Re: [TenTec] Orion II - Initial Reactions and Impressions

[Ken Brown <ken.d.brown@verizon.net>]

Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:

> On Wed, Dec 28, 2005 at 08:21:03AM -1000, Ken Brown wrote:
>  
>
> > S-meter readings are already virtually meaningless.
> >    
> Yes, but what worries me is that almost all the time using the same
> antenna. my Argo 509, Triton-IV digital, Drake TR-5, Kenwood TS-430s
> and R5000 all read within one S unit of each other.
I should have clarified. S meters are virtually meaningless as signal 
strength indicators, because they are hooked up to antenna systems that 
vary over such a wide range of gains/efficiencies and in such a wide 
range of environments. S meters are however NOT useless. There are 
useful to compare from day to day, or antenna to antenna AT ONE QTH. 
They are not useful to compare readings from one QTH with differnt 
antenna systems and local conditions to another.
DE N6KB