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| Reviews Summary for IMD Meter by KK7UQ |
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Reviews: 20
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $135. USD
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Description: Stand alone IMD measuring device for PSK31 and PSK63 operation. The IMD Meter picks up the radiated signal from the antenna, amplifies it with a broad band AGC controlled RF amplifier, detects the transmitted wave form and analyzes it with a built in micro controller. Displays the transmitted IMD on a three digit LED display. Does not require any connection to the transmitter RF nor does it need a serial port on the computer. Covers QRP to QRO levels, 160m to 10m operation. IMD is detected and displayed in both idle mode and in typing operations. Audio alert when IMD goes above -20 dB. Design is built on a single 4 layer PCB. Packaged in plastic enclosure 4.2" x 2.75" x 1.6" deep. 4 Section telescoping antenna extends to 24".
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More info: http://www.usinterface.com/naviusa_010.htm
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VE7AXU
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 24, 2006 08:02
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The most useful accessory in the shack
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This takes the mystery out of your signal quality - on air reports by other hams don't give enough consistent information. This has added much joy to my operating and I wouldn't be without it. Flawless operation - easy to understand and in use every time I'm on PSK. I highly recommend this device.
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W3GWW
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 22, 2006 10:27
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Precise, Quick reaction and a Rig Saver for me.
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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After debating whether or not I should purchase one I can tell you after the fact that this was the best purchase I ever made for an accessory. One evening during a PSK QSO I observed the IMD Meter fluctuate between -34dB and -10dB and I could not understand why. My digital SWR meter showed reasonable SWR so I went outside to take a look at my antenna. I found that we were having high winds and discovered that my R-8 vertical had an intermittent contact on the 20m band. Mind you, my digital SWR meter showed me nothing. To prove the point, I took the IMD Meter outside with a battery attached and put it in the field strength position with the antenna pushed in to find that my field strength would fluctuate from 15dB to 36dB during high winds. Oh yes, it functions the way it is supposed to and does much more!
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N8INJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 18, 2005 02:42
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One of the nicest kits I've ever assembled
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I debated between the PSKmeter and the IMD meter and finally went with the IMD because I didn't want to deal with another I/O device strapped to my computer.
I ordered the meter with the basic enclosure but recieved an e-mail from Clint saying he would be upgrading me to the Engraved and letting me know it would be a day or two before he could ship my meter.
Even so it arrived sooner than I expected and upon first inspection I was VERY impressed. Then I noticed that I was missing the PCB! A quick e-mail to Clint and he assured me one was on it's way, true to his word it was sent out priority mail and arrived shortly.
The thought that went into this kit puts most mainstream kits I've experienced to shame, not that they were all to shaby in the first place! A good description of the circuit and theory behind it is included in the manual, the resistors and caps are already pre-sorted and taped out making finding them very simple, and the instructions were very clear and helpfull.
There were a few minor things I noticed:
1) The printing on the PCB and the picture of the PCB in the manual are both somewhat hard to read. With the size of components there's not much that could be done to remedy this though. Thankfully everything was numbered in order instead of by component type so the locations of parts was easy to figure out.
2) This is kind of a fallback of #1 above. The cards with the resistors and caps on them don't have the stuffing number on them. It forces you to double check the instructions I suppose which is good. But I found writing the stuffing numbers on the cards made assembly go much quicker.
3) The antenna. It would be nice to have a folding antenna, one that could collapse entirely into the box, or at least a removeable antenna to make this device easier to pack. I've considered brazing the mounting nut for the antenna to it's bracket so I could then unscrew the antenna...but a folding antenna would be much more elegent even if it increased the price of the kit.
I considered the 9-volt but the instructions say you don't get much use out of it, and my experience shows that opening and closing this style of case over and over isn't a great idea. I'm looking into a NiMh pack or Lithium Polymer pack that would have enough power output and decent charge density to make onboard battery power usefull.
