SWR Meter Accuracy and Other Issues

[Big Easy]

How accurate are built in SWR meters on radios that have had the modulation turned up?

The 3' jumper coax I have for my cb meter is causing my radio to not work properly for some reason. So in place of it I am using a piece of steel wire as a jumper cable from the meter to the radio. It seems to work fine. Will this make my meter inaccurate?

Midland 5001z built in meter shows sky high SWR. But when I plug in my external SWR meter with the wire jumper it shows about 1.5 across all 40 channels.

 

[Robb]

The built-in SWR meter can be accurate IF it has been tested and adjusted.
A 100 ohm resistor dummy load should register a 2:1 SWR.
If the radio had the 54mhz trap circuit disabled - all bets are off.

 

[Big Kahuna]

I'm having a hard time picturing this use of steel wire...but...if you are using an external SWR meter you will need to use jumper coax to connect the radio to the meter.

Your internal meter is kind of like using your kids plastic binoculars to look at the moon - does it give you a general idea of what the moon looks like...yes - it is giving you an accurate and clear view of the moon....no.

If your internal meter is showing a super sky high swr then it's probably high.

External SWR meter is always better as long as it's working correctly and is made with some quality.

 

[Big Easy]

So if its really high on the internal meter and low on the external, my external is probably wrong?

 

[Robb]

So if its really high on the internal meter and low on the external, my external is probably wrong?

The only way to be certain of any of that is to have the right test gear and knowing what to look for.

 

[vkrules]

So if its really high on the internal meter and low on the external, my external is probably wrong?

With a "piece of steel wire as a jumper cable from the meter to the radio." YES most definitely

 

[Big Easy]

So after doing some research I believe the meter on my midland is not really an swr meter after all. The manual says it is an s/rf meter that shows incoming signal strength and outgoing rf power. No mention of SWR's at all.

 

[Robb]

Lucky for you.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

So after doing some research I believe the meter on my midland is not really an swr meter after all. The manual says it is an s/rf meter that shows incoming signal strength and outgoing rf power. No mention of SWR's at all.

YUP. When all else fails RTFM.

 

[Big Easy]

Yep but now I feel like an idiot lol. But thanks for the help guys I really do appreciate it.

 

[Yeti Communications Ltd]

grr its V.S.W.R an aberration not a word ...sorry could not resist

 

[vkrules]

Makes you want to swar !

 

[Sonar]

Yep but now I feel like an idiot lol. But thanks for the help guys I really do appreciate it.

You could never come close to the amount of stupid question's I've asked over the past two years.
The only stupid question is the one not asked.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

You could never come close to the amount of stupid question's I've asked over the past two years.
The only stupid question is the one not asked.

I don't know about that. I work with a guy that will ask a question IMMEDIATELY after telling him something. You can tell him what machine we are going to go work on and and he will IMMEDIATELY ask what machine we are going to go work on.

 

[PA629]

I don't know about that. I work with a guy that will ask a question IMMEDIATELY after telling him something. You can tell him what machine we are going to go work on and and he will IMMEDIATELY ask what machine we are going to go work on.

Does he also work at a fast-food place? I went through the drive-thru the other day and ordered a burger with "no cheese". The kid says "Okay. Do you want cheese on that?".