Adjusting Saber RF output

[va3wxm]

Does changing the power output in the software screw up the alignment settings?

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that if you make such a change you should slap the radio on a service monitor to ensure it's still working properly afterwards.

[DJP126]

If you are talking about changing from low power to high power (or vice versa) then you should check power with a monitor or at least a watt meter. If you are talking about staying with a low or high power setting and just changing the power setting in the software it won't hurt but again, you won't know what the level is without the wattmeter. Either way that you change the power parameters will not effect the other alignment parameters.

[va3wxm]

Thanks Dave.

I'm just interested in adjusting the RF output in the RSS, to extend battery life. So it sounds like that shouldn't be a problem?

[AEC]

If you are talking about changing from low power to high power (or vice versa) then you should check power with a monitor or at least a watt meter. If you are talking about staying with a low or high power setting and just changing the power setting in the software it won't hurt but again, you won't know what the level is without the wattmeter. Either way that you change the power parameters will not effect the other alignment parameters.

Don't forget changing the power bias as this too, will affect actual RF output levels.

[SuperD4K]

is it possible to program a Saber to transmit less than 1 watt through the RSS?

[Tom in D.C.]

Probably possible. Also probable that few if any of us
Saber people have ever tried it. You'll need a wattmeter
and a dummy load, of course, and the "real" programming
cable with the antenna connection would also help, though
you can do it by disconnecting the programming cable and
slapping the radio into an SVA to check the output.

Good luck.

[tvsjr]

You also need a spectrum analyzer to ensure the output stays clean spectrally with the power turned down that low.