Surecom SW-33 SWR Meter VS The SW-102 Power & SWR Meter - Which Surecom Is The Better SWR Meter?
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- Опубліковано 5 лип 2024
- I compare the Surecom SW33 Power & SWR meter to the Surecom SW-102 SWR and power meter. These two Surecom meters are inexpensive and very popular, cost almost the same, but work very differently. I go over how each of these SWR meters work, how to use them, and compare the differences so you can decide which meter is a better match for your active lifestyle.
You can get the Surecom SW-102 here:
amzn.to/3CZgu3f
You can get the smaller, less expensive SW-33 here:
amzn.to/3j1nZyu
You can get the super-sexy 50W dummy-load that I use, here:
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#SWR #HamRadio #GMRS - Авто та транспорт
The SW102 IS INACCURATE AND CANT BE ADJUSTED
My SW102 is very accurate (compared to a much higher quality meter) and is very easy to adjust. So it sounds like what you mean to say is that YOUR SW102 is inaccurate and you're not smart enough to figure out how to adjust it.
Dude, shut off your caps lock and quit yelling at people.
@@TheNotaRubicon 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Apparently in addition to you SW102 having issues it appears you caps lock key is also having issues. If you are going to use the equipment learn to operate it first. When you use it incorrectly it just embarrasses you.
I believe you meant to say, "I'VE FALLEN AND I CAN'T GET UP!"
As a long time ham, I must make this comment. Your presentations are concise, accurate, and informative, and definitely not boring. Thanks
I love this guy- he has a way of making the whole office laugh our asses off after a really long day.
The Way He Handles ThaT DummyLoad Made me Piss my Pants 😂😂😂😂
@@fixyournet Wait until you catch yourself talking to a group and stroking a UV-5R the way he does. "Whoops... that wasn't intended!"
Thank you for this very helpful review!
Have I mentioned? YOU are my favorite Radio Equipment Reviewer!
Sounds like a man crush.
YUP!
Thank you for producing and posting interesting videos on the subject of personal radio gear and its best use. I enjoy the mix of information, scorn and humor that you specialize in.
Great review on these two meters, Randy. As always, thanks for your time and infamous wisdom. Have a great weekend sir.
I learn more things about radio from this channel. It's the best.
This guy is everywhere I look for info. Nice! 😎
Randy, I think you provide a great UA-cam experience! Because of your reviews I have purchased a Tidradio uv5r and about to purchase the SW33 SWR meter and another UV5R
Conga rats on 50,000 subs! Also this was very helpful in determining the next piece of radio equipment I will "win" in an online raffle. Thank you!
Congrats on 50K!
Thanks for sharing! I just reached to a friend who has his tech license and asked about a SWR meter. Your video beat him to the chase.
The things you do for us, heartwarming!
I've found you videos to deliver a very, very satisfying experience...very
Awesome video Randy and congrats on 50k viewers….
I use the SW-33 for my narrow band radios and the SW-102 for my wide band radios. I don't know if that's the right way because I haven't seen a video on that. Congrats on 50,000. Sincerely, Your Favorite Viewer
Thanks, Randy! Here's a ten-spot for your favorite indulgence. I enjoy your sense of humor, as well as your easily digestible information.
Thank YOU!
I've had my BaoFeng's for 5 years. They've been sitting right there on the charger ready for SHTF. Sunday I decided to learn how they work. Thank you for your help and your slanted all fucked up since of humor. Now I'm binge watching while I recover from covid.
I'v had my SW-102 for 2.5 years now and its been great.
I was skeptical about the sw33, but I bought one anyway. I am amazed...the accuracy is almost spot on with my more expensive analog power/swr meters! Thanks for the video!
Thank you for doing a video on the SWR & power meter
I look forward to your videos .
I just received my Surecom SW102. Its great. I just cant seem to find a similar ground plane plate here in Canada, but I am new to this so maybe I am not looking in the right places. Thanks for making these videos and giving us heads up on these products. Your videos are great to watch. Stay safe and vigilant.
I don’t see it on their website, and isn’t pictured or mentioned on the “manual”. Ironically I didn’t even know it existed until recently. So I have been testing things oblivious to that plate and getting VSWR readings that I expected. So in “my opinion” , it isn’t needed.
Thx Randy! It's a shopping jungle out there, and this helped me find what I want (SW-102). It's perfect for my needs and priced right...and Randy approved 👍
Randy, Congrats on hitting 50K minions 🤤! I did find this video very informative and help ful. And, I thought my wife was the only person who spiritually enjoyed pealing off those protective film covers! I try and leave them on as long as humanly possible as a personal, test of self control. The struggle is real... 😓
Yeah, me 2. I don't leave those film covers on for spiritual discipline; I do it because if I remove it, within a week I'll see a scratch!
