I agree with all of the others.  If we have the essentials, forward, power,
swr etc. that should be enough.  Bring it on.

Bob


-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Fred Adams
Sent: Saturday, December 28, 2013 6:46 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Talking SWR/Watt Meter Question

At present I am using a RFA P-2000 but I also sometimes use a LDG tw-1 and I
seldom check reflected power and I could use a a meter without it.  I am
very interested in the one you are talking of building.

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Trevor Dawson
Sent: Saturday, December 28, 2013 6:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Talking SWR/Watt Meter Question

Hi Rob,
Your suggested forward power readings and SWR would be fine. Reflected Power
interesting, but without that reading is just fine.

Any talking SWR for HF is better than what I have now.
Trevor.  VK6YJ


-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Rob
Sent: Saturday, 28 December 2013 4:53 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Talking SWR/Watt Meter Question

Hi Guys

   As some of you know, I build the HamPod which is fundamentally  a box
with a 16 button keypad and provides an accessible  speech interface to
various pieces of radio gear. One project that has been continuously pushed
aside by requests for additional HamPod support has been to build a talking
SWR/Watt meter. The HamPod currently has support for the Elecraft W2 and the
Array Solutions Power Master 2 meters but those are primarily options for
those who already own one of those meters or a HamPod. For this new meter, I
want to build a stand alone device much like the out of production LDG TW-1
but with better accuracy and using separate couplers. I will also provide an
audio tome tuning function. 
There are a couple optional paths to pursue here.  The first is to design
and build a meter from scratch which will require the most time. 
Second is to leverage a meter already in production that I can make
accessible. This is my preferred choice as it will be much quicker to
develop but of course will in crease the cost to some extent.
   I've started exploring development with an existing meter and have a
question I'd like to pose to the group for your feedback. I'd like to know
if you require the need to know reflected power. As it is now with this
current meter, I can provide peak forward power, average forward power, and
SWR. You can determine reflected power given forward power and SWR but the
question is, just how important is it for you to be able to directly read
reflected power? Do you currently make use of this reading with your current
meter? I would like to know the consensus before I invest more time into
that aspect at this point.

Thanks,
Rob  K6DQ