> The Radio Amateur's Handbook established a standard which has been
> used for years - so I continue to use it. If I find a receiver that
The Radio Amateurs Handbook can not establish an industry
"standard". Even if they tried, it would only be a standard if
everyone used or attempted to use it.
> has s-units equal to 1 db, I reject the receiver as a meaningful
> qualitative test instrument. My Collins KWM-1 is calibrated to 6 db
Most receiver use 3-5dB as the target.
The Collins 75S1 and KWM2 use 30dB from S-zero to S-9 on the
scale. That is about 3.3 dB per S unit as the calibration if done
perfectly. Of course due to AGC non-linearity it is about 1dB at the
low end of the scale even though they planned for 3.3dB. Throw
your Collins S1's and KWM2's away!
Drake used 5dB per S unit on the meter scale, but it winds up less
at the low end of the scale in the 2B and R4A and R4C.
My ICOM 751A's use about 4dB if the meter is set per ICOM
specs, although the scale is obviously plotted so it is 5dB. At the
low end of the scale they are 1.4dB per S unit if calibrated per
factory instructions.
My FT1000D's are about 1.7dB at the low end of the scale, and the
scale is obviously plotted at 5dB per S unit. They are about 5dB
between S7 and S9 when calibrated to factory specs.
Factually, without remarking the scales, there is no practical way
to make them 6dB.
> per S unit on 20 meters. My Icom equipment - gee, I do not have any
> Icom low band equipment.
>
> So, now when I check the f/b ratio of my 75 meter beam and I get 3 S
> units - I will have to assume that as 3 db - ouch!
Anyone who depends on an S meter without checking it with ALL
the settings being used for the measurement has no clue at all
what he is measuring. Obviously most people have never invested
in a step attenuator (let alone checked a receiver), so they have no
idea what the meter actually reads on different bands, bandwidths,
pre-amp setting, and modes. They blind accept that an S unit is
like an ohm, or a volt, and means something.
Collins, on most meters, included a dB scale so it is easy to see
what they planned. My 75S1, for example, starts the dB scale at
10dB above S-0, and goes to 30dB just above S-9. There are nine
places between S-0 and S-9. 30/9=3.3333333 dB per S unit.
Drake used 5dB, get a ruler out and measure the scale.
It is a myth that an S unit is 6dB as some sort of standard. The
most common goal was 5dB, very few receivers even attempted to
use six, and virtually none are linear over the scale.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com
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