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Old November 30th 10, 09:50 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
JIMMIE JIMMIE is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 625
Default SWR meter as power meter

On Nov 29, 2:51*pm, Owen Duffy wrote:
If it is the type where calibration varied with frequency, you could copy
what was done with some commercial instruments of the seventies, eg the
Oskerblok.

1. Calibrate the sensitivity knob with a logging scale.

2. Add a power scale to the meter face.

3. Measure a set of points of sensitivity setting vs frequency where the
meter scale is correctly calibrated for power.

4. Create an interpolated smooth graph as a lookup, and attach it to the
instrument.

Be prepared for significant linearity error at the low frequency end if
you calibrated the meter for low fsd power.

If it is a Bruene type sensor, the response should be reasonably flat
within a frequency range which you must establish.

The interesting thing with either type of sensor (and both are used in
Bird elements, though the first type is frequency compensated), is that
although the Pfwd and Pref power readings are of each of no value by
themselves, the power in the line is Pfwd-Pref irrespective of the load
impedance or line Zo.

Owen


Owen, the meter is just a 1 to 100 linear scale meter on on 100 uA
movement. Ive used it for years just to "guesstamate" VSWR. Not really
as inaccurately as one may think. My thought was to cal a scale for
the "full scale set" knob so that when the meter is adjusted for full
scale the knob position will indicate power. Part of the reason for
doing it this way is that it is a nice large good quality meter and I
dont want to risk damaging it by taking it apart. I may have other
uses for it later on. Im thinking "linear scale capacitance meter
similar to the heathkit model. I intend to use an NE555 osc instead
of vacuum tube osc should I do this .

Jimmie