Bird 43 Wattmeter And Slugs

[machinegun kelly]

I'm just putting together a test kit, and was curious what most ame's found was the most useful collection of slugs for the Bird 43 wattmeter. For the most part, I'm only concerned with testing VHF and FM.

Also, has anyone found the 'Peak Power' kit a useful addition to the trusty Bird.

[C-FXFX]

I'm just putting together a test kit, and was curious what most ame's found was the most useful collection of slugs for the Bird 43 wattmeter. For the most part, I'm only concerned with testing VHF and FM.

Also, has anyone found the 'Peak Power' kit a useful addition to the trusty Bird.

 

The PEAK BOARD will be fine if your working SSB HF radio!but if your only seeing FM or AM radio well not sure if it a good move for the money!

Check on Ebay surely you can be fond one there.

 

Guy

 

 

 

[Gary Watson]

I would add an HF frequency slug instead of a peak power option. I always found that if you were missing one frequency band then that's the one you would need. Also any HF I worked on would also Tx in AM so you could check if the tuner or coupler were working. If it isn't making full power there is nothing you can do in the bush anyway. Same with the VHF units-AM or FM, the Bird will show if the unit is TXing ok and tell you if the antenna system is ok. Unless you are prepared to start repairing the radios in a non-shop environment all you can really do is fix coaxes and replace antennas and the LRU.

 

Just my $0.02 worth

 

[machinegun kelly]

I would add an HF frequency slug instead of a peak power option. I always found that if you were missing one frequency band then that's the one you would need. Also any HF I worked on would also Tx in AM so you could check if the tuner or coupler were working. If it isn't making full power there is nothing you can do in the bush anyway. Same with the VHF units-AM or FM, the Bird will show if the unit is TXing ok and tell you if the antenna system is ok. Unless you are prepared to start repairing the radios in a non-shop environment all you can really do is fix coaxes and replace antennas and the LRU.

 

Just my $0.02 worth

 

 

I agree, I can't do much with it in the bush, other than confirm the obvious. The object is to test the radios before everything leaves for the summer. When the machine leaves for the arctic for a few months, I want the radios proven to be serviceable when they leave.

I'm not prepared to go into the boxes like a radio shop, that's beyond our scope. I just want confirmation that tx is strong, reflected power is acceptable, and our co-ax and antenna is good.

 

I was just curious on what slugs people had in their kit? Or other opinions? (SWR meter opinions?)

 

Thanks guys!