Posted: 2/23/2012 9:44:07 AM EDT
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Does anyone own a Array Solutions Power Master or a Telepost LP-100A digital watt meter?
I am looking to buy one, but can't seem to make up my mind. 
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Quoted:
Does anyone own a Array Solutions Power Master or a Telepost LP-100A digital watt meter? I am looking to buy one, but can't seem to make up my mind.
what, specifically, will you be doing with it? what frequency range does it have to support? what power does it have to support? what other features are useful to you? ar-jedi |
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I've got an LP-100a. It's my favorite and most useful piece of gear.
In addition to power/SWR, it measures complex antenna impedance (at the feedline), field strength, peak to average, etc. It has an SWR alarm that can be used to take an amp offline if the SWR goes over a set value (saved me a few times already). There are several nice software programs written for it, including a control panel app and a program that lets you plot antenna impedance/SWR, Smith charts, etc. It's autoranging, accurate from mw up to 3KW with the stock coupler. The display is beautiful and works great. I was worried a digital meter wouldn't work well for peaking an amp, but it does it nicely. There are three different display modes (peak, average, and tune), depending on what you're trying to do. Support is first-rate. Mine shipped the same day I ordered it and arrived with my callsign programmed into the screen saver. I can't think of anything bad to say about the LP-100a. They're expensive, but it's a buy once/cry once deal. Wish I could have got it as a kit to save a few bucks, but they just recently stopped offering that option. Good luck. |
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Quoted:
I've got an LP-100a. It's my favorite and most useful piece of gear. In addition to power/SWR, it measures complex antenna impedance (at the feedline), field strength, peak to average, etc. It has an SWR alarm that can be used to take an amp offline if the SWR goes over a set value (saved me a few times already). There are several nice software programs written for it, including a control panel app and a program that lets you plot antenna impedance/SWR, Smith charts, etc. It's autoranging, accurate from mw up to 3KW with the stock coupler. The display is beautiful and works great. I was worried a digital meter wouldn't work well for peaking an amp, but it does it nicely. There are three different display modes (peak, average, and tune), depending on what you're trying to do. Support is first-rate. Mine shipped the same day I ordered it and arrived with my callsign programmed into the screen saver. I can't think of anything bad to say about the LP-100a. They're expensive, but it's a buy once/cry once deal. Wish I could have got it as a kit to save a few bucks, but they just recently stopped offering that option. Good luck. This is the kind of response I was looking for. I have wanted a digital watt meter for several years and the LP-100A looks like the one I am leaning toward. |
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Quoted: Quoted: I've got an LP-100a. It's my favorite and most useful piece of gear. In addition to power/SWR, it measures complex antenna impedance (at the feedline), field strength, peak to average, etc. It has an SWR alarm that can be used to take an amp offline if the SWR goes over a set value (saved me a few times already). There are several nice software programs written for it, including a control panel app and a program that lets you plot antenna impedance/SWR, Smith charts, etc. It's autoranging, accurate from mw up to 3KW with the stock coupler. The display is beautiful and works great. I was worried a digital meter wouldn't work well for peaking an amp, but it does it nicely. There are three different display modes (peak, average, and tune), depending on what you're trying to do. Support is first-rate. Mine shipped the same day I ordered it and arrived with my callsign programmed into the screen saver. I can't think of anything bad to say about the LP-100a. They're expensive, but it's a buy once/cry once deal. Wish I could have got it as a kit to save a few bucks, but they just recently stopped offering that option. Good luck. This is the kind of response I was looking for. I have wanted a digital watt meter for several years and the LP-100A looks like the one I am leaning toward. The LP-100a is certainly more 'reasonably priced' that the Array Soultions unit. It appears that neither unit offers the option to use them with ladder line. If that can be done...I didn't see it while perusing their websites. I'm also curious how their 'sensor modules' would handle DC over coax running through them. If one is using an antenna coupler like an SG-230 and sending the operating current between DC coaxial line isolator combiner and splitter units...would that interfer or smoke the sensor module? |
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Not sure how it would handle DC over coax, since it works by sampling voltage/current. You'd probably want to isolate it by injecting the DC after the LP-100a coupler. I think DX Engineering makes a unit that does this.
For balanced output, I think you'd run coax from the rig to the tuner (with the LP-100a coupler in between). Then run ladder line from the tuner to the antenna. Assuming the tuner has a balanced ouput. Otherwise, use a balun. |
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Quoted: Not sure how it would handle DC over coax, since it works by sampling voltage/current. You'd probably want to isolate it by injecting the DC after the LP-100a coupler. I think DX Engineering makes a unit that does this. For balanced output, I think you'd run coax from the rig to the tuner (with the LP-100a coupler in between). Then run ladder line from the tuner to the antenna. Assuming the tuner has a balanced ouput. Otherwise, use a balun. Well...duhhh. I have the DX Engineering units...but it just never occured to me to put the dc onto the coax after the sensor....Duhhh. |