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Reviews For: Bird 43

Category: SWR & Wattmeters & Dummy Loads

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Review Summary For : Bird 43
Reviews: 52MSRP: 265.00
Description:
RF power meter
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.bird-electronic.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00524.4
WA6DLQ Rating: 2004-02-10
BEST Wattmeter available Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Any time I install a new or work on a old antenna, I use the Bird 43. A little expensive, but it is a piece of wquipment that will give a life time of service and is TOP QUALITY!!!
WV4R Rating: 2003-12-10
Bought NEW circa 1973... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My Bird43s...

I just perused this Bird43 Product Review and thought I might put in my penny’s worth. I bought my first Bird in 1973 after returning from Vietnam. It was the ‘original’ Peak Reading model with 2-Mallory batteries. I left it ON for a few hours and of course the batteries went dead. I discovered No one had these antique batteries so I called Bird and they told me the batteries had been discontinued by Mallory but sent me a fresh set. I put them in and of course they went dead in short order as well. I wrote a letter to Bird describing my utter frustration. A few days later, a box arrived in the mail. It was a Bird Upgrade Kit to the Ni-Cad, Rechargeable model… At NO Charge! Well, that was my first and last occasion to use Bird Customer Service. About ten years later, I bought a vanilla Bird43, and the unit went dead after a few years. A fellow ham was an aircraft instrument technician so I took it to him. He put on his magnifiers and pronounced the meter needle had separated from the movement due to a poor solder job… a minute later and a six-pack later, the meter doctor had cured my Bird’s illness. I now have Three Birds because when someone sells one at a good price, I will buy it! I have lots of slugs now and even Bird slug cases. Every five years or so, I take apart my Birds and clean all the mechanical contacts. I replaced the Ni-Cads with NIMH last time around and it is Really jumping now on Peaks… jest like when it was new over twenty years ago. Due to Quality, Reliability, classic looks and of course Customer Service, my Bird43s have to receive the WV4R/FIVE STAR rating. 73 es God bless, murf.
VE3YF Rating: 2002-10-05
Industry Standard Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have only used one other type of Watt Meter and after getting inconsistant results, decided to go and get a Bird 43. I find that keydown the meter yields very accurate results. Voice is another story, perhaps I should invest in the Peak Reading option, which I find is a little on the expensive side. Good thing that a Bird 43 can be found anywhere at a good price. Slugs tend to be a bit pricey on the used market. But what the heck, if you want good to excellent results you have to pay for it. Replacement parts if ever are required should not be a problem as Bird has been around for years and should continue to do so in the future. Any serious station should never go without one.
KA3POY Rating: 2002-08-30
43P worth the cost Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After spending years using "consumer" grade ham watt/swr meters I discovered what apparently is widely known: most of these things are inaccurate. The one I happened to be using was, at times, wildly inaccurate. Buying a Bird 43P was an eye-opener: all of my rigs immediately started putting out 20%less power! SWR readings no longer escalated as power increased.

If you are constantly playing with antennas, or you're a dxer or contester where station effeciency is a big deal, it doesn't make sense to spend $2,500 on a rig and $50 on a meter. Additionally, if you ever work phone and you have an amp, a real peak reading meter like the 43P is useful in measuring your exciter power and keeping track on how your amp is really doing. At modest input settings my TL922A only puts out about 400w rf when you look at average power, but when you measure peak power it's actually putting out over 700 watts.

There are tons of good used Bird meters and elements out there so you don't have to buy a new one. Once you own one you'll never wear it out so it works out over time.

73

N5IIT
GW4RWR Rating: 2002-05-19
Pace setting power meter! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The Bird 43 epitomises the best of American engineering. Capable, intuitive and robust. It's not bogged down with unnecessary features that add nothing to the functionality.

I experience similar feeling when I come across the car radios fitted to American cars...they're blessed with simplicity, rather than overburdoned with gimmicks.

Such fitness for purpose affords aesthetic pleasure. Little wonder that this instrument is so popular, many decades after its introduction.

The plug-in elements may not be cheap, typically £70 in UK, however they're available for about £25, used. Peak measurement capability may be easily and cheaply added, using LM324.

I thoroughly recommend this product. It works well, looks good and won't depreciate.
K9KJM Rating: 2002-03-27
One of the very best, BUT Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I agree with all of the good things said about the "Bird" BUT for casual ham use, It gets really expensive. Do the math, The basic meter plus a dozen or so "slugs" would buy you a pretty nice radio!! As most amateur use does not really require great accuracy anyhow, only a reference. If money is no object, Or you are going to start a radio repair shop get the Bird. But for normal ham use, look for a used Heathkit and buy a nice radio with the savings.......
INITZERO Rating: 2001-10-08
Bullet-Proof and Fully-Functional Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My father bought the Bird more than two decades ago. When I got my ticket,
he passed it along to me. Even though it had been sitting idle in the Florida
humidity (salt air kills most anything) for two or three years, it fired up just fine.

It's accurate and durable. Though swappable elements, it's also flexiable.

Expensive? Yes.
Worth it? Probably.
Buy it if you see it at half price without thinking twice? Absolutely.

Matt (k4mls)
KD5MSY Rating: 2001-10-08
gives timex a run for its money Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The first time I recall laying eyes on my Bird 43, I must have been around 7 years old. I saw it on my dads work bench, after he had bought it used. My father used to own a "couple" of two-way radio shops, and has given that thing the beating of it life. At the first of this year after FINALY going down and getting my ticket, he gave it to me. I am now 25 years old and it still works. probably not as good as when I was 7, but it works.
KG5IF Rating: 2000-10-10
Best wattmeter Ive ever owned Time Owned: more than 12 months.
had this bird for years traded it for a icom 2m ht. Best trade I ever made. The meter is solid, reliable and accurate. A great assett is the leather case that you can get. The case also has room for the elements in it. Dont waist money on a lower quality meter. Bird is the way to go
WG7X Rating: 2000-06-09
Bird 4304 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This meter is my favorite, because it is very rugged, and best of all, needs no slugs to cover 100 to 1000 mhz! Selectable power levels at 15,50,150 and 500 watts plus forward and reflect makes this an easy meter to use. I like this much better than my 43, with all the slugs... Mind you, the 43 is good too! (hi) Would like to see a PEP function, but most measurements done with FM/CW so not necessary. All in all a great piece of gear.

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Earlier 4-star review posted by WG7X on 2000-06-09

What can I say, the bird 43 is the world standard.
I would like the PEP function to be standard, and not run off a nine-volt battery. I have slugs for mine covering HF, VHF and UHF works on all bands.
This thing really takes a beating and still works.