CB and Ham Radio Techs Love Their Bird Wattmeters

[vk6zgo]

I did do some work on the mounting plate, but haven't test-printed it yet. Looking at the pic the AD8307 board would be on the left, and the breakout board that the Nano would be on to the right. The hardware (bolts and nuts) would be M3 on the left and M1.6 on the right .

The boards will sit back as far as needed so the back panel (yet to be designed) will simply have openings so the SMA jack and USB mini jack stick out - no extra hardware needed.

Why don't you just sew it up in a sock---"elite" fashion?

[xrunner]

I did do some work on the mounting plate, but haven't test-printed it yet. Looking at the pic the AD8307 board would be on the left, and the breakout board that the Nano would be on to the right. The hardware (bolts and nuts) would be M3 on the left and M1.6 on the right .

The boards will sit back as far as needed so the back panel (yet to be designed) will simply have openings so the SMA jack and USB mini jack stick out - no extra hardware needed.

Why don't you just sew it up in a sock---"elite" fashion?

I'm doing elite and pioneering work here and discovering new inventions for the community!

[xrunner]

I printed a thin test run of the mounting plate. By thin I mean I just wanted to check the fit and placement of holes before wasting more plastic on the required thickness, so I stopped the print after a few layers. The fit was very good, all I needed to do was move the mounting holes for the breakout board a bit closer to the rear by 0.5 mm. Everything else was perfect. I'd challenge the robot being developed by a certain person on the forum to do any better.

 

[vk6zgo]

I printed a thin test run of the mounting plate. By thin I mean I just wanted to check the fit and placement of holes before wasting more plastic on the required thickness, so I stopped the print after a few layers. The fit was very good, all I needed to do was move the mounting holes for the breakout board a bit closer to the rear by 0.5 mm. Everything else was perfect. I'd challenge the robot being developed by a certain person on the forum to do any better.

 

Ah, but remember his robot is "Advanced","Realistic" & can quote the Bible----that must count for something!

[xrunner]

Here's what I think is the final version of the mounting plate - although I reserve the right to make further changes. 

[xrunner]

Got most of it wired up. Hey it's not as sexy as a humanoid robot but it works.

 

Since our roboticist is gone I'll try to be as entertaining as I can, but I can't match that guy.

[vk6zgo]

Got most of it wired up. Hey it's not as sexy as a humanoid robot but it works.

 

Since our roboticist is gone I'll try to be as entertaining as I can, but I can't match that guy.

It's elite!!

[joeqsmith]

Since our roboticist is gone I'll try to be as entertaining as I can, but I can't match that guy.

I think I struck a cord with them.  By the time I read their PM and was going to respond, they were already banned.  I would much rather read their odd blog than much of the other non-technical stuff that seems to be so popular anymore on this forum.   

Outside of changing some firmware and adding an antenna, what's the difference between this new meter and the first one?
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/rf-microwave/cb-and-ham-radio-techs-love-their-bird-wattmeters/msg4464292/#msg4464292

New paint and lettering? 

[xrunner]

Since our roboticist is gone I'll try to be as entertaining as I can, but I can't match that guy.

I think I struck a cord with them.  By the time I read their PM and was going to respond, they were already banned.  I would much rather read their odd blog than much of the other non-technical stuff that seems to be so popular anymore on this forum.   

I'll go to see new videos for a good laugh every so often. 

Outside of changing some firmware and adding an antenna, what's the difference between this new meter and the first one?
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/rf-microwave/cb-and-ham-radio-techs-love-their-bird-wattmeters/msg4464292/#msg4464292

New paint and lettering?

I explained it all here before I put the project away for a while (Jan 2024) -

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/rf-microwave/cb-and-ham-radio-techs-love-their-bird-wattmeters/msg5268060/#msg5268060

[joeqsmith]

So just a different display, antenna and firmware?   

Couldn't the original one detect it as it was?

[xrunner]

So just a different display, antenna and firmware?   

Couldn't the original one detect it as it was?

The original one, if it was sitting right up next to the WiFi antennas, would "respond" with a reading but it would be completely meaningless. The AD8307 is only rated for DC to 500 MHz operation, ±1 dB linearity. So a calibrated power meter, such as the other ones I made, for WiFi bands would not be possible using this chip.

However, due to the AD8307's sensitivity in an uncalibrated use, I found out it actually will respond to the 2.4 and 5 GHz band. But this is simply in an uncalibrated brute-force mode, right next to the WiFi antennas.

This response to the radiation in those two bands makes it's suitable for an indicator of emission activity. That's all this thing does. It shows you that your WiFi router is emitting RF, for a quick and dirty indication. There is no measurement or indicator on your router's case, nor in it's menu, that it's actually emitting RF. There are only menu settings that show you the WiFi is supposedly turned on, but that doesn't mean the transmitter is actually working. Yes there are other ways to find that out but not as simple as this indicator, which sits right next to your router.

