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| Reviews Summary for PSKMETER by KF6VSG |
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Reviews: 23
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Average rating: 3.6/5
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MSRP: $39.35
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Description: Microprocessor-based RF signal sampler that periodically checks your RF output, computes its IMD locally, and automatically sets the sound card's audio level to provide the highest RF output with minimum distortion.
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More info: http://www.ssiserver.com/info/pskmeter/
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write your own review of the PSKMETER by KF6VSG.
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N7QAX
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 15, 2008 20:04
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works it suppose too.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I build the kit over a year ago. I have used the unit at my home QTH (ICOM IC-756PROIII) and portable (Yaesu FT-100D and ICOM IC-706). I have never a problem with it. During the portable operations, my club was at a expo to show off ham radio, the PSKMETER helped us produce a clean signal. Club members were very impressed with the kit. We are thinking using the kit to interduce kit building to other members.
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VK4YEH
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Rating: 1/5
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Dec 6, 2008 20:04
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poor service
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The PSKMETER may or may not work, I still don't know. I ordered the kit and it arrived promptly, but I didn't start construction for a couple of weeks. Once I had started I found that three components were missing. I emailed the supplier a month ago and still have not even received a reply. Yes I know I can go out and buy the missing parts (in fact I intend to tomorrow) but that is not the point. I received a faulty item and have not had even the courtesy of a reply to my email.
I cant recommend the product because I haven't been able to use it yet, and certainly cannot recommend the supplier.
Tim R
VK4YEH
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N3INM
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Rating: 2/5
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Jul 19, 2008 12:04
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Wished it worked better
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Easy to build and lots of great support from supplier. I was, even with help, not able to get the unit to work with my dell laptop and ICOM 746. Others have told me the unit worked for them.
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AA5NI
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Rating: 2/5
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Jul 19, 2008 07:08
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PSKMETER
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I recently purchased a complete PSKMETER kit with USB and case. Assembled the kit in quick order and attempted to get it set up. The comments in the instruction manual were that his young son built one and it worked right away. The fact is it goes together pretty quickly. Initial testing showed everything worked perfectly. My problem started when I tried to mate the PSKMETER to the USB cable. While I had both a male and female DB-9 connection, both connectors had bradded in hex standoffs. This made the USB feature unuasable at least until I found an accessory mating plug. I emailed the seller and never received a response. It is currently on the work bench and hopefully I can get it together soon. A great concept but may have bugs.
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WA1KBE
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Rating: 3/5
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Jul 1, 2008 13:06
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Nice but needs work
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I have unfortunately experienced a number of issues with this device:
1. Sensitivity to RF - solved by winding an 8 turn coax choke on a plastic bottle where coax enters shack
2. Auto level control - does not work properly - reduces RF to very low level - no fix found yet..
3. Needs well filtered DC - use a battery or a regulated well filtered supply - wall wart alone is NG!
I have got it to work OK in the manual mode and use it to monitor my PSK xmit signal routinely. Usually run 20 - 30 W RF output without issues. Deffinitely tells you if you are over driving the rig - useful addition to shack
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KE4CXP
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 3, 2007 10:14
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Great Add On For PSK
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have owned my psk meter fo about 2 weeks and have noticed a good sized up swing in the number of QSO's that I have been able to make.
The PSK Meter is a little fiddly to set up but once it is set you are ready to go.
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KI4KFS
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Rating: 0/5
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Oct 15, 2007 17:49
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Garbage. Pure Garbage
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I've been operating PSK31 for about 12 months with my Icom 746PRO and have always been able to manually adjust the master volume and wave balance levels to achieve about 30 watts output and no ALC. However, it became a hassel having to make minor adjustments as I moved up and down the DigiPan 2.0 waterfall.
When I ran accross Software Science's website and read about the PSKMeter I thought I had found a way to take the hassle out of PSK31. I ordered the product along with various accessories necessary to connect the product to my computer which increased the total price to $94. The product was delivered quickly and I had it together in about 3 hours. Diagnostic tests performed upon completion showed I had assembled it correctly. Things went downhill when I connected it to the 946PRO. While PSKMeter said my signal was OK, the 746PRO ALC reading was off the chart. I emailed Software Science's tech support with my problem and the only response I received was to disable the ALC which can't be done on the 746PRO. Subsequent emails to Software Science have gone unanswered.
My recommendation: save your money and make the adjustments manually or find some other product. This thing is Garbage. Pure Garbage.
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N4LQ
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Rating: 4/5
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Apr 5, 2007 15:35
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Poorly marked diodes but works
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I was overjoyed when I plugged this thing in and it worked exactly as advertised. The manual is very good but the one weak point in the kit is lack of component identification.
For example:
"The zener diode may be black with a white band, or light gray with a dark gray band, or even glassy with a black bank on one side and copper appearance on the other".
Yes....a "black bank"!
Considering there are 2 other diodes with similar descriptions, don't expect to get it right the first time. I spend many anxious moments trying to remove 2 of them that I had installed in wrong places. I recommend you read ahead a few pages and study those parts before soldering! Thru-hole eyelets are used throughout and unsoldering is almost impossible.
Really, all they needed to do is label these parts somehow. Obviously their parts supplier changes the appearance of the parts often and it's difficult to describe the parts.
Now it's over and it works fine. Seems like a lot of work to go to just to check your IMD. Once you check it and find out all is well, you're likely not to ever need it again, unless you buy a new rig.
BTW: So far, no RFI problems. The meter is not mounted in it's box yet, rather it's just hanging in mid air between some cables. I've tested with it connected to the antenna at full (200w) power from the IC-7800. Even at that power level, it get -26 imd. In fact, the only way I could make it read less than the recommended -22 was to reduce my drive and crank up the audio drive to insane levels.
Overall, a good experience but could have easily gone bad. Be careful! 73
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K4SC
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 18, 2007 18:09
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All thumbs and it worked first time
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Man! The last kit I assembled was a Heathkit Oscilloscope around 1978. These new double sided circuit boards are intimidating, especially to 54 y/o eyes. But I followed the excellent instructions and check out procedures and Voila, it worked. I was able to directly connect my laptop and IC-746PRO data port and the PSKmeter adjusted the TX audio, where I had been unable to after countless hours of trial and error. Got a -26db IMD on first QSO, much much better than the -12 I was getting before.
Also wanted to praise the quick delivery; 3 days by USPS. Kit went together in about an hour, I'm definitely glad I ordered it. I sent back my $279 interface and got a refund; don't need it anymore for simple PSK-31 ops.
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W5GW
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Rating: 0/5
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Jul 10, 2006 05:49
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Poorly designed product
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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My first bad experience with PSKMETER was bad components, a voltage regulator, KF6VSG was very responsive, but eventually I had to send it back as the micro-processor was also bad.
The next issue is it's susceptability to near RF fields. My shack is not even within 200 feet of my antenna (Cushcraft A3 at 65 feet in air some 200 plus feet away) and I have high quality coax and good, well soldered coax connectors, yet there is not enough shielding or susceptability protection in the PSK meter to prevent it from overloading and giving erroneous readings. To his credit, KF6VSG warns of this issue in his instructions. I tried placing in a metal enclosure, still no joy.
I could finally get it to work (kinda) by reducing output power to 5 watts or lower.
But because I typically operate PSK31 at 25 Watts, it is useless. It has been disconnected from my transceiver and is in the junk box.
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