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dosy watts vs bird watts
- Thread starter Mr.5150cbrn
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It depends, recently I was told by someone who Stands by dosy meters that......
So based on the above statement, the Dosy meters ""ballpark" measurement..... that might just by accident read average or maybe just by accident read calculated RMS ( some one should Patent that one because you had to read voltage and current then calculated RMS up until this new revelation was found by the Dosy builders) or maybe read true peak ( even if it can not because it is not a active peak reading meter) depending on the charge or decay of capacitors, is very "venerable" as a Swinging meter for CB use.
The Poor old Bird is only good for +/- 5% of full scale reading REAL Avg watts, unless it has a REAL peak reading active kit installed in it...then it is only +/- 8% of full scale.
Ugh Total Useless dribble.
You asked, from a technical standpoint, what is better.
The Bird has Published specification`s .
I have never seen published Spec on a Dosy meter regarding accuracy or frequency range.
The Bird meters are used by many amateur, professional and military personal for testing radio equipment.
The Dosy meters are used by amateur and professional CB radio operators for testing radio equipment.
The Dosy watts are only louder if you use a Freedom 1 DX antenna.
Beat the horse.
:bdh: :bdh: :bdh: :bdh: :bdh: :bdh:
73
Jeff
So based on the above statement, the Dosy meters ""ballpark" measurement..... that might just by accident read average or maybe just by accident read calculated RMS ( some one should Patent that one because you had to read voltage and current then calculated RMS up until this new revelation was found by the Dosy builders) or maybe read true peak ( even if it can not because it is not a active peak reading meter) depending on the charge or decay of capacitors, is very "venerable" as a Swinging meter for CB use.
The Poor old Bird is only good for +/- 5% of full scale reading REAL Avg watts, unless it has a REAL peak reading active kit installed in it...then it is only +/- 8% of full scale.
Ugh Total Useless dribble.
You asked, from a technical standpoint, what is better.
The Bird has Published specification`s .
I have never seen published Spec on a Dosy meter regarding accuracy or frequency range.
The Bird meters are used by many amateur, professional and military personal for testing radio equipment.
The Dosy meters are used by amateur and professional CB radio operators for testing radio equipment.
The Dosy watts are only louder if you use a Freedom 1 DX antenna.
Beat the horse.
:bdh: :bdh: :bdh: :bdh: :bdh: :bdh:
73
Jeff
i used to be very confused-i had a MACO wattmeter. how did i know if i was reading bird watts or dosy watts? well, my 100 watt ar3500 always went to 'THIS' line on the maco. when i added a dx1600, it went to 'THIS' line. over time, different amps, etc, 'THIS' line would change to 'THIS'.
eventually, i blew up the poor MACO. what to do? i went to a PALSTAR. eventually, that one blew up, too. not having the $$ for a bird, and the dosy didn't read enough watts, i went to a coaxial dynamics. it looked like a bird, but 'coaxial dynamics watts' didn't have the same ring.
over all those years, i never bragged about how many watts i had, because i really didn't know how many i had, nor if they were bird or dosy watts. what i always did was, when somebody was getting out better then me, i went to a bigger amp. didn't matter how many watts, how to read 'em or what to call 'em. and you know what, that worked just fine for me.
today, on cb, i run whatever i run & only look at the wattmeter to tell me if i'm 'matched' or not. on the ham bands, i run a 100 watt radio that has made 96.7% of contacts i've ever attempted. and i don't even have the wattmeter facing me.
so what do i call my watts today? enufftagetout watts.
and btw, usb38 around the northeast is a fantastic channel for gaining info on bird vs dosy, different modulation facts, swr info, you name it, radio info galore is available at your fingertips!!!! and half of these guys are general class hams!!!! what test did they take???? i musta missed something!!
RatsoW8
Supporting Member, W9WDX ARC Member - WD8T
Well, bird watts are more expensive but then again the altitude is higher in Denver
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The Attitude is a little higher in Denver as well <<More audio>>
DENVER LEGALIZES MARIJUANA 53% - 46%! | Cannabis Culture Magazine
73
Jeff
B
BOOTY MONSTER
Guest
which are better?
depends on what you call better . for a typical CB'er with a $150 - $200 radio and $100 in antenna and coax spending more than that for a meter and slug that only does one function is not the best meter for that application IMO . or one with a half kilowatt amp .... IMO
from a technical standpoint.
are bird watts louder than lets say dosy watts
a watt is a watt . both AM and SSB rely on PEP power to modulate a signal , not average or deadkey watts . if someone really wants to spend the money for the few % more accuracy a has bird or the bragging rights to impress the impressionable the bird may well be their meter of choice .
if i had the money for a bird setup ................. id get one of these and never consider a bird meter at all .
