Best SWR/Watt meter for around US$100

[KJ3N]

I'll look into them. I've just never been into MFJ. About the only GOOD thing i know they make is the 259/269 analyzers. Suppose the price is right though for what it is...

Generally speaking, MFJ products are solid engineering. Where they fail is in final assembly and quality control.

Whenever anyone buys an MFJ tuner, it's always a good idea to open it up and inspect every single solder connection, and make sure every screw is tight. Assuming it passes that test, you'll likely never have a problem with their tuners unless you try something stupid with them.

Unfortunately, today's inexperienced and uneducated hams tend to do stupid things with MFJ products.

[KG4CGC]

Do not buy directly from MFJ. Buy from a distributor for a better price. Their catalog is good bathroom reading material but the distributors usually sell for 15% under catalog price.

[PA5COR]

I'm using a Daiwa Cn 801 HP with active PEP measurement, working fine, big meter and quite accurate and good realistic PEP measurement.
1.8 - 150 MHz.
For 2/70 and above the Diamond SX 200 SX400 meters for 2/70.

[NA4BH]

I'm using a Daiwa Cn 801 HP with active PEP measurement, working fine, big meter and quite accurate and good realistic PEP measurement.
1.8 - 150 MHz.
For 2/70 and above the Diamond SX 200 SX400 meters for 2/70.

I have the Daiwa CN 801 Hp also, very pleased. The back light crapped out, but what the hey.

[NY4Q]

need recommendation for a good HF swr/watt meter for around $100. Been lookin on EHAM but the ones in that price range are all low review scores. ANyone know of a good one for that price range?

I've had one of these for going on +10 years.

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/413

[W5BRM]

SWR meter gonna have to wait a few weeks. Had the $$$ but then RL happened... stoopid car borked...lol But I DID get the antenna up.

HS1800DX motorized antenna with 8 10ft radials to start. Hooked the 706 up and it received fine for several minutes then both rcvr and xmit went dead. Not sure what the issue is. Radio has power so it isnt totally dead. Broke out the IC-720a which has no transmit on it but a great rcvr. Listened to K7NSW special events station. Ran the antenna motor through all the bands. All seems to be working except for the 706. Kinda bummed about that.

Gonna have to wait til tax time to see if it can be fixed. I figure if it will cost more then $300 to fix then I might sell it for parts and get a newer radio.

Was thinking about a KX3 rig to run data. I can take it with me in the truck too. Company said no to the 706 and most other 100w radios but a qrp rig they said OK if it doesnt run more power then a stock CB.

One thing I'm VERY happy about is the power company must have come through in the last 7 years or so and fixed the power lines. Used to have s9 on most of the HF bands. I put the receiver up today and not a whisper of QRM. no powerline, no household garbage, nothing. I live on a town street and have neighbors all over and I got NO noise! Plenty of US and a few DX stations roaring in on 17m.

And in other news! FCC has processed my upgrade. FCC page shows me as Amateur Extra! YAY!

[PA5COR]

Back light on the HP 801 HP is a 2 led pcb, i found the light a bit high and since you can switch it on/off on the back i used the off setting to lower the light intensity with an adequate resistor halving the led lighting which it is mostly set on.
Replace the broken leds with new white ones and lower milliamps through them.
Mine is on 18 hours a day 7 days a week, for the last 4 years now.
I have a spare HP 801 HP that fried it's leds as well, relplaced them as well after sanding the lenses to make the light flow better.

[WØTKX]

I remember using a neon bulb to ground to indicate a match. Dimmit, dammit.

[n2ize]

need recommendation for a good HF swr/watt meter for around $100. Been lookin on EHAM but the ones in that price range are all low review scores. ANyone know of a good one for that price range?

Just use your plate current meter.

[N8YX]

Would have to agree with the Daiwas, and will throw in two more "used" choices: The Kenwood SW-200/2000 series and the Drake WH-7.

Judicious shopping will net you a unit which is in very good shape. The Kenwood setup has the advantage of using sampling heads - a maximum of three per unit. Thus, you can look at HF, VHF and UHF power sources at will by merely rotating the meter's input selector switch.