Re: SWR meter for 2.4ghz

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I don't have a ready answer.

Making an HF SWR meter that works well with 50 mW isn't trivial, and making an SWR meter that's accurate at 2.4 GHz isn't easy, either. Homebrewing either one, let alone the combination, requires considerable experience and skill, which Chris indicates he doesn't have, if even crudely accurate results are desired. Suggestions of a directional coupler or slotted line including detector, obtained complete from eBay or other surplus source, sound like the best ideas to me. Impedance information is available from the slotted line, but either will give enough information to allow adjusting for the best match.

Another way to adjust the match would be to put a 50 ohm pad -- 6 dB or so should be plenty of attenuation -- between the signal generator and antenna to insure a 50 ohm source impedance. Then the match can be adjusted for maximum field strength as indicated by a field strength meter. That avoids the need for an SWR meter or any calibration or reference. All you need are fairly decent pad and coax, both of which are easy to come by.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Amos Keag wrote:
I believe a "Slotted Line" would be among the better ways to measure SWR in this frequency range.

Ask Cecil or Roy, regular contributors to this list, for their advice.

AK

Chris W wrote:

Can someone tell me where I can get an SWR meter that will work in the 2.4 to 2.45 ghz range with 50 to 1000 mW? I have found several websites that claim to tell you how to build your own, but none of them have anywhere enough information for someone who doesn't already know what they are doing. 


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