[Elecraft] Best way to make comparative antenna signal strength measurements using K3 (and P3)

[Kenneth Christiansen]

Hi Bill

The P3 does follow the antenna you have selected. I just verified it again but I have a beam and a vertical and have compared them that way for years.

The AFV function is set by the follow steps
TAP   DISP/METER
Turn the B VFO nob to select AFV and wait several seconds for it to stablaize.
Turn the VFO B to dBV

I just tried that again and my vertical measures +.05 dBV and my beam measures -2.6 dBV both looking at 20 meter noise and the ATT and PRE set the same for both the REG and RX ANT.

I hope that helps you

73 and good luck

Ken  W0CZ   w0cz at i29 dot net


Sent from my iPad

> On Sep 28, 2015, at 9:47 AM, David Cole <dave at nk7z.net> wrote:
> 
> Interesting question just popped into my head as I read this...  
> 
> Does the P3 follow which RX is selected?  
> 
> -- 
> Thanks and 73's,
> For equipment, and software setups and reviews see:
> www.nk7z.net
> 
> For MixW support see;
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mixw/info
> For Dopplergram information see:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dopplergram/info
> For MM-SSTV see:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MM-SSTV/info
> 
> 
>> On Mon, 2015-09-28 at 07:39 -0700, Bill Conwell wrote:
>> I'd like to do some quick and dirty comparing of antenna output signals
>> using my K3 (and/or P3).
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> (I've got two antennas I'd like to compare using different received carrier
>> signals - e.g., from a neighbor's TX, W1AW RTTY bulletins, etc.)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I see that the K3 can display the RMS value of receiver AF output (mVp-p),
>> unaffected by AF GAIN control.  And after that stabilizes, I can also get
>> dbV to display.  (How long is the stabilization period?  Does the display
>> sample and hold a single value, or is it averaged and continuously updated?
>> It seems like the former.)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Is this the way to go, or is there something I can do with the P3 that will
>> give a readout in dBm?  (I guess I could make a rough graphical measurement
>> by setting the P3 display threshold to match the weaker signal, then
>> switching to the stronger signal, and seeing how far above that threshold it
>> rises - with Scaling maximized.)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I know there's also W8WWW's S-Meter Lite, with which I've also dabbled -
>> presenting a digital S-meter, or relative dB, output.  (Or I could do a step
>> attenuator approach, but then I couldn't compare by simply flicking the
>> antenna switch, and QSB would be a problem.)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Thoughts?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Tnx,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> /Bill, K2PO
>> 
>> Portland, OR
>> 
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>> 
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> Message delivered to dave at nk7z.net
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to wocz at i29.net
>