| K2QAA |
Rating:      |
2012-05-19 | |
| The absolute best SWR/Power meter |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
What more can I say? Look at all the 5.0 reviews.
I have been licensed since 1958 and have used many different SWR/Power meters but none come close to this beauty.Only negative maybe is its kind of high price. But then you get what you pay for.If you can afford it and need a SWR/Power meter this is the one to get. |
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| NG7M |
Rating:      |
2012-05-08 | |
| Hands down... this is the Wattmeter to get |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| Larry still has some kits available if you ask. I built a LP-100A before my 7QP Single Op County Expedition effort the first weekend in May 2012. It was time to get a real Wattmeter and after using it during the 7QP, I wondered why I waited so long. After my research, choosing the LP-100A is a no brainer. You can't get this kind of precision / feature set for the pre-built price based on the competition. The kit was a pleasure to build too. I highly recommend this Wattmeter instrument. It's no wonder that after 100+ ratings here on eham.net that the average rating is 5.0. |
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| NO9E |
Rating:      |
2012-05-01 | |
| Indispensable |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have one of the earlier units. I consider it indispensable. Gives me accurate wattage and SWR no matter what the power level. Also gives me a fast way to tune the amp: for a fixed amplification ratio. If the amp has a gain of 13 db, with 5W on input one needs to adjust for 100W output at resonance.
The service is excellent. Initially SWR in my unit was off. Larry troubleshoot with me for several hrs to find one parameter out of range. When the display failed, Larry had a retrofit ready. When the unit stopped working way past the warranty (faulty regulator?), Larry fixed it as under warranty. When LP-100 was out, I was feeling that my station was incomplete.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by NO9E on 2006-12-21
I bought LP-100 a few weeks ago. It was nice to find out the peak and average power of my K2, Mark V Field and TT Centurion. However, there was some button bounce and the update was a bit slow. I emailed Larry. He asked some questions and then came with the update. Buttons do not bounce any longer. The peak and SWR bars fluctuate much less. The update is much faster.
As noted by a previous review, it is possible to tune an amp by a few single dits at 60 WPM. Send a dit, look, change a bit, send a dit,. . . In a few dits and a total of a fraction of a second of transmit the amp is tuned.
I am very satisfied with the meter now but also I am curious what new will be in the next update. |
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| VA2DW |
Rating:      |
2012-04-11 | |
| a must for ham shack |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
Have been using that precise instrument
for few months and still asking myself
why I did not get it earlier. The price is affordable
for that kind of meter which uses the latest digital
technology. No more needle meters needed with
plus minus 15% measurements at all from now on.
Very smart guys have developed very smart meter for ham shack application. I am very glad that I have purchased it.
Thanks. |
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| AB6C |
Rating:      |
2012-04-11 | |
| What a GREAT Instrument This Is!!! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I've had Larry Phipps LP-100 now for over 2 years. Recently, he came out with the LP-100A which features a newer display with additional functions, as well as capability for 2 couplers if ordered that way. In my case, I had the original version LP-100 with one coupler capability. The unit is well built.
Never ever did I have a bit of trouble with it. It does what it says and is firmware upgradeable.
When the LP-100A came out I wished mine could become an LP-100A. I talked to Larry, and he informed me that with a change of display board, and an electronics board, it could become an LP-100A, but only with one coupler since there were no additional holes in the back for the additional coupler BNC's which would be on a different PC board that would have to be mounted internally. That was no problem in my case since I didn't need the extra coupler capability.
I sent mine in for the LP-100A upgrade, even though you can do it yourself, but I wanted Larry to cal it for me instead of me doing it myself. He has the NIST equipment to do it with, and what the heck, if you want the best accuracy you can get, why not get it done right? I sent it out on a Monday and had it back on Saturday. Now that's turnaround! The upgrade now permits all the newest firmware for the LP-100A along with its additional functions with this revised model.