The reason Surecom didn't keep those steel plates with its 102 is because they didn't work all that well and they added around seven bucks to produce and a little over ten bucks to the retail price (or so it said).
Congrats on 50K Randy!!
Hey, Randy, it's me -- your favorite viewer checking in. Thank you for the infomation. Oh, and, I suspect there are tens of thousand more 'favorite viewers' out here. Just saying.
As always, thank you Randy for the step-by-step explanation "for the rest of us normal people." I am repurposing some 2M/70cm mobile antennas for GMRS and getting the best SWR will be very helpful, as is your video on trimming the antenna. Happy 4th of July, 2023.
Awesome Presentation as usual. Just bought the Gam3Gear Surecom SW-102S
Nice review Randy - bought the 33 on your recommendation-very happy with performance for normal people stuff🤪.
I’m so glad Randy is looking to enhance my (his favorite viewer) viewer experience.
I've been using the SW 102 for a couple of years, and for what I use it for (antenna building and installation) it's the perfect little meter. Also very useful for checking hand held radios and antennas. Well worth the price for your 'average' ham radio operator.
Congratulations on 50k.
Why am I here? I don’t own a GMRS radio. I have a CB radio in my Jeep (which I have only used once since I bought and installed it 4 years ago). I don’t know anyone that has a CB or GMRS radio in my area, but apparently I would have a better chance of making contact with someone who has a GMRS radio. I might consider investing in a GMRS radio before we head out west again for more off-roading (not sure why since we don’t have any friends who want to go trail riding hence no one to talk to). So…why am I subscribed to this channel and why am I here? FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT! Just watching these videos has me thinking about buying a GMRS radio even though I might not ever use it. I am sure the info you provide is very helpful for GMRS radio enthusiasts, but for me it is the entertainment!
Bought the SW102 last week. Works as advertised.
Just curious as to why he's always picking my dog as his favorite viewer?
He doesn't even have a Baeofeng.
Ask the dog?
@@chrissewell1608 I did, he just gave me the Salty Ham glare, and walked away.
I just bought the surecom. Sw-33. Thanks.
Congrats on 50k!
That mystery radio looks like a Motorola. I’m sure I’m wrong though. I use the xpr7350e radios for work communications. Looks very similar.
The SW-102 is wonderful and I love the frequency identification feature. I only wish it would carry out to an additional decimal point so I would know whether I was hitting the right GMRS frequencies on my ham radios. I also want you to know you're a credit to your face, and I mean that sincerely.
Very good info. Thanks
You are really enjoyable with your matter of fact tongue in cheek style. Love how you highlight the snobbishness in ham radio, (OLDER OVER SERIOUS MILITANT HAMS). And ideas like black hawk choppers will descend and break down your door for using a UV-5R . You are legend brau. :)
Thank you!
Congrats on the 50,000 subs! You can now treat yourself to a Chierda!!! ;-P Love your humour man!!!
as your favorite viewer, haha ,and a ham (but not sad) lol I look forward to your vids, congrats on the 50k Randy
I have a 102 and a couple VNAs. They both work great...
I have the 102 and it works well for the applications I use
You’re correct, Randy, as an old radar engineer I don’t need a fancy oscilloscope for my GMRS radio. A good enough meter is - good enough.
When I tested radar equipment your “big boy dummy load” wouldn’t have survived. The effects we used where so high that we exceeded the level of electrical power provided by the grid.
We used vacuum to simulate real conditions. Meaning, without the vacuum equipment we would have used all the electrical power distributed to the suburb.
😁😂
Love the announcement about the big upc……
Comprei um SW 33 e agradeço pelo vídeo.
I'm lovin' this review hahaha. D'best!
love your videos
I finally learned how to use the 33 .only probpem is alot of my friends want tp barrow. It .
Charge 'em a buck per use until it's paid for. :)
Good video❗️ I should buy a SWR meter for UHF and VHF but I always just through an antenna on the radio and if it work YA❗️if it doesn’t I try another one ☝️
I've had the SW-102 for almost 2 years and have been very happy with it. Just for the heck of it I tested it's accuracy against my Nano VNA and found the SW-102 readings to be close enough to not be concerned with. It's part of my testing kit wherever I go. Measuring the SWR on HT antennas, in my "expert" opinion is like giving a cat a bath. It's not worth the trouble. Too many variables to get consistent readings. For HT's with removable antennas the best bet is to buy a quality (I like Signal Stick or Diamond brands) replacement that works on the frequencies you will be using. Then leave it alone unless you break the antenna and have to order another one. You won't be sorry. Thanks for another great video. A happy Ham. Jack K5FIT
I wish Randy would try his Retevis RT-29s with the stock antennas _and_ the Signal.Stick and Diamond antennas in a range test. (The Nagoya NA-771 IS overrated, I think, but the jury's still out on the NA-24J.) Signal.Stuff claims its standard Signal.Stick is fine for GMRS and a special antenna isn't needed; however, it does have a GMRS antenna for those who don't believe it. So much to do, so little time! Sigh.
