[BC] "VSWR" Metering

[Chris Boone]

Get a rcvr with a S meter or some signal strength meter....with the system
operating in a good known condition, take readings at various locations..A
spectrum analyzer would be better (a rcvr with AM capability on the FM band,
like a HAM talkie or maybe a wideband scanner type rcvr with AM mode and a S
Meter added, will do...FM rcvrs usually do signal metering after the IF
limiters and thus the meter is not accurate)..that way you get actual signal
levels..

If your meter readings are right but you suspect something is wrong, the
signal strength out in the field would be the tell-all...Efficiency wont
likely show anything different in my opinion.

Just ran across that on a UHF rptr...xmtr showed ZERO reflected (nothing on
a 1watt Bird slug) with normal forward out...but range sucked...sure enough,
antenna had been damaged but the feedline was just right length..

> -----Original Message-----
> From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net 
> [mailto:broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of 
> cld at admin.umass.edu
> Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2005 4:53 PM
> To: Broadcast Radio Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [BC] "VSWR" Metering
> 
> 
> These have been great and informative comments. Thank you 
> gentlemen. May I boil it down to "a vswr meter is valuable 
> for viewing the antenna system match to the transmitter in 
> general (for those of us without access to a TDR), but a good 
> vswr indication should not be taken as gospel truth that 
> there isn't a mismatch somewhere"?
> 
> Which brings us to the next question- if indeed you see a 
> "good" reflected power indication at the tx output, but still 
> suspect something is awry, what, in your opinions, are the 
> best places to look (and let's say that you don't have the 
> ability to climb a tower and check the vswr at different 
> points nor have access to a TDR). Efficiency? 
> 
> Chuck Dube