want to start getting some test tools and I don't want to spend a fortune,these are just for my own use so I really don't need high dollar status stuff, just good accurate instruments.
Any and all feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Dosy meters are extemely desireable when selling equipment.
A Bird 43 is what you bring with you when buying used radios and amps.
IMO Dosy meters suck on the swr function. Quality....NO, but they are OK for those low on cash.

 

[9C1Driver]

If you want to tune and repair radio's a Dosey would not be ideal. If the Bird is too expensive a Bulldog meter is an option. Around here Dosey meters get made fun of. If I went to a shop for service and saw a Dosey on the bench I would leave.

 

[TonyV225]

They work ok but like anything else if you get a bad one its a headache and a half.

 

[76Q]

Peak reading vs RMS, Dosy vs. Bird

As have been said before, a Bird without a peak reading kit will read like a Dosy 4000 series set on RMS and the Dosy can be calibrated to the Bird or to any other RMS measuring standard. A Dosy set to peak reading mode will read about 70% of true PEP (when the meter is new), a true PEP measurement requiring an oscilloscope or an active peak reading meter.
The stigma of a Dosy reading happy watts is unfounded as those making this claim are probably comparing the peak reading mode reading of a Dosy to a Bird meter without a peak reading kit installed. Another possibility is that someone may have calibrated their Dosy meter improperly to over-read. The Bird 43 has the capability to be outfitted to measure up to 10 kilowatts or somewhat over 3dB more than the Dosy 4000 series meters. The Bird is industry standard for commercial use at higher power levels and becomes impractical, cost-wise for the average radio operator. Furthermore, the Bird is inherently a wattmeter, so other measurements such as SWR, modulation must interpolated from power measurements. The Dosy 4000 series has calibrations and measurements for power, swr, and modulation (SSB and AM), and the high end models have an audio monitoring circuit for actual audio monitoring through headphones. For the average radio hobbyist up to the enthusiast level, the Dosy is absolutely useful to help optimize your station. The Bird is best suited for professional users

 

[psycho]

If you want to tune and repair radio's a Dosey would not be ideal. If the Bird is too expensive a Bulldog meter is an option. Around here Dosey meters get made fun of. If I went to a shop for service and saw a Dosey on the bench I would leave.

A Bird is a forever meter....but it and it'll outlive the user. Bulldogs are VERY nice, but try finding one now. Dosy meters are OK, but for the same money you can go into an AES Amateur Radio supply and get a better meter for about the same money.

 

[binrat]

While reading the posts above I went googling Bulldog meters and eventually lead me to this Wavenode SWR and RF wattmeter with computer graphics and DC power monitoring. Complete with SWR protection and high power remote sensor. Also includes audio and voice announcement of RF power and SWR.
Going thru their site, this metering outfit looking interesting and a possible alternative for you.

 

[AudioShockwav]

Bulldog meters?
Carl is still building them, $200 each for the standard model, and 300 for the Deluxe model.
The Bad thing about them is they are only good for 26 to 28 MHz, and they are Passive reading meters....no active peak reading built in so they read about Twice the power on peak that they show on AVG.

The Deluxe Bulldog Wattmeter
Deluxe 1010KR2 10,000 Watts

Reads like a Bird and swings like a Dosy. For 15 years the Bulldog has been the high power alternative for measuring RF wattage in the 26 to 28 mHz band.

The Bulldog wattmeter measures 0 to 10,000 RF watts in 10 ranges. Does not require expensive slugs to operate and reads SWR directly. The Bulldog wattmeter is warranted to the original purchaser for life.

This is the Deluxe version. You can personalize this item.

$299.99


The deluxe model features several options for the user. The deluxe labels can be any color ( Blue is preferred ) and the user can have the labels personalized with their handle or skip number or both. There is a space on the top of the meter for the name. There is also a space to the right of the bulldog picture for a name. A lighted meter is also available. The deluxe version comes with a remote and a 20 foot cable. The cable plugs into the deluxe meter and eliminates running coax to the meter.

The RF signal is routed thru the meter with three switches. The Hi/Lo switch selects one of two calibrating resistor banks. There are five selections per bank. The LO bank selects one of the five lower ranges: 10 / 25 / 50 / 100 / 250. The HI switch selects 500 / 1000 / 2500 / 5000 / 10000.

The forward and reflected switch directs the signal thru its selected route. The average and peak switch adds a passive capacitor to the meter to provide a peak reading. Since this is not an active wattmeter, the indicated wattage is almost twice that of the average reading. The peak reading is of course relative.

The Bulldog wattmeter is calibrated by an industry standard and reads wattage correctly. Accuracy is very good but is influenced by the load presented to the meter. Lower or higher than 50 ohm loads will certainly alter the accuracy of the Bulldog. The Bulldog manual provides complete information. The Bulldog wattmeter is guaranteed for life to the original purchaser.

You can purchase your Bulldog Deluxe meter directly from the manufacturer. We accept Cashiers and personal checks.

73
Jeff

 

[Atlasta]

Slightly off topic: I was told recently that Dosy is what the company that used to make the old Firebird / Kicker / Swinger amps evolved into.

'Bring a Bird when buying, bring a Dosy when selling'... Good advice!

 

[slprydk]

I tune radios on a dummy load using my oscilloscope, I pay attention to the RMS output, and whatever the peak output is, is what it is. But there is nothing like “Dosy Watts” to sell a radio…..

 

[GnG8d]

I tune radios on a dummy load using my oscilloscope, I pay attention to the RMS output, and whatever the peak output is, is what it is. But there is nothing like “Dosy Watts” to sell a radio…..

Can you explain that a little better please?

 

[JoeDirt]

If you can find a old Dosy there seems to be better quality than the newer ones. I had a newer one and it was a POS! I would not run any power through one. Coax connections are riveted on with a layer of paint in between so NO grounding. Wires for the meter were connected but not soldiered. The lack of grounding toasted my 2x8 and had to be rebuilt. Dont buy a Dosy

Look into Diawa meters they have a higher bandwidth, true PEP capability, lighted easy to read meter and quality for a decent price.

 

[WR0220]

The stigma of a Dosy reading happy watts is unfounded as those making this claim are probably comparing the peak reading mode reading of a Dosy to a Bird meter without a peak reading kit installed.

I must respectfully disagree. I had a Dosy that I purchased brand new and the peak readings on it were way off compared to my Palstar PM200AM and TelePost LP100a meters. It (the Dosy) was very generous. A peak reading (produced by a signal generator) on the Dosy read 75 watts compared to 48 watts on the Palstar and 50 watts on the LP100a. The LP100a was compared to my tech's (calibrated annually) Bird 43 w/peak kit and showed equal readings. The Palstar was calibrated prior to being shipped to me, and showed fairly close readings to the LP100a on both scales. IF a Dosy were to be calibrated to a known accurate meter prior to using it then it may be of value to monitor a station, but IMO they are not trustworthy right out of the box. There are several other meters on the market in the same price range that have better accuracy and higher build quality.