After trying to test the SWR of a few HT antennas with this meter I came to the same conclusion.
Thanks!
Thank YOU!
BTW, Randy, LED arrays will always blink on camera because of how we have to drive them. The input signal is scanned thru the array. That way the LED array can have way fewer pins that needing one pin per LED segment. our persistence of vision doesn't usually pick up any flicker, but of course our cameras have shutters.
I use sw102 for a couple years very usefull for me only operarted 2m and 70cm Leo satellite not so accurate but it can give u very important information about radio health and vswr anttenas.
Thanks. Just got the 33. I noticed in the Chinglish that it suggests holding the body of the meter while transmitting for swr.. I assume to be the ground plane.
Hello good buddy!
I just got my surecom sw33 - nothing like the one U reviewed two years ago. It has five modes of course swr--
The power mode is the last mode by pressing the red button I believe five times, ect
* The numbers are not digital and red no flicking! Solid white numbers easy READING!! Randy!
It feels good in my hands, a little weight like it was made with a little QUALITY PERHAPS !!
Tested my btech v2 5watt ht with It-- I don't remember the exact readings but to give you an idea!
* channel- 1- 16-30
All were above 5.5 watts!
got the 102,it works perfectly,and pretty much reads the same as a borrowed bird meter
I use the SW-102 not for any absolute measurement, but rather for testing a new radio to record a baseline. Then periodically I use it again at a later date to ensure that nothing has degraded from a previous measurement. So, without being calibrated to a NBS (National Buero of Standards) reference, it serves very well in monitoring my equipment.
Hahaha, I love your videos, and the way you slap the smart people seeking for spotlight at the cost of someone else's hard work.
Chinglish is my second languish.
I use the large one and it works great!
TWSS
Hey, the price changed, why are you misleading me, your favorite viewer ? And quit calling me a dummy load ! Thanks for proving your ground screw is working. Godspeed.
I am on my second SW102 meter… The first one started giving sporadic strange SWR readings so I had to disconnect the battery and do a reset…. The 2nd m now has also develop the same problem giving me strange SWR readings… I have been comparing the readings with my daiwa CN 501 and it seems to be closer/spot on to what the internal SWR meter reads on the radio…
I really wanted to like the SW102 but for me it’s just not working out
I notice that the Amazon listing is also in Chinglish, "NOTE: DOES NOT compatible with Digital Radio." is one example, check the listing for more. I have the SW-33 Plus, which has a small Backlit display (LCD) which is small, but quite nice. It can show forward, reverse, or both at once. I like it.
I was wondering the difference between the mark II and the Plus.... besides the backlit display, it must be the forward and reverse reading... how is this useful ?
I think the correct technical term is "nano-doo-dah". You are very welcome.
the most funny thing for me is , i am very new, i dunno anything about HAM or GRMS, but as i keep watching this channel , and switch back and forth to the "some people" channels it's funny to witness what hes talkjing about from my own eyes and ears lol i like HAM radio stuff, but i would rather talk to things in space than actual people, i am not good at people-ing, so if i came across an old sad ham, i'd prolly cause him to have a stroke, so i disable my transmitt button for the safety of all the airwaves around me. (my lack of interest in human beings is why i comment on posts from 2 years ago also) NotaRubicon productions is my new favorite human though.
A great review of cheap gear that "does the job". I have just one question:
What would you recommend for use on the HF bands? (30MHz and below, like the CB you mentioned)
Hi Randy hope all is well. I was wondering if the 3.7V Li-ion battery in the Surecom can be replaced. Mine seems to be running out quickly and I would like to replace the battery. The instruction says if battery still not charging fully replace battery. So far I don't see anyone showing how to change the battery. Thanks for all of your videos.
“Right there in plain Chinglish” got me, lol.
Hell yeah brother ✌️👍🏿
Superb
Have you done a step by step video on the menu setup for the Btech 50X1 GMRS radio? I can’t find one.