It doesn't measure power per se, it simply moves a bar graph up and down according to the RF detected which comes from the router. I have an auto-scale routine so the bar graph will go from the lowest power ever detected to the highest. It also re-scales every 60 seconds. If the router isn't emitting RF - the bar graph doesn't move at all.

[joeqsmith]

I understand that the application is different.  I am asking what makes this new hardware unique? 

In my case cable comes into the house, direct to the wireless modem.   From there it goes to the hacked router (DD-WRT) which then goes to copper. My connection will drop without any RF.           

***
I understand that you could want two different meters for the two applications.

Couldn't the original one detect it as it was?

What I was getting at is if the hardware was basically the same, why not just build a second one and write new code for it?

[xrunner]

What I was getting at is if the hardware was basically the same, why not just build a second one and write new code for it?

Sure in theory I could, but I wanted a few things changed. I only need a simple display a lot smaller than the ones I used before because I only have a bar graph. A smaller case so a Nano is better because it's smaller. So yes I could have used the exact same hardware but life is boring without change.

[joeqsmith]

I tried to build my own router RF monitor using skills I have pioneered and perfected over the years.   Patents pending.

[xrunner]

Here's three pics one of which is a bonus pic.

I got sidetracked but I managed to get back to finishing the rear cover plate. It has two openings - one for the SMA and one for the mini USB. All I have left is to set the OLED into the front cover plate with adhesive and attach it.

What did I get sidetracked with? Well the boy up the street has a birthday coming up and he wanted me to 3D print the AT-AT mechanized infantry combat vehicle from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The only way to get a good looking model was to make it from parts which came from one guy who had already had them designed. Took a while but came out pretty good if I do say so myself. The legs are movable so you can position them in different ways. That's the bonus pic attached.

[xrunner]

I attached the OLED to the front panel with tacky glue. After that the project is completed. Now it sets next to my WiFi router showing the relative power levels being received as the bar moves from min to max and levels in-between. If the router ever stopped transmitting it would easily be noticeable due to the lack of bar meter fluctuations.

[xrunner]

Guess we can get back to the old standby when all else fails - Bird stuff. 

So it's all out there on Ebay and will be available probably 100 years into the future. Here we have a genuine Bird Electronic Corp. N panel connector. It's used and abused and comes with proof of that because you can see one of the four tangs where the inserted pin would touch is busted clean off. Yet it's a genuine Bird part so hence the value.

eBay auction: #405412635572

[joeqsmith]

$20 for a damaged connector that can never be used.  Reminds me of this WR90 transition.  It's been for sale since I started hunting for WR90 parts.  Even $20 would be too much.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/294867475982 

There is a few Bird 43s for sale if you are looking to take the plunge.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/235870158801
https://www.ebay.com/itm/296874846139

[vk6zgo]

Guess we can get back to the old standby when all else fails - Bird stuff. 

So it's all out there on Ebay and will be available probably 100 years into the future. Here we have a genuine Bird Electronic Corp. N panel connector. It's used and abused and comes with proof of that because you can see one of the four tangs where the inserted pin would touch is busted clean off. Yet it's a genuine Bird part so hence the value.

eBay auction: #405412635572

I saw many such sockets over the years, from every manufacturer of N connectors, not just Bird.

I have a vague memory of very early ones where the "guts" were held in place by spring circlips, so if you had another N connector of a different form factor, you could swap the bits & make a Frankenstein connector.

[xrunner]

I saw many such sockets over the years, from every manufacturer of N connectors, not just Bird.

Well sure, and I've seen a few myself, and so has Joe. The real point of this is - some people out there have the chutzpah to put up a Bird brand connector like that, which is damaged, on Ebay and expect it to sell. Do they do the same thing for no-name damaged N connectors, or do they throw those in the nearest trash can?

[vk6zgo]

I saw many such sockets over the years, from every manufacturer of N connectors, not just Bird.

Well sure, and I've seen a few myself, and so has Joe. The real point of this is - some people out there have the chutzpah to put up a Bird brand connector like that, which is damaged, on Ebay and expect it to sell. Do they do the same thing for no-name damaged N connectors, or do they throw those in the nearest trash can?

I've seen other "name" connectors for sale in a similar condition, with similar lack of success.
Some "no-name" ones aren't worth buying, even when they are OK.

But wait, There's more!
Even though from the front, that bird connector just looks like a normal "panel mount "N", it is designed to be a no-solder "QC" adaptor, with the rear plugging into the bird guts, meaning that the rear inner bit needs to be able to mate properly, so a generic panel mount "N" won't do.
Of course that makes a broken one even more useless, as even if my idea that early ones were located with spring clips is correct, a "bodge" wouldn't work.