[Elecraft] K3 S Meter

[Mike Scott]

Geoff said>For practical purposes S3 is probably close enough rather than
"about S2 or 3" as shown in the manual. Or is it more complicated than that?



Geoff, lets do the math...

S-9 is 50 uV at the antenna terminals by convention

1 uV is equal to 20 * log (1/50) = -33.98 dB below S-9

Say we define 6 dB per S-unit; let's not start a conventions war please.

-33.98 dB divided by 6 dB/S-unit = -5.66 S-units from the S-9 50 uV signal
reference.

9 S-units - 5.66 S-units = 3.34 S-units for a 1 uV signal using 6 dB per
S-unit

If we do the same math for 5 dB per S-unit we get:

-33.98/5 = -6.8 S-units lower than S-9 or 1 uV = 2.2 S-units

So it all depends on what convention you want to use. Selecting S-2 or S-3
gets you in the ball park.

I am not positive but I think region 1 has a standard of 5 dB per S-unit; we
don't have a standard here. 


Mike Scott - AE6WA
Tarzana, CA (DM04 / near LA)
NAQCC 3535
K3-100 #508 / KX1  #1311