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Reviews For: Array Solutions Powermaster

Category: SWR & Wattmeters & Dummy Loads

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Review Summary For : Array Solutions Powermaster
Reviews: 182MSRP: 525.
Description:
5% accuracy, temperature and frequency compensated, 1.8-54 MHz, peak-hold modes, bargraph display of power and SWR for easy antenna system matching, PC programmable via RS232, more.

I use two of these meters in my own station, no suprises there for sure, they are great! But we're adding features you may want to know about. The accuracy is NOW 3% with our HP equipment technique which calibrates out more uncertainty. The coupler heads are interchangeable from HF to uWaves with the new LITE 3.0, and all instruments in the field will be upgradable to a new feature, the COUPLER SCANNER. It will automatically scan multiple couplers for you. Pretty cool stuff. AND more features to come.

Product is in production
More Info: http://www.arraysolutions.com/pm2-3k-so?search=Pow&page=4
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001825
VE3YF Rating: 2007-11-18
Outstanding Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After the results I had with my first PowerMaster I decided that second one was in order for the other operating Position. Simply a great and very accurate meter.

Software enhancements come out in a timely fashion and support from Array Solutions is second to none.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by VE3YF on 2006-08-17

I have been looking for a complete full featured swr/watt meter for quite some time and finally decided to try out the PowerMaster. I have been using it for just a few days and have found that it tracks very fast and accurately as compared to my Bird, both the unit by itself and also when hooked up to your pc. The software is a very nice feature, and allows full complete control. The software and firmware is upgradeable via the internet. The meter looks great, works exactly as advertised and is very solid construction. Another great product from Jay.
K4RH Rating: 2007-11-11
******Great******** Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
You know most people post when they are disappoint with a product. Just look how many have taken the time to post good things about the Power Master this should be more than enough to tell you how much we think about the Power Master. You will never be disappoint great piece of equipment.
VE7RF Rating: 2007-11-09
Makes My Bird/CD pep meter's look like "sick puppies" !!!!! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I own 1 x 3kw HF 1.8-6m coupler... and also 1 x 20 kw HF 500 khz -30 mhz coupler.

I had Jay test in the lab.. and verify that TWO identical display units can be paralleled to the SAME coupler. It works superb... paralleling done via a gold plated RS 1/4 adaptor. Now I can read the same IDENTICAL info in both the shop.. and my shack. I experiment with HB linear's in the shop.. so have a need to be able to read power/swr in two different locations.

I tested both 3 kw display units side by side... paralleled.. and all info is identical.

I also have couplers on both the input.. and the output of all my amps. With the pro software... this will indicate the GAIN of the amp under test. You can see an amp go into gain compression easy with this set up.

The HB amps all have front panel adjustable tuned inputs...[ 2 x broadcast caps + a 4 uh tapped coil]. The swr dipping bargraph on the Powermaster makes tweaking the tuned inputs a snap.

Having TWO identical display units for each coupler has several other advanatges. The high swr alarm functions can be expanded to include both applying -10 vdc to the ALC buss on the yaesu... and also opening off the key lines to the linears... and then latch the entire mess !

Multiple PC's can be used as well.. one for each display unit.

I also tried the hi/lo power alarms for all my displays.. they work superb.

On my Drake L4B's... with a dead cxr... and anything >700 watts... the bargraph would dither.. and flicker on the last two bars. I switched on the RF scope.. and saw the same thing.... turns out to be the 3% RIPPLE in the HV supply. The Powermaster has peak detector's that are so damned fast.. they will detect any HV pwr supply ripple... just as easy, or easier than a scope [ with dead cxr's]

Ok... here's what it WON'T DO..... yet. It won't indicate AVERAGE power on ssb. This sucks.. as I like to see an increase/decrease of average pwr when RF clipping is turned on/off... and also when outboard audio rack gear employed. [peak limiter's.. distortion cancelled clipper's etc]

Unlike both my Bird and CD wattmeter's... the Powermaster doesn't drift with room temp. Just hit a bird/cd slug with a heat gun for 15 seconds.. and watch the readings drift 10% in front of your eyes ! They will also drift between 65-85 deg F. On a hot summer day.. in a mobile.. with window's up... they really drift.

To get the eq of my powermaster setup... I would have to get TWO DOUBLE line bird sections [$300]... 4 x slugs.[$500]. and TWO bird "watchmans" [$1000.. EACH] then modify all 4 x 30 ua meter's with PEP boards.[ another $500] After all that... the bird/cd's STILL won't read NET power !

Also.. the bird/cd slugs are only food for +/- 5% of full scale.... anywhere on the scale. You ONLY get +/- 5% accuracy on a bird/cd.. if the needle is almost to the peg. At 1/2 scale they lose accuracy... and at 1/4 scale.. they are bad news. A typ 2500 w bird slug is good for +/- 125 watts accuracy [ 5% of FS]

What this means is.. when measuring say 500 watts.... IF the bird reads 500 watts... the real power could easily be 625 w... or 375 watts ! Now u get the pix.

You require a LOT of calibrated slugs to get a bird to be useful. Meanwhile the powermaster works just great from .5 w up to 20 kw... and everything in between.

