Hi Don,
I am the author of a review of this kit in the "QRP-ARCI Quarterly" magazine
Oct. 1996.
The meter is not lighted, but you could add a grain of wheat lamp I think to
do that.
It is small but heavy, so connecting RG 8 won't tip the box over. It is a
double steel case, very well designed.
I am away from my ham shack, so will have to guess at its dimensions, I would
say about 6 inches wide, 3 or so high, and maybe 4 deep.
The meter is very easy to read, even when I did my mod to make the 20 watt
scale a 2 watt scale, that was just to show it could be done. Before the mod
I was able to also see my 1/4 watt QRP rig output on the original scale as
useable deflection.
Accuracy was right on when compared to other typical SWR meters on Yaecomwood
rig, and on Ten Tec Scout. It is not a Bird, but that does not matter for
what it is designed to do, and its typical use. You could make it moe
accurate probably with more careful calibration. It has cal pots for each
range, 20 or 200 watts, and for the two ranges HF and VHF.
It has two pickup circuits, one HF, of the Stockton power meter type, and one
of the strip line type for VHF. But that one is much like the old Monimatch
circuit with those typical accuracies. It does have relative output as far up
as 440, and can be used for SWR minima, or watt meter peaking.
It is the best value for the money in a kit SWR/Power meter. It can run on
internal 9 Volt battery for the op amp meter amplifiers, or external coaxial
power jack is provided. I particularly like the fact it is magnetically
shielded, and stays put on the operating desk or shelf, with feedlines
connected.
73, Stuart K5KVH
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