EMail SubscriptionRegistered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted. Review Summary For: RF Applications VFDReviews: 39MSRP: 249.00Description:0-3kW or 0-5kW Vacuum Fluorescent Display Wattmeter. No longer available. A high end VFD (vacuum flourescent display) replacement meter called the PowerMaster has been introduced as a replacement for the VFD. See website for info.Product is in productionMore Info:# last 180 daysAvg. Rating last 180 daysTotal reviewsAvg.
Overall rating00394.9. Rating:2018-04-24LOVE IT-THE BESTTime Owned: more than 12 months.I HAVE HAD THIS METER A GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS, IT HAS WORKED FLAWLESS AND IS ON SPOT WITH MY BIRD 43 ALL DAY LONG. NEVER ONCE HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT IN THE MANY YEARS I OWNED IT. IF YOU PUT THE METER IN TUNE YOU COULD USE IT FOR TUNING YOU AMP THATS HOW QUICK IT IS.
I HAVE TUNED MY COMMANDER 2500 AND NEVER USED THE GRID METER ON THE AMP ALSO WITH MY ALPHA 87A. YOU ALL COULD KEEP THOSE HIGH DOLLAR ALPHA METERS I HAD ONE AND THIS BEATS IT HANDS DOWN. Rating:2009-08-03Good MeterTime Owned: more than 12 months.I will keep this one simple. I give it a 5 because:It measures peak reading SWR quickly and accurately.It does it well.It has not broken, nor does it appear prone to.It is straightforward and simple to use and set up.Cons that do not detract from the 5 rating because they are probably beyond the scope of the design.Not available in N connectors. UHF connectors are obsolete.
New Gmote - Reviews 2017 Reviews
(the meter is not available any more either!)Plastic display box. I would not use it in an environment where it may be receive an impact.
Rating:2008-06-22Continues to pleaseTime Owned: more than 12 months.More than 12 months followup and I finally joined the QRO crowd with my modest SB-200 I picked up on eBay. The VFD wattmeter satisfyingly shows the higher power levels coming from this classic amp.
(It also demonstrated that I have a problem loading it up on 10 meters - but that's another story.) If you can find one of these classic digital readout Power/SWR meters, buy it - you won't be disappointed. A great addition to any shack. Remote sensor lets you put the meter right in front of you. Alarm settings let you keep track of trouble.
Very satisfied. Highly recommended.-Earlier 5-star review posted by W2NSF on 2004-11-24I'll just add my high marks to the others. My favorite feature is the remote head; let's me put it where I need it and not crowd up the shack.
The bar graph display is something to be seen in person; no way to describe how good it is and how useful it is. The SWR alarm is a real winner, too. Highly recommended.
Rating:2007-09-04A great wattmeter! Easy on the eyes!Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.I purchased the 5kw version of the VFD wattmeter on ebay. What a pleasant surprise to see quality workmanship and remarkable accuracy for reasonable price. The meter has the SWR alarm option, to let you know when your SWR are beyond 3.0. Easy on the eyes. You won't need your reading glasses.
The VFD is no longer produced, however, there is a new version currently available at more than twice the price!Find a good, clean, used one, and it will be the last wattmeter you'll ever buy. Rating:2004-10-08Worth the money!Time Owned: more than 12 months.Bought this meter about 4 years ago at Dayton. Paid a high price for it but it is worth every cent.
Accurate and reliable. I use it to tune my Alpha 99 and it takes every watt without squawking. Nice peak reading indicator, even displays my callsign.
The meter is on many hours a day and no sign of display fading or dimming, still bright and clear. Highly recommended. One complaint, cheap plastic housing could use improvement and then it would be near perfect. Rating:2004-09-28Using it on more bandsTime Owned: more than 12 months.I bought the VFD some time ago with the 3kW HF coupler.
It is not calibrated on 50MHz, but rather showns 75% of the true output.The real innovation of the VFD is the readout unit. I am wild about the peak indication, which in contrast to the BIRD range of wattmeters works fine with SSB.
The bar graph gives a good tuning indicator without any button actions needed.I made some couplers for 144MHz & 432 MHz. Calibrated them to the same scale as the HF coupler, and simply paralleled them to give one central readout for 1.8MHz - 432 MHz. Great!The story about the extra couplers can be found here: http://home.hccnet.nl/uffe.noucha/uffe/tech/vfd/vfd.htm. Rating:2004-08-10GoodTime Owned: 0 to 3 months.Nice looking and seems to be accurate.
Or at least agrees with the power meter in my Ameritron AL-80B. I like the VSWR protection feature. My unit arrived with one nut rattling around inside the case and two others loose. But it worked fine after correcting this problem. I will overlook this and assume the assembly person was having a bad day.The manufacturer seems willing to talk to you and offer help if needed.
My only dislike is a personal preference - I prefer a meter rather than a led display. The led seems to flutter and fades out on the high end where you really want to see it. Overall though I'm satisfied. «.PLEASE READ.PRODUCT REVIEWS TERMS & CONDITIONS-NOTES. To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community siteon the Internet. A 'portal' that hams think of as the firstplace to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part ofwhat’s happening with ham radio on the Internet.
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