It may be easier and less expensive to develop a speech interface to a
meter, such as the Power Master 2 or LP100 which already perform the signal
analysis, relieving the speech box (HamPod) of the requirement to do so.  If
Rob ultimately decides to produce a self contained power meter with speech,
it will have to be much more accurate than the TW-1 which is unspeakably
inaccurate.  The TW-1's tone mode is very good, but the forward, reflected,
and SWR are very inaccurate.  When I am running 1500 watts according to the
TW-1, the actual output is about 2300 watts.  I raised my output to 2000
watts according to my TW-1, and the actual output was over 3KW.  I have
given up using my two TW-1s as a power meter, and am using the tone mode
only for tuning my amps.  It will be nice to "read" the PM2 with the HamPod,
as opposed to reading the display on my computer, with the PM2 connected to
my PC via USB cable.  However, it is good that the PM2 can be read this way
until such time as I get a HamPod for my SteppIr controller.

Sometimes equipment can't be developed and produced for a figure that some
claim to be their limit.  It takes lots of equipment and many hours of
development time to come up with devices like the HamPod.  In other words,
it may simply not be possible for Rob to develop and produce an accurate
stand alone power meter with speech for anything close to $200.

KD7GC




Alan R. Downing
Phoenix, AZ


-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Mike Ryan
Sent: Friday, January 03, 2014 3:24 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Talking SWR Watt meter

Hi all:

I think with a newly developed meter, is to keep a less than 200$US price
point to keep it attractive.
I for one don't own a K-3 and unless win a small lottery, unlikely and
therefore wouldn't need a ham pod. If an antenna rotator and beam is in my
future, there are some much less expensive accessible options to a hy-gain
or Yaesu rotators then requiring a hp. Likewise adding speech to an already
expensive meter that allot of us on this list can't afford.
I'd say keep it along the lines of the TW-1.

73:
Michael DE VO1AX