[Elecraft] W2 Resolution

[Grant Youngman]

You won't get higher accuracy by using the PC interface -- only higher  
precision.  It's also kind of important to note that the spec is +/-  
0.5dB.  Doesn't say if that's of indicated power or of scale maximum.   
Nonetheless, you can get all the digits of precision through a PC  
readout you want, you still are only going to be +/- 100 watts  
accurate or so in the middle of the 2K range.  This is consistent with  
the accuracy of other similar good quality RF Power meters.

It wouldn't seem to matter all that terribly much that the LEDs only  
give you 20 intervals, or that you could possibly get readings to the  
watt on the 2KW (or even the 200W) range.  Once you throw in  
measurement error, you still only know your output power within some  
range of a few percent.

Grant/NQ5T


On Oct 21, 2009, at 12:49 PM, Radio Amateur N5GE wrote:

> On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:34:40 -0700, "Don Ehrlich"
> <ehrlich at clallambroadband.com> wrote:
>
>> The photos of the W2 appear to show  20 LEDs in a row which will  
>> provide a
>> power display resolution of only 100 watts in the 2 KW scale,  10  
>> watts with
>> the 200 watt scale.  That means if I see the 300 watt LED lit up I  
>> will know
>> only that my power output is somewhere between 250 and 350 watts.   
>> Is that
>> right?
>>
>> Don K7FJ
>>
> [snip]
>
> The Product sheet on the web site says there is software to use for
> higher accuracy readings. I imagine I will use the software if I want
> a higher resolution reading.  That's what I do with the W1.
>
> 73,
>
> Tom, N5GE
>