Best mobile wattmeter?

[bigsarge23]

Getting back into the hobby after a 5 year break. Got my trusty tuned up Cobra 29 LX all set up in the truck, and have my MFJ-826B installed as my meter. I don’t mind the size of the MFJ, but what are some opinions on the best mobile meter? It’s a 3/4 ton Ram, so not the smoothest ride, and I prefer the meter vertical (face up) tucked into my console I made below the center seat so I can peak at it. Thoughts?

[MDYoungblood]

I make my adjustments to the antenna system using a analyzer then just hook to the radio. Been thinking of getting a digital SWR/watt meter for my 2m/70cm radio because it is more sensitive to antenna changes than the HF rig that has a auto tuner inline. Check out the digital ones, hands free from calibrating.

3’s

Greg

[bigsarge23]

Luckily a buddy has a Rigexpert so we were able to tune my predator and get coax all squared away. I like being able to see and adjust swing/PEP, FWD/REF, all that.

I found a Monitor Sensors power/SWR meter, all digital, that’s pretty slick. Might check it out yourself, seems to be best option in my searching.

[jessejamesdallas]

You don't need a watt meter...get the radio and antenna tuned, then take the meter out of line...(one less peace of equipment cluttering-up the cab)

In my Tacoma space is extremally limited, so my radio is dash-mounted, I have a switch to turn ON/and OFF my amp which is in the toolbox in the bed of the truck...I do have a external speaker, but no meter.

"IF" I'm concerned about the SWR, then I check it with the radios built-in SWR check feature...It may or may/not be super accurate, but it's accurate enough to let me know when somethings wrong, then I can check things out with my analyzer later...

no need to constantly be checking my power out...I already know what that's doing!

[bigsarge23]

I Know lol, I get that. Everything’s tuned, but aside from just liking to know, there’s other variables; the radio is tuned up and has variable power and internal echo, but since it’s gone through, the internal S meter won’t swing past 1.5, so it’s nice to see that, plus, handy for setting the dead key. I also tinker, so nice to see what is going on when I change a mic/radio/amp.

[MDYoungblood]

Like JJD said. When I ran a Anytone AT-6666, it had a built in SWR and in the menu you could set a cut off if the SWR would get too high, radio wouldn’t transmit. My HF rig does the same thing.

3’s

Greg

[De_Wildfire]

I use a antenna analyzer for VHF/UHF and on all my base wire antennas and verticals. You can see where the SWR is 1.1 on a particular frequency. Easier to make changes if the SWR's are high, either shortening or lengthening the antenna. Use the meter on the radio to glance at the SWR's. I had a NMO lip mount go bad on me and had to replace it. The radio didn't have a built in meter but I knew there was a problem when every repeater I tried to get into everyone was saying I was cutting out when I was driving. I hooked the analyzer to the antenna and hit the antenna real good and seen the bad connection.