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Reviews For: Daiwa NS-660PA

Category: SWR & Wattmeters & Dummy Loads

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Review Summary For : Daiwa NS-660PA
Reviews: 11MSRP: £249.99 GBP
Description:
SWR & POWER METER
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00114.8
G4VRR Rating: 2022-07-13
Good Meter Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After a seven months futile wait for a (paid for upfront) Diamond SX240D, one of these popped up in NS660P guise, so I had my money refunded and I snatched up the Daiwa in no short order.

A Daiwa meter review is not the place to pontificate on Diamond, but hey guys- maybe a word, maybe a letter? The relatively expensive Diamond meter doesn't even have a "PEP" measurement capability, so I seriously doubt Covid related semiconductor shortages.

This Daiwa NS660P has a very robust construction, very nearly strong enough to handle recalcitrant 10mm coaxial cables hooked up, and the average power readings compare well with my Telewave 44. The meter comes in a bewildering array of model suffices, but for my needs the lower full scale of 15 watts provided by the /P variant is by far the most useful. If you run "more volts Igor" power then you'll
perhaps go for one of the other options which will have a commensurately higher minimum full scale.

The illumination for the meter movement is completely unnoticeable unless in a fully darkened room, at which point it is still barely sufficient to read the graduations on the meter's scales. I suppose an LED upgrade is in order.

The reason I have clipped off a star is because if you have the VHF / UHF remote sensing head, after fumbling around at the rear apron to select it (really should have been a front panel switch) you then have to move the front panel sensitivity switch up a notch effectively making the 15, 150 and 1500 watts scales read 1.5, 15 and 150 watts. If you are unaware of this or you forget, you will end-stop the movement and the meagre "instructions" omit to tell you this. I thought it was faulty at first, but after a considerable web search I tracked down a review from the July 1989 RadCom (in between all the sponsored hits and dead end eBay links) written by Angus McKenzie, G3OSS, which clarified the situation. This is a pretty poor show. I suppose the scrap of paper instructions for the remote sensor may mention it but I wasn't provided with a copy. Anyway, owning the remote sensor pre-supposes you have the meter, so it should be detailed in the meter instruction leaflet because it's the meter movement that takes the hit.

In addition to the aforementioned Telewave, I have used a Welz SP350 to fill the sub 20 MHz gap that the Telewave imposes for decades and it has served me well enough, but this Daiwa is a definite improvement if only in ergonomic terms due to the crossed needles readout. All in all a first rate acquisition. Would I buy it again? Definitely because everything nowadays is value engineered to within the skin of its teeth, but hen's teeth should prove easier to locate.
SWLCHRIS Rating: 2018-07-21
A steal of the year item Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I can't say enough about this fantastic meter I just got today and put into line. I now know what my true output is on the TS430. The meter shows me my swr and rf power forward in an easy to see dial.Which also is illuminated. The accuracy is amazing,considering I was working with an MFJ 904H tuner before, that meter was impossible to figure out .Very heavy case tells me this isn't going to fall apart anytime soon.It's not leaving my desk anytime soon either.
G4MJA Rating: 2018-01-20
Excellent Meter! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
A short while ago, after advertising on a UK site, I was lucky enough to get a DAIWA NS-660P in immaculate condition, I'd been looking for one for a long time. This is the 660P version with 3 power settings: 15w, 150w & 1.5kw. It is an active power meter & has 3 selections: AVG,NORMAL PEP & PEP HOLD. The most useful function is PEP HOLD to give a true reading of your output power on SSB. The meter is well built & very accurate. If you find one, buy it, you will not be disappointed.
K9PLK Rating: 2015-12-20
GREAT METER Time Owned: more than 12 months.
HAD THIS METER FOR 2 YEARS AND FABOULOUS!!!!!!!! I HAD OTHER METERS FROM DAIWA AND THEY WERE CRAP!!!! THIS ONE IS A KEEPER! WORKS ON 2 METERS ALSO !!!!!
CR7000 Rating: 2013-10-26
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a fantastic meter

It has a peak hold setting that measures ssb pep very well

To see this meter in action someone has posted a video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BA-qQcVHn0

This video gives a good idea why you need a powered pep hold function to measure ssb

A permanent fixture in my shack, hard to find, if you do come across one then buy it, as it will serve you a lifetime and you will not need anything else
M0HDX Rating: 2012-06-07
Never sell it..Keep it Time Owned: more than 12 months.
These are pretty hard to come by,I managed to buy a mint one off ebay boxed and im very happy.Nice accurate meter reads up to 1.5KW mine is the(P)model.The (PA) model is the 3KW version,The meter as three setting for Average,pep normal,and peak hold.

NS-660PA power settings 30-300-3000 watts
NS-660P power settings 15-150-1500 watts

The Daiwa 660 looks good in any shack and is certainly a keeper.

Cheers jim
W2RAC Rating: 2006-09-20
GREAT Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The 660pa was my 1st meter and still is my favorite after 10+ years.
Found a 2nd one hit by lighting, replaced some caps/resistor and the IC and all is good but the REFLECTED needle is open. Anyone got a spare?

Great meter, love the optional RF inline sensors.

Richard W2RAC
PA0Q Rating: 2003-10-11
Still very good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the Daiwa NS-660P in 1988. All my other stuff from that time has been sold, but the NS-660P did stay and is still doing a very good job.

In the meantime I bought two sensors for it; the U-66V and the U-66S2. They too are of excellent quality.

It is a very reliable and accurate SWR/Power-meter.

No problems at all. Recommended in every way!

KC9ANI Rating: 2003-10-10
So Far - So Good Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Purchased one used at the Indy hamfest this summer. Seller was supposed to send a copy of manual/paperwork but he never did (shame shame) but in any case, a fine fellow ham in florida was kind enough to send me copy for the records and the meter seems to work well. Had to calibrate a bit but all is well now. Very sturdy meter but light could be a bit better. For the price I paid, I am very happy.
KC8BA Rating: 2002-04-06
Very good meter Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought the Daiwa 660-pa new at Dayton in 1993.
It is accurate and has average, pep normal and a pep peak hold function. Have not had any problems.
It has found a permanent place in my shack.