I looked at the Alpha... totally useless.. since it does NOT have a high swr kick out circuit.

I had Jay use 393 teflon coax in the 3 kw coupler..... and 1/2" heliax in the 20 kw coupler. The 20 kw coupler uses 7-16 DINS.... and the 7-16 means 7mm OD of female center connector... and 16mm ID of finger stock outer collet. Now 7mm is .284" and you will never blow up a din connector. The 7-16 Din is a superb connector... used by the Cell industry.. good up to 7 ghz too. It's compact... the chassis receptacle is 1.25" square. A SO-239 is 1" square. I use 7-16 DIN's on a lot of stuff .

I have been using both rack mounted pep birds.. and also pep Coaxial Dynamic's meter's for years. They were fine in their day... but are now long gone OBSOLETE imo. The POWER MASTER raises the bar up through the roof. For once.. I have total conrol over ALL parameter's of power measuring on an amp/ant.... including input swr on an amp...net pwr drive level to an amp... and net power out to the ant/ swr to the ant. With alarms galore... it's sweet.

I obtained two rack mount kits. One 3kw/20kw displays are in the shack... the 2nd identical 3kw/20 kw dispays are in the shop.

Try doing that with a bird/cd... it's a horror show. You need line driver's to drive the ADDITIONAL 4 x 30 ua meter's [now a total of 8 x 30 ua meter's.. + line drivers]

Later... Jim VE7RF

KB1MNO Rating: 2007-10-29
An Excellent addition to equipment in the Shack. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Purchased this Powermaster Watt Meter to get top quality equipment. I developed problems with the display panel. Called Jay at Array solutions and we determined that I had RF in the shack causing the problem. After blowing out the Zener diode, I returned the unit for repairs. After promptly getting the unit back, I still had problems with the display. After changing the antenna from a G5RV to a vertical, the problem cleared up.

I have had great success with this powermaster wattmeter ever since, and it is equipment I will never part with.

I did let my grandson use this watt meter for a contest he was in and he loved the wattmeter and was very envious of this quality wattmeter.

I am very proud that I purchased such a great wattmeter and love its accurate lighted display.
John KB1MNO
N2YXW Rating: 2007-10-20
A Must Have!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I can't believe that I've operated this long without using this meter. Once you look at the accuracy and the other features that this meter has, you will too. The addition protection features make it a must have for anyone operating an amplifier.
BEATTIED Rating: 2007-10-12
Best Product, Best Price, Best Service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Simply put, this is one of the finest products I have ever used in all my years of Ham Radio. I own and use two Alpha 4210 watt meters and they are very nice and are well packaged. Jay and his team at Array Solutions have in my opinion, topped the Alpha meters at half the price and continue to upgrade the equipment. Array Solutions seems to have their hands on the pulse of Ham Radio with new and innovative product designs as well as partnerships with many mfgrs. Hilberling, OptiBeam and many others. I encourage you to visit their web site at www.arraysolutions.com.
73s

Dave
K8OWM

W1LCJ Rating: 2007-10-09
Excellent Product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I'll not talk about specs or what it can do; that's all at Array's web site. I particularly like the remote sensor feature as that makes meter placement much more practicable than a unit hooked to two clumsy coax cables. Functionally the Powermaster is easly to use and accurate compared to my Bird 43 and my Alpha power meter. The price is right too, at half that of the Alpha. Response time is excellent. If I ever need another power meter it'll be a Powermaster.
KF6MD Rating: 2007-09-30
The Powermaster is amazing! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Short and sweet......this unit on a scale of 1 to 5 it's a 10! has some great features and I don't know how I have gone this long without it.
I'm using a HI-Q 5/160 TAD antenna, with the Powermaster it makes it so easy to tune the antenna for a low SWR and see right down to the watt how much power I'm putting out I JUST LOVE IT!
WD4PLE Rating: 2007-09-28
EXCELLENT Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I BOUGHT THE METER FOR VHF FIRST THEN FOUND OUT THAT I COULD ADD THE HF COUPLER. I HAVE THEM BOTH HOOKED UP. THEY WORK GREAT. THE PEOPLE AT ARRAY SOLUTIONS WORKED WITH ME AND FOUND ME AN ADAPTER THAT MATCHED MY VHF ADAPTER EXACLY. EXCELLENT COMPANY TO DO BUISNESS WITH. I LOVE THE PRECISION OF THE METERS. YOU KNOW EXACLY WHAT YOUR RADIO AND AMP ARE DOING. THANKS GUYS KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
W9ZX Rating: 2007-09-23
flawless performance Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The watt meter/SWR meter I used prior to purchasing the Powermaster was the Nye RF Power Monitor. The Nye unit worked perfectly but was getting a bit of age on it so I decided to upgrade. The Array Solutions Powermaster is an amazing piece of equipment. Mine worked perfectly out of the box and continues to do so. It is pricey but worth it if you want a quality accurate meter. I recommend it without hesitation.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by W9ZX on 2007-07-10

I can only echo what others have said. This thing works beautifully. If you want a quality meter this is the one.