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Reviews For: RF Applications P-3000

Category: SWR & Wattmeters & Dummy Loads

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Review Summary For : RF Applications P-3000
Reviews: 10MSRP: $299.00
Description:
RF Applications P-3000 2500W meter
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.arraysolutions.com/Products/P-3000.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00104.5
WB0KWJ Rating: 2024-03-30
A good but not great digital SWR and power meter. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The P-3000 is a good but not great auto-ranging, peak-reading wattmeter for 1.8-30 MHz. It is capable of measuring up to 3000 watts in three ranges, but is set to 2000 watts from the factory. The ranges are set by moving internal jumpers.

The P-3000 consists of two parts: a sensor unit (4.5"x3.75"x2.25") and a display console (6.5"x5.25"x2.25") which can be located any distance apart. The display console requires about 12 volts DC to operate. All display console connections are on the left side of the chassis, which also has slots in the back for flush wall mounting. The sensor unit supplies DC voltages corresponding to forward and reverse power, which are read, calculated and displayed by the console. In addition to SWR, which is available continuously, the display unit will digitally show forward power, reverse power, "true" power (forward minus reverse power), and forward volts. An LED bar graph tracks with the digital display. The LED graph is just quick enough for antenna adjustments, but not nearly as quick as a physical meter or some newer digital units.

The sensor unit was usually supplied with SO-239 connectors for RF. Some had N connectors. An inexplicably serious design flaw involves the use of BNC jacks for the DC connections between the sensor and console. The console and sensor have printed warnings against connecting RF to these BNC inputs. Using non-RF connectors, especially at the sensor end, would have solved this problem more easily, and reduced the number of burned-out units.

The accuracy of the P-3000 is good, within about 10% and affected by frequency. But, lacking frequency compensation, the P-3000 is not any more accurate than any other good wattmeter. I have seen reading variations of 20% between two units calibrated together and fed from the same source at the same time. Comparisons of the readings to those from Bird meters should not be taken too seriously as most Bird elements are never recalibrated after they are bought. Recalibration of the P-3000 is simple, but is made with very touchy single-turn potentiometers. Only a tiny part of the potentiometers' ranges are used. You will rarely get these exactly where you want them. These controls should have been 10-turn, or the circuit designed to use a wider range of the potentiometer. Locating the display unit more than a few feet from the sensor may make recalibration necessary. If you change the range from 2000 to 3000 watts using the internal jumpers, the display unit panel markings become incorrect.

Additional features include a feed-through cut-off relay with RCA connections that opens a switch at 3.0 to 1 SWR, for use with amplifiers and other SWR-sensitive devices. This relay does not latch open, and will reset if the SWR goes below 3.0 or the power is removed for at least three seconds. The 3-second latching feature offers at least some protection against variable SWR situations. Individual LEDs indicate an SWR below 1.5 to 1 and above 3 to 1. The display mode can controlled by a remote SPST switch connected with a 1.8" audio/headphone-style, two conductor (tip & ring) plug.
N8ERM Rating: 2007-01-03
Fantastic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
These units are fantastic. I have three of them. They follow my Bird-43 perfectly. These are bringing close to the original selling price. Funny some one said they are out of business because I just talked with them last week. You may buy the new Alpha but that is too much money for me. I have a friend that has the Alpha and the P-3000 has exactly the same reading. I run my PTT line through the amp safety line in these units. That way my rig will shut down if the reflected power is too high. I am selling my extra one as they are trouble free.
73, Terry N8ERM
G0UUT Rating: 2006-11-25
very happy Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
well made .
i like the way it work it is a workhorse for RF Apps .
i like to thank VINE ANTENNA FOR SELLING THIS NICE UNIT
and as well to Jay from arraysolutions
for sending me the manual good company thank you
RON AND JAY
WX0B Rating: 2005-08-05
P3000 Discontinued Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Recalibrate your P-3000, the manual should show you how to do this if you find it is off. The meter has been a workhorse for RF Apps but discontinued and RF Apps is now out of business.
Please see the next generation watt meters that replace the RF Applications products
http://www.arraysolutions.com/Products/powermaster.htm#top%20of%20page
N4RAP Rating: 2005-08-05
Okay I guess Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a beautiful piece of equipment and is very user frindly. I agreee, with another reviewer, that you can't use this thing to tuner your amplifier or antenna tuner. Therefore,if you have one of these, you're going to need to have two Watt meters in line, anyway. Now I know that the MFJ brandname doesn't necessarily indicate the highest in quality or accuracy, but listen to this. The wattmeter in the MFJ 986 antenna tuner reads 600 to 800 Watts on my Ameritron AL 80A, when the P 3000 reads 1.3KW It's just hard for me to believe. Since I'm not pushing the amp hard at all I jst can't believe those power ratings. Also every radio that I put on the meter reads that it's putting out between 125 and 157 Watts! Even my Kenwood TS 830 with the bad tubes!!! I just think that the Wattmeter in this thing is way too liberal.

