SWR Meters: Projects, Builds, and Technical Information
Find schematics, construction guides, and articles to understand and build SWR meters for your amateur radio station.
SWR meters are essential tools for every ham radio station, allowing operators to measure the standing wave ratio on their antenna systems. A low SWR ensures maximum power transfer from the transceiver to the antenna, minimizing reflected power that can heat up finals and reduce signal strength on the bands. Understanding SWR is fundamental for efficient operation and protecting equipment, whether working DX on HF or making local QSOs on VHF.
This category provides numerous resources for hams interested in SWR measurement. Operators can find detailed articles explaining the principles of standing wave ratios and their impact on radiated power. There are also many homebrew SWR meter projects, ranging from simple designs to advanced digital SWR meters using microcontrollers like Arduino, often including circuit diagrams and software code. Some projects focus on converting commercial SWR meters, such as the Zetagi HP201, for amateur radio bands, while others present modern directional power/SWR meters like the N2PK design.
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Paul McMahon presents a compact VSWR meter designed for QRP portable use, ideal for SOTA operations with rigs like the FT817. The device, constructed from readily available components, employs a simple resistive bridge for wideband performance from 1.8MHz to 52MHz, with diminishing accuracy at higher frequencies. Key features include no need for external power, simple calibration, and operation with low power levels. The design, detailed with parts lists, schematics, and construction guidelines, ensures a 2:1 worst-case VSWR to protect transceivers during antenna matching. Calibration points are set for accurate VSWR readings at various loads. -
Every ham needs an RF power meter. Here is a high performance unit to build at home. -
When building antennas for the Wifi band , a need for an easy way to check the antennas arise. This is a project for a 2.4 GHz band SWR Meter -
Automatic SWR meter and semi-automatic tuning unit by F1FRV -
Conversion of Zetagi HP201 SWR wattmeter for HF Amateur Bands by G8ODE -
A KD1JV Melt solder kit, a swr and power meter operating from 160 to 6 meters ideal for portable and field use -
Inline RF Power & VSWR Meter. A DIY meter 0 to 30 Watt with Average and Peak. Circuit Description, Arduino Nano software code and part list to DIY your own Digital SWR Meter -
A PIC16F876 based, automatic 1.8 to 60 MHz Digital SWR/WATTmeter capable of displaying both the SWR and P.E.P.power values, with a bar graph on the second line tracking the instantaneous power. -
Based on the N2PK design, this swr meter use a stockton directional coupler -
Homebrewed SWR meters projects by G3TXQ -
An analogic Meter for yaesu FT 857 and 897 by I6IBE in italian -
Chart showing how SWR effects how much power you actually radiate from your antenna. -
Measuring SWR and things every CB'er should know -
HF Forward Power & Return Loss (SWR) Meter -
Information on equipment manufactured by the Bird Electronic Corporation, wattmeters, RF loads, switches by I0JX -
SWR and Transmitters Friends or Foes!, making sense of it! -
SWR and RF power meter for home usage, 8 different RF probes with different characteristics and power ranges by OK1DX -
Table of power loss to SWR relation -
Many Hams suffer from a cruel obsessive-compulsive disorder. They're driven to achieve the lowest possible SWR even when it is not necessary by WB8IMY -
Testing SWR on your antenna and getting the best performance from your investment by L.D. Blake, VE3VDC -
Article by SWR by A. Nony Mous -
We worry a lot about Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) in amateur radio since SWR is one indication of how well our antenna system is working. Most HF transceivers and antenna tuners have built in SWR meters. SWR is a measure of a transceiver' s output power verses the portion of that power reflected by the antenna system -
Take the mystery and mystique out of standing wave ratio. QST Article by K5DVW -
How to adjust your SWR on your radio and why. -
This calculator is designed to give the efficiency loss of a given antenna, based on the input of VSWR (voltage standing wave ratio) and other subsequent factors -
Wondering whether to spend a fine day with the YL or with the antenna? This article may help you decide by W1GV -
About SWR, and use of SWR Meter, home made a swr meter. -
An home made SWR meter for 2.4 GHz. A DIY SWR meter that allow precise measurements and calibration of any WiFi antenna. This is test equipment everyone who build wifi antennas should have in their shack. Article is in french and include some videos. -
A Wifi (V)SWR Meter to build yourself -
Bird 4314 RF Power Meter Battery Replacement -
How to repair and calibrate a used Bird model 43 wattmeter. -
This project presents a compact QRP SWR meter featuring a 0.96" OLED display (128x64 pixels) for high-contrast visibility, updated with software fixes for display compatibility, improved low-power performance, and support for ATtiny45/85 microprocessors. A 1.3" OLED version accommodates visibility needs. Designed for HF QRP transmitters (3-15W), it uses a Breune coupler with germanium diodes for accurate SWR measurement. Powered by a AAA battery, the meter offers a standalone solution for impedance matching, with a 3D-printed enclosure enhancing portability. -
Building a PEP Power circuit for all analogue watt-meter -
Remotely monitor the output power and SWR of your station via a web browser. WT32/ESP32 based project, combined with a directional coupler setup. It reads two voltages which are supplied by the directional couplers. From these, the respective power is calculated with the help of a calibration data table to be created by the user. -
Analysis, design and construction of a simple & useful SWR meter from yesteryear! Schematic diagram, pictures and instructions to build a Monimatch style SWR Meter -
A low-cost SWR meter project based on Arduino that works with AutoCap automatic antenna tuner for magnetic loop antennas -
This is a simple 2.4 GHz SWR meter which is based around surplus microwave hardware which can be easily found. The main component is a MECA -20/-20 dB Directional Coupler which has a frequency range of approximately 700 MHz to 2.5 GHz. -
Undestanding and measuring SWR, Standing Wave Ratio in antenna feed lines. This article also introduce basic concepts and usage guidelines of amateur radio antenna tuners -
Online VSWR Voltage Standing Wave Ratio Calculator -
SWR meter for 1 to 1300 MHz project -
When building antennas for the Wifi band (Like the 8dBi omni), a need for an easy way to check the antennas arose. A Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) meter useable at the 2.4GHz band is however, hard to find. -
The document provides a detailed modification guide for the Zetagi HP201 SWR Wattmeter, converting it for HF amateur band usage. It replaces the original circuit with a Tandem Coupler based on the Sontheimer and Frederick directional coupler patent, enhancing accuracy and sensitivity. Key components include Murata toroid cores, scaling resistors, and a new calibration process. Challenges and solutions during the modification process are discussed, ensuring linear results across 160-10m bands. This guide also includes calibration instructions and theoretical insights into the coupler's operation.