[Lowfer] Field Strength Meter, FSM, Software for the PC

[Alan Melia]

Hi Stan, it would be made easier if one used a "proper" receiver which
allowed you to turn the AGC off !! It can be misleading to assume the AGC
starts at some threshold. It also makes for a fiddly reading. BUT if that is
all you have it may work. You then only have to worry about driving section
of the system into clipping or non-linearity. Here the front end attenuator
is usefull again.

If you have an RX were the AGC can be disabled you can get a sensible 80 to
90dB dynamic range with Spectrum Lab, but you do have to be carefull setting
the levels. This is he method used by Steve Dove, Brian CT1DRP, and myself
to plot beacon signal strength. Many modern receiver and transceiver
designers dont think it necessary to have an AGC disable function.

Cheers de Alan G3NYK