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Reviews For: LDG FT-Meter

Category: SWR & Wattmeters & Dummy Loads

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Review Summary For : LDG FT-Meter
Reviews: 49MSRP: 49.00
Description:
Yaesu's popular FT-857 and FT-897 transceivers are wonders of compact efficiency. These do-anything, go-anywhere transceivers were science fiction just a few years ago, but ham's today are using them in shacks, mobiles and on dxpeditions from the back yard to the top of the world.

About the only problem with these radios is that us hams who are old enough to remember when stuff like this really was science fiction are also old enough to wish that the display was just little bit bigger. As we grow in wisdom and experience, we also grow to depend on bifocals; those tiny little screens are just plain hard to read! Add to that a strong desire to see a real live meter needle bouncing on voice peaks, and you find yourself wishing Yaesu had thought all this through when they designed the radio.

Well, in fact they did. A little known feature of these radios, noticed only by compulsive manual readers, is a meter jack on the bottom of the front panel. You have to figure that Yaesu knew they needed a bigger display all along, but just left it as an exercise for the user. Well, help is here! The LDG FT-Meter is a low-cost, plug-and-play solution to all your FT metering needs.

The FT-Meter presents a lush, highly readable 2.5" meter face with calibrated scales for signal strength and discriminator reading on receive, and power output, SWR, modulation, ALC action and supply voltage on transmit. Each function is s electable from the radio's menu. Easily visible from anywhere on your desk or dash, the FT-Meter is illuminated by any external 12 vdc source. The FT-Meter comes fully assembled and ready to go; just plug it into the radio and you're in the picture like never before. Order yours today
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.ldgelectronics.com/FT-Meter_purchase.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00494.6
AF4KK Rating: 2007-02-27
I LOVE mine!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just what the doctor ordered for tired eyes. That backlight is a perfect addition. I have 3 LDG tuners and they're all winners just like this FT-Meter! It goes very well with my Yeasu FT-857!!
NB7I Rating: 2007-02-27
Good Accessory Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Echo all the good, only bad was after 3 months the backlight bulb burned out. Can't somebody use a pleasing LED backlight in this day and age?
N8YAD Rating: 2007-02-27
Nice! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Very pleased, I now have a real swinging needle! Came shipped already dead on calibrated. Easy to use and looks nice. I like the lamp, don't personally care to see a switch for it or not. Good product that fills a need...good job LDG folks!
OE3SGU Rating: 2006-10-01
Great addition Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This meter was used together with an FT-857D and I liked it very much. The large scale is a fun to see. Like all LDG-products I use this one was very well made and works fine.
K8OCN Rating: 2006-09-27
Works Great! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I purchased mine clicking on a link here on eHam (hopefully eHam got a little off the deal) and I just love the meter.
The only thing I could see to improve it is to make the cable just a little longer. Mine sits on the top shelf and the rig is on the bottom shelf.

LDG keep up the good work!
NC2F Rating: 2006-09-27
A Must Have Accessory Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
If you own a FT-897, as I do, this is not just a nice to have accessory, it a 'Must Have' one. A meter is your friend when operating, and when you have a chance to add a meter like this, don't think twice - get it.

The meter face is easy to read, and the case matches both the 897 and 857 nicely. Monitoring your Power, SWR and received signals is easily done now. LDG hit another home run.
KD5ZAT Rating: 2006-09-11
Super Meter Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought the FT Meter as soon as it was available for purchase. Great option for my
FT-897D. I added an on/off switch for the light. Love it!!
KB0XR Rating: 2006-09-11
Analog Meters Rule! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I ordered one of these from W4RT and it arrived in 2 days. Out of the box and installed in about a minute. Powerpoles for the meter light hookup and now it is busy swinging away showing S units on receive and power on xmit. The light is a little bright for my taste and I will be adding an on off switch for it. The case is boxy and doesn't really match the styling of my FT 857D but all in all, I still give it a 5. Just like moving needle meters!!

W4RT was almost $4 cheaper than any other supplier I could find.
K9XYZ Rating: 2006-08-17
The 897D too!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
What a great accessory to the 897. Really looks nice on top of the rig. The meter is very accurate and adds a nice touch to a compact station. I have the AT-100 pro tuner directly on top of my FT-897D then the meter on top of the 100 pro, looks cool and works great, just plug it in and it works!!

LDG ROCKS!!
73
k9xyz
WD9GNG Rating: 2006-06-19
Just What the FT-857 Needed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I received my LDG FT Meter today from HRO. It was out of the box providing accurate signal readings within minutes.

Now I am back in business!

I can stop by WWV and get a good feel on what the bands are really doing. It is easy to check out the small signal variations that I was missing with the straight FT-857 display.

This is a great meter! It looks sharp on top of the rig. I wished I would have got it when it first came out.

I have been a ham for over 25 years and was getting used to today's bar displays. Now I can really see what's going on and what I was missing without a decent display like I had on my earlier rigs.

I also know the quality that LDG delivers. I also have had their AT-100Pro Autotuner which performs flawlessly.

Ken
WD9GNG