Using it to tune up my station was MUCH easier than the what I've done in the past with finding someone local who can hear my signal and give me IMD readings while talked to them on VHF locally!
The designer of the kit goes out of his way to make this an enjoyable build and it's a very professional looking finished product. Tough to go wrong with it in my opinion.
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AI4CQ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 13, 2005 16:10
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Works Great,, A Fine Product
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I ordered the deluxe kit with the engraved panel and the holes drilled in the box. Kit is as professional as they come. Worked first time. Handy to have around for adjustments. I added the battery connector for a 9 volt battery, the solder points are provided but not the connector. I used the formed plastic from the package for the battery as a insulator and spacer of cardboard to keep the battery in place in the case. I substituted a 8 section antenna from my junk box, Mouser #43AR103, in place of the 4 section antenna supplied. This pushes down to 3 inches instead of 6 inches and makes it nicer to pack, in my opinion. A fine product.
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N0AN
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 11, 2005 15:03
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Superb!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I had considered the computer assisted automatically adjusting variety, saw the ad in QST this month for this little jewel. It was hard to believe how well it might work for the reasonable price. I came to eham to find out what the users thought of it, and reviews were quite positive.
Well...add me to the list of VERY satisfied owners. It is solidly constructed (I have already dropped it on the cement floor of my basement with no damage), super easy to use and produced exactly the results I had been looking for. (Fully assembled unit, deluxe enclosure, wall wart power supply)
Service was excellent. I sent an email and a personal money order. The email was acknowledged the next day, and two days later the unit was shipped (to Iowa). I received it on Saturday via priority mail. I had expected a wait of at least two weeks...not so. This is really good service.
I couldn't be happier! BTW my TS-2000 consistently shows > -30 dB of IMD, even with the RF power cranked up to 90w out. (I don't run it like that...usually 35w out)
I have no reservations about the price/performance ans service for this product.
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KD5RFX
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 18, 2004 13:23
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A must have for PSK operations
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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If you are the least bit concerned about the quality of your PSK signal then the IMD Meter by kk7uq should be in your shack.
The IMD Meter kit is second to none. The PC board and all of the components in the kit are of the highest quality. Even the organization of the components in the kit was fantastic and provided for a quick and easy build. It took me just over 2 hours to assemble and perform the initial testing of the board and another hour to assemble the case that the meter fits into. I must have not taken enough time soldering one of the sockets for the IC's, because I ended up with a cold solder and the IMD Meter initially would not work correctly. A quick e-mail to Clint Hurd (kk7uq) brought immediate help. Clint guided me through some quick steps to help ID the source of the problem and got my IMD Meter working properly.
The reliability of the IMD measurements provided by the IMD Meter plus the high quality of the kit and the EXCELLENT customer support provided by Clint all add up to a rating of 5.
If you don't have an IMD Meter get one, you will enjoy doing business with Clint Hurd.
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W4TME
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 8, 2004 21:58
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None Better - You have to get one!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The IMD Meter from Clint KK7UQ is a fantastic accessory for the PSK operator in search of the cleanest signal possible. The kit is well organized, the instructions are very detailed and makes sure that you understand the tricky steps that may trip you up.
Even with my aging eyes, I was able to put this together in a few hours (I take my time with kits) and testing was a breeze. There is an extensive troubleshooting section for those who need it.
Once I got my IMD Meter operational, I thought it wasn’t working correctly (my IMD was too good). I fired off an e-mail to Clint and received a response within an hour. We exchanged a few e-mails and further testing showed that it was working correctly, I just needed to *really* drive the rig hard to generate poor IMD from my rig. Clint even was monitoring my PSK testing from his QTH and verified that my signal was very clean with no side bands. Further on-the-air testing with other hams confirmed my assumptions on the accuracy of the IMD Meter.
