[Elecraft] Internal SWR Readings

[Fred Jensen]

Actually, the SWR is constant along a lossless transmission line.  It is 
true that the complex impedance varies in cycles of a half-wave as you 
move up or down the line.  If the line has appreciable loss, the 
measured SWR will decrease the further you get from the antenna.

Many years ago, the ham club at Keesler AFB had a tribander that didn't 
work, although the SWR was very low on all three bands.  We finally 
discovered that it was very low *everywhere* in or out of the ham bands. 
  Coax was wet inside and was probably the longest dummy load in 
Harrison County MS.

Most SWR indicators and power meters aren't real accurate anyway.  With 
the advent of digital displays, the confusion between accuracy and 
precision has really increased.  The only number that really counts is 
zero return power.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 2014
- www.cqp.org

On 11/13/2013 10:00 AM, Rick Bates wrote:

> The SWR
> varies along the feedline (which is why 1/2 wave feed sections are often
> desired, so you can get an accurate antenna feed point reading).