You know if I really push my AL 80A, the P 3000 reads 1.5KW and I just don't think the AL 80 will do that much. And the whole time my MFJ antenna tuner/meter is reading 800 to 850 Watts.

N4RAP
Paris, Texas
K9LEO Rating: 2004-09-23
GREAT METER Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I never had a better and more accurate meter. I use it with my TEN-TEC Centurion Amplifier. RF-Applications made a real good meter.
N5IFI Rating: 2003-05-25
P-5000 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Cons
1. Out of the box calibration was way off. My TL 922 was doing 2000w. After doing the math the amp couldn't have been producing more than 1300w.
2. The meter is no good for tuning up. If you are used to tuning up with a analog meter you will not like it at all.(If you don't have to tune up at all you might like it.)
3. The meter must be permanantly mounted. It will stand up but tips over very easily.

Pros
1. Nice features. High Swr Relay,Forward Power,Reverse Power,True Power,Forward Volts and Remote Directional Coupler.
2. Peak Power reads very quickly. No need to stretch out syllables to drive the wattmeter up.
3. Easy to read LEDs

I tried to purchase mine with N connectors. I like to use N connectors. The salesman told me that they wouldn't take the power. We argued a little and he finally told me that he knew what he was talking about. I thought I may have been wrong and went ahead and ordered the meter with the pl's. It works fine this way but I would have rather had the N connectors.
KD5NVC Rating: 2002-12-03
Great True Peak Meter Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I read and reviewed ALL the peak reading meters out there. aquired the P-5000 due to the P-3000 being out of stock. Hookup was flawless and instructions complete. Using a calibratied Bird meter, the P-5000 was a match from 50 to 1200 watts. The power percentage indicators are a bit different than an analog meter but much more sensitive, plus having a true peak AND a percentage indicator is great!.

They offer a interface system that can be hooked directly to your computer. You can monitor TWO HF systems at the same time.

The people at Array Solutions are very helpful if you have any questions. I would recommend this or any R.F. Applications system of this type.

KR4JA Rating: 2001-05-29
You need one of these!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is THE best wattmeter on the market due to it's autoranging feature (no slugs/coils to change) and the amp relay high SWR protection line. I've convinced 3 of my friends to buy the meter ( 2-P3000's and 1P-5000 ) and they all love it!!!! The meter is as accurate as a Bird meter when compared side by side (RF Applications has a replacement chip to increase the accuracy of older models to that of a Bird meter). If you use an amplifier with expense ceramic tubes, the amp relay protection circuit alone is worth the money for this wattmeter. Array Solutions now markets the RF Application meters (http://www.arraysolutions.com/Products/P-3000.htm). Get one, you'll wonder why it took you so long to buy one :-)
W9QX Rating: 2000-09-25
HAY U GUYS U NEED TO GET ONE OF THESE!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
THE R.F.APPLICATIONS P-3000 DIGITAL WATT METER
GIVES THE MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK IF U INVEST IN ONE OF THESE UNITS IT IS ALL THE METER U WILL EVER NEED READS FORWORD - VSWR - LINE VOLTAGE
- PERCENTAGE OF POWER OUT- FOR YOUR OWN GOOD BEFORE
SOMEONE CHANGES THIS GREAT PEICE OF REAL HAM GEAR
COUGH UP THE MONEY AND GET ONE OWELL THATS ALL


P-3000 AAAHHHHH
WOW WOW WOW WOW

73 ALL PAUL W9QX