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5045
PowerMaster
depends on what you call better . for a typical CB'er with a $150 - $200 radio and $100 in antenna and coax spending more than that for a meter and slug that only does one function is not the best meter for that application IMO . or one with a half kilowatt amp .... IMO
from a technical standpoint.
are bird watts louder than lets say dosy watts
a watt is a watt . both AM and SSB rely on PEP power to modulate a signal , not average or deadkey watts . if someone really wants to spend the money for the few % more accuracy a has bird or the bragging rights to impress the impressionable the bird may well be their meter of choice .
if i had the money for a bird setup ................. id get one of these and never consider a bird meter at all .
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5045
PowerMaster
IF the instrument is calibrated within, say, six months of being used, and IF the calibration is done by a certified laboratory to traceable standards which have themselves been properly calibrated (i.e. not Billy Bob's Bait 'n CB Shop); and IF the instrument has not been opened up and/or tampered with or damaged, then watts = watts.
There's no such thing as "Bird watts", much less "Dosy watts".
Just watts.
There's no such thing as "Bird watts", much less "Dosy watts".
Just watts.
B
BOOTY MONSTER
Guest
Good Post.
I like the part about "enufftagetout watts"
Really, now that we have had some fun.....
Aside from the error that dosy made about putting the term RMS on all of there meters...they are what they are.
Most meters read Avg watts.
Most meters that have a Peak switch on them simply put a Cap inline with the meter moment to hold the reading up...and how much, generally depends on how big that cap is.
True Peak reading meters have a powered circuity in them that drive the meter movement up.
Bird is expensive, how ever they have long been the "industry standard" for power measurement.
Even Bird meters/Slugs have to be calibrated at set intervals to maintain there accuracy, just like most "lab" type equipment by Bird or a outside company like MCI or NASA that offers NIST traceable certification.
And Yes, Bird slugs ( click me) can go haywire
73
Jeff
Good Post Beetle, I was typing the same time as you were....you are faster, and I agree.
73
Jeff
73
Jeff
I just don't get it.
Cracks me up how people kneel and pray before the almighty Bird. True, it's a good meter, but a lot of folks treat ownership of one like a status symbol. There are plenty of meters that claim 5-10% accurracy, which is good enough for me.
Personally, I think the Bird meter in itself is clumsy and stupid looking, hard to read and to damn expensive for shack use. Now, if your using it for daily field use, that's a different story as it's built sturdy and will take abuse.
As soon as I see or hear someone claim their shitty radio does so many "Bird" watts, I immediately judge their character and classify them as an ass clown.
I have never owned a Dosey meter, but I have been in many shacks that have one. IMO they look cool, but that's all. I would not own one or rummage thru one for salvageable parts.
Aaaauuuudio, long toothless whistle...Check check, swing baby swing.
Cracks me up how people kneel and pray before the almighty Bird. True, it's a good meter, but a lot of folks treat ownership of one like a status symbol. There are plenty of meters that claim 5-10% accurracy, which is good enough for me.
Personally, I think the Bird meter in itself is clumsy and stupid looking, hard to read and to damn expensive for shack use. Now, if your using it for daily field use, that's a different story as it's built sturdy and will take abuse.
As soon as I see or hear someone claim their shitty radio does so many "Bird" watts, I immediately judge their character and classify them as an ass clown.
I have never owned a Dosey meter, but I have been in many shacks that have one. IMO they look cool, but that's all. I would not own one or rummage thru one for salvageable parts.
Aaaauuuudio, long toothless whistle...Check check, swing baby swing.
The real value in a Bird meter is really what it is intended for - testing. Radio alignment is best done with a Bird as opposed to a Dosy (unfortunately, a Dosy is all I have for alignments and peak readings are guesstimate at best). The Ham running close to legal limit power needs to know that limit and his output.
Too bad the scope of this thread is limited between choosing between the two meters. Some of these digital meters are supposed to be very accurate too. I am considering getting one of these to upgrade my alignment gear . . .
Too bad the scope of this thread is limited between choosing between the two meters. Some of these digital meters are supposed to be very accurate too. I am considering getting one of these to upgrade my alignment gear . . .
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