The new display is fantastic, and FAST! When tuning my PA and manual antenna tuner, it couldn't be easier especially since it shows two (2) bargraphs simultaneously, Power Out (Avg or Peak) as well as VSWR. Both measurements are also displayed numerically to two (2) decimal points each at the same time no less.
'Nuff said as they say. This meter rocks! Super easy to use, easily visible day or night, and computer programs are available on his site that will greatly increase the versatility of this instrument.
Larry is great to talk to, and will give you the straight scoop. There are lots of reviews showing a "5" and they are right. This is a "5+" in my opinion. Get one, you won't be disappointed. |
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| K2GAV |
Rating:      |
2012-04-01 | |
| Trustworthy, accurate, fun to use |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I've been wanting to own an accurate power meter with a trustworthy SWR measurement capability and the LP-100A fills the bill.
It's great to purchase a device designed and built in the USA! Larry Phipps, owner of Telepost, Inc., is a wonderful person to deal with too.
You can see all the features of the LP-100A on Telepost's web page, and there are many more than I'm mentioning here. I really like the peak hold feature and the SWR alarm. You can loop your amplifier control through the device so that upon SWR alarm (settable) the amplifier will be unkeyed to protect it. This is a great feature as it adds SWR protection to my old Heathkit SB-1000.
I like how the coupler is separate from the unit. This allows my stiff LMR-400 transmission line to be neatly stowed behind the desk with the coupler, leaving the display free to move around with just two flexible pieces of RG-58 coax running down to the coupler's outputs. The coupler coax is supplied with the unit, and Larry didn't skimp on the length of them either!
If you're looking for an accurate indication of power output and SWR in an attractive and easy to use display, buy the LP-100A! |
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| PA1HR |
Rating:      |
2012-03-30 | |
| A joy to built and a joy to use |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I built the LP-100A myself with two RF Sensors. It was a big joy to built them and it is a big joy to use them! I came from the PowerMaster which I used for 3,5 years, but I like the LP-100A much better. The display is much better and the features are much better. And you can build the LP-100A yourself which is a big plus! Larry N9LP is a very friendly and helpful man. The manuals are excellent to read and to understand.
It's all more then highly recommended!! |
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| W9GOD |
Rating:      |
2012-03-28 | |
| SUPERLATIVE & AMAZING DIGITAL VECTOR RF WATTMETER |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
LP-100A DIGITAL VECTOR WATTMETER REVIEW
I decided to save a few bucks so I ordered and built the LP-100A from a kit. Well I'm thinking HEATHKIT remember those days? Back in the sixties I was a NASA Certified solder, and had built just about every kit HEATHKIT ever offered, so hard can it be. Well this kit is not for the faint of heart, if you drink a lot of coffee, drink those 5 hour shot drinks, have 64 year old eyesight, and don't have a magnifying glass. The LP-100A went together well IN ABOUT 10 HOURS FOR ME, there were no problems, WOW the LP-100A worked the first time it was powered up. Winding the toroids in the coupler was different and a bit tedious, the coupler assembly and the kit is NOT recommended for the first time kit builder. Seriously if I had to do it over again I would have ordered the assembled LP-100A.
I have owned the HEATHKIT, SWAN WM-3000, TUCKER Model TM-3000HF, Radio Shack and several other watt meters, but never owned nor wanted a BIRD wattmeter. In my OPINION the BIRD was an overpriced, well constructed SLUGGY, HEMORRHOID looking attachment, that is NOT functional in a Ham Radio station. You have to own MEGA DOLLARS of SLUGS, and have to SWITCH them back and forth to read FORWARD and REVERSE power, and then you have to get your SLIDE RULE to figure your SWR! So I waited and waited and THANK GOD for LARRY & JANET PHIPPS and their LP-100A DIGITAL VECTOR WATTMETER.
