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Good Base Meter

A place to ask questions about base setup for CB radios or HAM radios. Talk about your experiences, seek advice, and share knowledge.
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Little Reb

Good Base Meter

#63695

Post by Little Reb »

Whats the best base meter for around the 100 dollar range? Im going to be running around 1500 watts or so and need a good reliable decently accurate meter. I just cant throw down 400 bucks on a bird Thank you im open to any sujestions Dustin
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BigBubbaBD

#63701

Post by BigBubbaBD »

I like my Astatic 600. Nice sized meters, Lighted so you can see them easily.
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Ind Bellybutton

#63703

Post by Ind Bellybutton »

I got an old Palomar series 500 that I use off and on.. It seems to be working still. :-) And since I don't plan on going over 1kw anytime in the near future, it'll suit me just fine.. :-)
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mopar2ya
Skipshooter
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Posts: 408
Joined: Feb 04 2007, 13:52

#63710

Post by mopar2ya »

I like this one...

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If you get the mobile one like the one pictured, it has a remote head which may be more convenient for you. They also have the standard version which just has the coax connections on the back. It is slightly more than what you wanted to spend ($150), but it is probably one of the better values in watt meters available today.

Mopar

wan•na•boo (wah-nah-boo) Informal n. Derived of wan-na-bee 1. One who aspires to be a Peakaboo. 2. One who imitates the behavior, customs, or dress of a Peakaboo. 3. A product designed to imitate the qualities or characteristics of something built by a Peakaboo.
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Century21

dont buy one.. lol

#63773

Post by Century21 »

Well, i would personally just save the money and get a bird. Buy one of E-bay cheap, for about 100.00 , there are plenty reputable sellers there.
These cheap meters dont report accurately. When there is the slightest swr the watts will go up dramatically giving you a power reading thats false. And many of other reasons. I never believed in putting the bux into a bird neither, until recently. I had my SWR's perfect according to a Dosy and a PDC7000. 100 watts tore my computer all up. It normally took at least 300 - 400 to mess with the PC. Put the bird inline, I had 4 watts reflected at 100 watts out. Or 150 mw at 2 watts out. Which is about 1.5 swr. So when i took down the 7 element quad and put back up the 8. I tuned the antenna by its self with a MFJ to 50 ohm @ the frequency i talk most. For Horizantal 6-20 and vertical 21-40 .
I raised the antenna and hooked up the bird first, 2 watts out, no reflect reading. 1000 watts out, 200 MW reflect.
The PDC reads 1.1 on flat and 1.4 on vertical. , but with 3 times the power i was running tearing the pc up, it is now un-noticed.
The thing is.....
Do it right. the first time. with quality equipment. You will be much happier.
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Looney

#63795

Post by Looney »

i like my HP-5000
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