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Celebrate or not? Funky SWR reading

K

KB1UGX

Member
May 21, 2010
52
0
16
Hi guys

So i scored at the swapmeat today or what i thought was a score.

I got an old Icom IC3200A for 50$

Dual bander single receive

Nice little unit

Hooked it up and all seemed well

Made a contact on 2 meters and everything seemed well.
However a freind of mine stuck it on his SWR meter for me

Here is what i got

like 1.5 on 2 meters

and for some reason just under 3 on 70 cm

Should i not use the 440 side? is just under 3 not acceptable?

To celebrate or not celebrate is the question?

Stinks cuz i mainly use 440
Thanks for the input
 

the SWR test was done on a dummy load

however the antenna is a bran new arrow dual band

2/70cm

18inch long

just a 40$ HRO job
 
Almost 3:1 on a dummy load?? :eek: What kind of meter was used and what kind of dummy load? What was the SWR on the antenna? Why would you even test SWR into a dummy load and then question if you should use the radio on an antenna?:confused:
 
It was a freind of mine

We did it with a dummy load initially because he wasnt at my house and i dont have a meter

we did it to see the output power of the radio

we were never able to do a reading with the meter because we were not at my house

and my antenna is at the house

"Why would you even test SWR into a dummy load and then question if you should use the radio on an antenna? "

Because im pretty new at this and was taking some advice for a freind
please explain some more for me
 
SWR has nothing to do with the radio and all to do with the feed line and the antenna. Checking the SWR into a dummy load tells you nothing about the radio.

Hook it to the antenna and then check the SWR.

Do you have a local club with someon e that could show you what to do?
 
I know how to hook up the swr meter and read one i just dont own one.
Which will hopefully change asap


So let me ask this

hich SWR can never be because of the radio itself?

BEcause if so them im gonna celebrate

That means it was just his feed line to swr meter

But why only on 440?
 
KB1UGX,

Working with and learning from friends is a good way to do things. I wouldn't have questioned him, and now I am interested to know why not to do an SWR reading with a dummy load.

jcm
 
All the SWR tells you is that there is a difference between the impedance of the feedline and the antenna (or in this case the dummy load). Impedance in feedline and the dummy load can be different at different frequencies. Are you sure your dummy load is rated for UHF?

SWR is a measurement of the antenna /feedline system, not the radio. Thats why Is I set an antenna with one radio and swap it out with another the SWR should be the same (As long as I used the same feedline).
 
Hutch said:
All the SWR tells you is that there is a difference between the impedance of the feedline and the antenna (or in this case the dummy load). Impedance in feedline and the dummy load can be different at different frequencies. Are you sure your dummy load is rated for UHF?
Click to expand...

I was thinking that as well
Ill have to ask him

The purpose of our test was to see what the radio was outputting for wattage

But notice the SWR was high on 440
 
You can transmit into an appropriate dummy load to measure power, that's not an issue, and just because the meter can give you a reading for SWR while doing it doesn't make it (SWR) a valid measurement.
 
^^^ What Beetle said ^^^

Also, if the meter is VHF/UHF compatible did your friend recalibrate the meter when jumping from 2m to 70cm?
 
All of these are awesome points

I'm going to try and get my own swr meter and put it on my antenna
That is clearly the best way so there is no speculation

To answer the question thought, there was no recalibration to my knowledge



He went home and tested it on someother gear same way and show 3 on uhf
So I'm almost positive it was a faulty piece of gear somewhere

Ill repost when I can get my own swr. I might drive to hro myself today
 

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