I have operated and tested the LP-100A for almost a year in contest, rag chewing, DX chasing, in conjunction with my HENRY 2K CLASSIC-X, COLLINS 30L-1, TEN TEC HURCULES II, and the HEATHKIT SB-230 AMP. My antennas have been the STERBA CERTAIN, HUSLTER 7BTV VERTICAL, and THE "DB" antennas WITH NO ISSUES!! The style of the LP-100A DIGITAL VECTOR WATTMETER is CLASSIC like the MUSTANG GT, COLLINS 30S-1, HEATHKIT SB230, and ENGINEERED LIKE THE TEN TEC "SDR" radios FIRST AMERICAN BUILT EQUIPMENT TO OFFER "INTENET SOFTWARE EQUIPMENT UPGRADES!
The LP-100A DIGITAL VECTOR WATTMETER. has everything you will ever need for critical station monitoring, tuning and protection on one easy to read and understand screen. This meter has dual bargraphs like NO OTHER watt meter, a graphic display with solid bargraphs, a bargraph with 90 bars for fine tuning of Power and SWR, a SWR alarm with snooze mode, a "sticky" bar for graphic peak hold indication... let alone having them all on one screen! I have found this is by far the best display for tuning a manual tuner like my DENTRON SUPER, SUPER, TUNER, without having to change display mode for normal operation. It is also the only DIGITAL VECTOR WATTMETER with 11 bands of frequency indexed NIST traceable calibration points using a built-in frequency counter.
Plus, the LP-100A has additional modes no other wattmeter has when you desire them... vector impedance, dBm/RL, calibrated field strength and compression ratio.
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Performance of this instrument is "SUPERLATIVE", "AMAZING", and "LOGISTICALLY CORRECT IN DESIGN"!! It is so simple to use even a CAVEMAN could operate it with no issues. The WINDOWS download software that works with it definitely increases the value of the LP-100A beyond all competitors offering Remote control/monitoring | Automated plotting of SWR, complex impedance, RL, rho, Smith Chart | Automated antenna pattern plotting | Integration with TRX-Manager . The LP-100A DIGITAL VECTOR WATTMETER Plot program gave me some useful and valuable new information about my various antennas and allowed me to improve my patterns.
In summary the LP-100A DIGITAL VECTOR WATTMETER, per feature is the CHEAPEST WATTMETER AVAILABLE TODAY and when you have yours sitting on your operating console I know you'll agree... the LP-100A DIGITAL VECTOR WATTMETER is in a class by itself.
Brad Bradford
W9GOD / NNN0PKC NAVY MARINE CORPS MARS "SERVING THOSE THAT SERVE"
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| N8DUY |
Rating:      |
2012-02-25 | |
| AWESOME METER! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
THE LP-100A IS ABSOLUTLY A STATION MUST! VERY ACURATE AND LOADED WITH FEATURES!
IT MONITORS ALL MY LOW BAND (160-10 METERS) AND 6 METER OUTPUTS WITH THE TWO COUPLERS.
I JUST WISH HE HAD SENSORS FOR VHF AND UHF. I WOULD BUY A SECOND METER FOR THEM.
IF YOU WANT A QUALITY/HIGHLY ACURATE METER THAN LOOK NO FURTHER!
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|
| N7LEQ |
Rating:      |
2012-02-17 | |
| LP-100A What an AWSOME HF Wattmeter!!! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I just got the LP-100A two weeks ago and what a beautiful meter. The functionality is incrediable. I talk to Larry N8LP about the meter and software for Windows 7 64 bit and he answered all my questions and said to call back anytime if I needed anything, great guy. I have own the Kenwood SW-2000, Mirage MP1 and a few others and I really enjoy the digital read out accuracy of this meter. I also downloaded the free software and have played with it as well, no complaints here. . I have a Mirage MP1 that I used for a while and decided to use the LP-100A to calibrated it. I am now selling the newly calibrated Mirage. The LP-100A is more than I expected it to be, no wait a minute IT is the the nicest functional HF digital watt meter I will ever own. Thanks Larry, the price is WELL worth the money, 73's. Mike H N7LEQ Billings, MT. |
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