It won't be long before the ultimate fully automatic ATU is built into
transceivers.

We've had AGC ever since the vari-mu screen-grid valve was invented 75 years
back. This abolished the RF gain control but no doubt there is still a
residue of moaners and groaners.

The present so-called SWR meter (a stupid instrument if ever there was one)
can then be abolished from front panels and, indeed, exiled from radio
shacks for evermore and a day. Good riddance!

To provide something to talk about, write on SWL cards and enter in log
books, only the S-meter need be retained. This can be re-named "Received
Signal Strength Meter" and calibrated in more meaningful terms such as
decibels relative to 1 micro-watt.

It's obvious from its name, a signal strength meter always has been a power
meter. Pre-21st Century Old Wives kindly note. ;o)
---
G4FGQ, Iconoclast.

Savage,
$300 dollars will buy a hell of a lot of wire! I don't
understand why people pay that kind of money for a 'wire'
antenna.
'Doc

Dear "Savage",

To use the american two-letter word - Hi!

There's insufficient info to deduce when and where we may have met in our
previous lives. But I can confirm I am a long retired GPO engineer fortunate
enough to escape just before Mrs T and Co. sold us off to the
asset-stripping multi-national wolves.

Although I occasionally make (I hope humorously intended) criticisms of the
contributions by frequenters of this newsgroup, there is no doubt about the
group's high entertainment and, indeed, educational value, I have been a
beneficiary and so become addicted to it.

I can't deny the benefit of a 20dB attenuator in seies with the aerial when
assessing propagation conditions. But this is only because of imperfections
which still remain in the AGC circuitry. They remain only because of the
cost of improving receivers to the state when they can be considered to be
received power level meters and calibrated in terms of dB relative to one
microwatt.

Roy can then cease insisting that his own S-meter is the Western-world's
standard of how many decibels are equivalent to one S-unit.
----
Reg, G4FGQ

"Reg Edwards" wrote in message
...
Dear "Savage",

To use the american two-letter word - Hi!

There's insufficient info to deduce when and where we may have met in our
previous lives. But I can confirm I am a long retired GPO engineer
fortunate
enough to escape just before Mrs T and Co. sold us off to the
asset-stripping multi-national wolves.

Although I occasionally make (I hope humorously intended) criticisms of
the
contributions by frequenters of this newsgroup, there is no doubt about
the
group's high entertainment and, indeed, educational value, I have been a
beneficiary and so become addicted to it.

I can't deny the benefit of a 20dB attenuator in seies with the aerial
when
assessing propagation conditions. But this is only because of
imperfections
which still remain in the AGC circuitry. They remain only because of the
cost of improving receivers to the state when they can be considered to be
received power level meters and calibrated in terms of dB relative to one
microwatt.

Roy can then cease insisting that his own S-meter is the Western-world's
standard of how many decibels are equivalent to one S-unit.
----
Reg, G4FGQ



I don't recognise your callsign, but your name rings a small bell from
somewhere in my rather colourful past. I was with BTO for a couple of
years. I was the retro mod with a couple of {ahem} "adult content" groups,
but I spent a lot of time sorting out BTO's spammer problems through their
support groups.

Roy? The infamous Mr Lewallen? I enjoy reading his posts as I have yours

I had noticed the humour levels in these groups. I've been picking off the
spammers rather than joining the chat, (got to earn my shekels) but I have
been reading and refreshing half forgotten theory from the good replies
here. I didn't let my ticket lapse, but I lost a box containing most of my
shack when I moved down to Cambs from Lancashire. The two rigs which
survived the trip arrived here damaged, despite being properly packed and
padded. Between the insurance companies and me developing the necessary
qualifications to become a RAIBC member, I seem to have forgotten most of
the important things through lack of use.

I did a lot of HF operating with G3BRS (Bury Radio Society), the late G4TBT
and my pal, the lapsed G4ZTB, so when I heard about the impending changes, I
bought an FT-817 and started reading.

I'm out of usenet and radio for about a month. I'm off to JA land in a few
hours time and taking a detour to ZL on business on the way home, but I will
return, hopefully with something hugely discounted which I can smuggle
through customs cunningly disguised as a wheelchair battery charger.

I'm QTHR on the call sites/book/CD, but currently only active on 10/2/70cms
due to lack of antennas. You can bet the Wx will be foul when I return to
put something into the air, but that's life

See you further down the log. Been nice chatting with you (again?)

de G6XCD

On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 02:18:36 +0100, "Savage" wrote:




Do people really pay £200 sterling (US$300) for a wire antenna? I've just
seen the price of the Carolina Windom Short 80 Special

I notice at the Ten-Tec web site they're now selling a "broadband
terminated V-beam wire antenna" for $250 U.S. "Throw away your antenna
tuner!" the ad copy sez...

Bob
k5qwg