Would anyone know where I can send this unit for testing and calibration? According to the service manual, to be able to fully calibrate it would need 2Kw input.
Cheers
Cheers
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Swan WM2000a calibration
- Thread starter Limeybastard
- Start date
We use 1000 Watts for that. If it reads okay at half that scale, it's probably okay. That's the biggest carrier our bench amplifier can deliver for long periods.
Only way I know.
73
Only way I know.
73
I Googled "RF WATTMETER CALIBRATION FLORIDA" and came up with several possibilities. Check for the ones closest to you and give them a call or email.
If you want to measure anything close to 2kw then it needs calibrating @ or close to 2kw,
its a decent meter compared to most cb/ham meters it probably won't read correctly in the lower part of each range even with a NIST traceable calibration service unless you are incredibly lucky,
for better accuracy you would need a meter scale individually made to match the diodes conduction curve and use it at the temperature it was calibrated at,
My Telewave meter scale is coloured pink in the lower 1/3rd & says use lower range,
that's where most if not all simple detector diode meters are not so accurate including my bird 43,
it all depends on what you want, are you interested in been more accurate @ 500w or 2kw,
don't know about professional calibration services in the USA but in the UK it costs more than typical cb/ham meters cost to buy,
and can make them less accurate than calibrating the meter for what you want to measure such as measuring 3-400w on a meter calibrated @2kw.
its a decent meter compared to most cb/ham meters it probably won't read correctly in the lower part of each range even with a NIST traceable calibration service unless you are incredibly lucky,
for better accuracy you would need a meter scale individually made to match the diodes conduction curve and use it at the temperature it was calibrated at,
My Telewave meter scale is coloured pink in the lower 1/3rd & says use lower range,
that's where most if not all simple detector diode meters are not so accurate including my bird 43,
it all depends on what you want, are you interested in been more accurate @ 500w or 2kw,
don't know about professional calibration services in the USA but in the UK it costs more than typical cb/ham meters cost to buy,
and can make them less accurate than calibrating the meter for what you want to measure such as measuring 3-400w on a meter calibrated @2kw.
I think i understand now. The attached in previous post service manual with very difficult to read writing was calling on 2kw test calibration, i guess this is moot if im running sub 1kw power.
I thought that perhaps there might be a way to measure watts if one has amps and volts and a dummy load.
Probably , wont be worth paying to get it calibrated not unless some merely puts it up against a known calibrated device then makes the relevant pot adjustments on the swan to read similar?
That's pretty much standard practice in the CB world, knowing exactly how many watts you're putting out isn't as important as most people think.
"I thought that perhaps there might be a way to measure watts if one has amps and volts and a dummy load"
There is but not by measuring the DC amps & voltage input of the amplifier,
you need an accurate means of measuring rf voltage & accurate dummyload & anything in the system like connectors etc,
some people use a scope & dummyload power splitters attenuators etc,
they all need calibrating at the frequency you want to measure if you want anything close to accurate measurements,
making accurate RF power measurements is difficult even for the smart folk,
some info on how NIST calibrate traceable RF watt meters,
https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/documents/calibrations/93msc-cw.pdf
There is but not by measuring the DC amps & voltage input of the amplifier,
you need an accurate means of measuring rf voltage & accurate dummyload & anything in the system like connectors etc,
some people use a scope & dummyload power splitters attenuators etc,
they all need calibrating at the frequency you want to measure if you want anything close to accurate measurements,
making accurate RF power measurements is difficult even for the smart folk,
some info on how NIST calibrate traceable RF watt meters,
https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/documents/calibrations/93msc-cw.pdf