I was previously using the PSKmeter (see my review on this site), and it was giving me erroneous results and not properly optimizing my setup for full power (50 watts) and low IMD. I did some side-by-side tests with both products and the PSKmeter was consistently off by -10 dB. I never could get the software that controls the sound card volume to work properly. The PSKmeter now sits in my junk box.
I really like this piece of field test equipment a lot. It is un-intrusive and can be used much more easily that the PSKmeter that requires a connection to your coax and a computer to operate. I also believe it provides a more accurate assessment of your actual transmitted PSK signal.
If you are a PSK enthusiast, the IMD Meter is an addition you need to make to your shack or portable operating position.
-Tim W4TME
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AB6ME
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 29, 2004 13:29
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The best PSK tool on the market!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I originally built a competitive product to the IMD Meter called PSK Meter by Software Science. I will be leaving a separate review for the PSK Meter, but suffice it to say I was not completely happy with the PSK Meter. As a result, I ordered Clint Hurd's IMD Meter to see if it was better. In a word the IMD Meter is GREAT!
I received the kit on a Saturday afternoon (three days from order) and had it running by later that evening. The kit is composed of quality parts and the assembly instructions and organization or top notch. If you have decent soldering skills you will have no trouble building this kit. In fact, you will have a lot of fun. After assembling, I executed the built in diagnostics for the unit and all tests passed. Now it was time to give it a try on the air.
Let me say, this is a very cool device! I have been operating PSK for three years and it has always been trial and error to get signal quality right. Even then, I never really knew what my IMD was and I certainly had no way of knowing which combinations of soundcard level, interface level, mic gain and RF Power gave me the best results. All of that is in the past. The IMD Meter gives me accurate, real-time measurements of my transmitted signal IMD. I can make adjustments and watch my IMD change! I can see my actual IMD while I am in QSO and make immediate adjustments if required. No more guessing or hoping things are right.
Hookup could not be simpler....there is no hookup! The IMD Meter samples your actual transmitted signal off the air via a small telescoping antenna built into the unit. No patch cords, coax connectors, T-Connectors or BNC converters. Just set it on your desk, adjust the antenna with the built-in field strength meter (an added bonus)and it immediately starts measuring your transmitted IMD and displays it on a 3 digit LED. It is elegant in its simplicity and it works.
If you operate PSK, get one of these meters. You will not regret it. It is the best operating accessory I have ever used for PSK.
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W7TK
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Rating: 5/5
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May 27, 2004 00:10
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Mmade itself indispensible
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I can't solder or do Morse anymore so I had mine built. Another box! But what is in the box is magic for the PSK user. IMD measurement is automatic with no connections to anything except power and at any RF power level. A three digit read out tells you what is going on. I got smug when I saw mine at minus 34. When I had to completely retune the meter made it easy and sure. I get reports of very good signal and haven't told anybody I'm using it. Leave your first born child with me and you can borrow mine. kk7uq makes good stuff that makes you smarter than you are.
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N0FY
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Rating: 5/5
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May 11, 2004 12:06
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Great addition to the PSK world
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I had the opportunity to build and test the IMD Meter by Clint Hurd. If you do PSK you know that getting a correct IMD report on the air is usually not practical or consistent. With the IMD Meter you no longer need to ask for your IMD, you will know it and can proudly transmit a clean signal.
Not only does this handy meter measure your IMD directly it also serves as field strength meter for tune-ups and etc. It answers the question – how does my IMD look before you make contacts, a definite advantage. The meter is well designed and functions from 160m – 10m. It does everything Clint indicates plus I have had it down to the milliwatt level and was still able to see my IMD and field strength.
The assembly does require some soldering skill but is easy to build using Clint’s easy to follow instructions. There are no surface mount components. I was able to complete the PCB assembly in about 6 hrs with several breaks. Pretesting was simple and went without a glitch. The IMD meter has a switch position to enable a power-on test.
I give the IMD Meter a 5 star rating because it is fun to build, easy to use and a very useful piece of equipment for the serious PSK operator.
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