Hello. Thank you for all the info. I have learned alot. Can you tell me what adapters I need to purchase to allow me to connect the SW102 to my Baofeng radio?
Excellent. Just looked at meters on Amazon a few minutes ago. You haven't steered us wrong so far and now I know which one to order. I would think that I could just leave them inline after my RF Amp on my cheap base set up ?
The SW-102 can be left inline, but there will be a small amount of loss.. most normal people would never notice.
I have the Wouxun kg-xs20g for my truck. Do I need a adapter for the TX end from radio to meter. Or is there one included.? Wanted to chk before I buy. Thanks and keep the vids coming!
Great video - what adapters and cable did you use to connect to the handheld. Btw, bought the 935g & 20g based on your recommendation.
Another great tutorial video-
I actually have the Surecom with the ground plane, and I love it !
On your next video can you say your B-day so I can send you a desktop pencil sharpener- that way you don't have to sharpen your pencils with a pocket knife.....LOL !!!
MIKE D
WRMM242
Please, advise what are dimensions of the ground plate? Thank you!
Will an Aluminum pan with a hole poked thru the center, from your favorite flavored Pie, work in place of the fancy metal plate for a ground plane ?
(Of course after washing out the leftover goo !)
🤔....?
Randy the correct PC terminology is Eng-anese.
👍👍👍 Thanks ...Alan in 🇨🇱
Hello, can I use a dummy load for the 136,520 frequencies without having a license on it? to do load tests on my equipment?
How often should I check my SWR? Do you have an SWR mounted inline with your mobile GMRS?
very Nice~!
very informative. i'm planning to get an SW-102, i want to use it for my HT and mobile transceiver about 25W. can you share an idea what kind of dummy load i need to buy? not fancy and expensive that can serve it purpose. cheers.
I purchased a Surecom SW-33 Plus to test SWR and wattage on my GMRS radios prior to using them. I don't think it's working correctly. It shows 1.7 SWR on the dummy load and shows 19.9 SWR on the stock factory rubber duck antennas. Now I'm uncertain and don't want to talk on them until I know for certain it will be ok. Any suggestions?
It's Feb 2024 and the price is around 57 American. The one I got doesn't have a ground plane however. Neither did the one I sent back because of something loose rattling around inside.
What cable and connectors do I need to buy? I bought surecom 33. I’m going to use my antenna to test the wattage output. I’m using a Baofeng radios with my female antenna. Thanks
My 102 was just delivered, didn't come with the ground plate. That is why I went with this one.
Buyers beware. There a version of the se33 being sold that is a previous version of this this one, the mkll. The mkll is easier to read and about the same price. Gotta love Randy, he tells it like it is.
Where can I purchase a ground plate just like the one you have? I just ordered the SWR surecom sw102. Thank you in advance.
What adaptors did you use for boafeng utv 5r to the surecom 102?
Thanks for a very informative video! I have one question - do you have to use a dummy load to measure power output? If you are hooked up to your external antenna, will that work and be an accurate measure of the power output? (I want to avoid purchasing a dummy load if possible.)
to get an accurate reading you need to use a dummy-load.
film the SWR meter through sunglasses, Thanks love the videos!!
Do you have an affiliate link for a connector for ht to swr meter. I have a btech gmsr pro I'm trying to connect to the Meter. Thanks
Just order the sw33 to use with an antenna that I am setting up outside for the HT.
Any chance of getting the links to what you use for cables w/ the SW-102? I know there will be multiples. Just want to be sure to cover options? Thanks!
You can use any UHF coax cable. the ends depend on your radio - but usually the come with either PL-259 (male) or SO-239 (female) end.. Basically look at the connector on your SW-102 and and look at what kind of connector is on you radio, and get the right configuraiton..
i got a cheap adaptor set from Amazon that has all kinds of PL-259/SO-239/SMA adaptors so I can connect pretty much any radio.
My I ask what cable connections you're using? The one from the radio to the meter? What type connections, you went over the dummy load connector connections but skipped the cable connections from the radio.
The connector you need is dependent upon the radio you're using. If your radio has a SMA male connector, one end of the cable will need to be a SMA female connector. For the other end, if you're using the same Surecom SW-102 in the video, it has a SO-259 (female) connector, so you would need the other side of your cable to be a PL-259 (male). I would get a cable that has PL-259 (male) connectors on both ends, then buy the SMA female to SO-259 adapter so you can check HTs that have SMA male connectors AND mobile radios, most of which have an SO-259. If your HT has a SMA *female* connector on it, then you would obviously need the cable (or adapter) with a SMA male. Or get two adapters - one with SMA male and one with SMA female - and be covered no matter what.