PCS-Electronics

I have the new PCI max 2006+ and It is only putting out 1mW. MAX. I would like to find out weather its the 350mW or 1 watt version.
The output seems rather weak, I bought it as the 1 WAtt version, but I can't beleave it is, because it came with no papers and it is way too weak to be 1 watt. Is there any way you can tell the difference between the 350mW and the 1 watt version just by looking at the card.
Also, I saw that the LED on the back of my transmitter is RED, but all the ones in the picture are green. What does this mean?

ssmith88 wrote:I have the new PCI max 2006+ and It is only putting out 1mW. MAX. I would like to find out weather its the 350mW or 1 watt version.

What measuring instrument did you use?

ssmith88 wrote:The output seems rather weak, I bought it as the 1 WAtt version, but I can't beleave it is, because it came with no papers and it is way too weak to be 1 watt. Is there any way you can tell the difference between the 350mW and the 1 watt version just by looking at the card.
Also, I saw that the LED on the back of my transmitter is RED, but all the ones in the picture are green. What does this mean?

I have an inscription PCI MAX 2006+ at the centre of a circuit board of my 1 watt transmitter. My PCI MAX has red led too.
Is your transmitter transmits anything? Do you use transmitter as PCI unit or outside the PC?[/quote]

Hi,
I had a friend measure it with some type of cell-sight RF meeter. I realy don't know much about those things.
I'm useing it in my computer on the PCI slot.
Could it be possible the card was shorted when I installed it in my PC due to static electricity or something?
By the way, how far of range would you say you get with your 1 watt card?

You need to use an external power supply to get higher output. I don't think the PCI power supply is that much.

ssmith88 wrote:the LED on the back of my transmitter is RED, but all the ones in the picture are green.

Marko, did something get changed?

ssmith88 wrote:Hi,
I had a friend measure it with some type of cell-sight RF meeter. I realy don't know much about those things.
I'm useing it in my computer on the PCI slot.
Could it be possible the card was shorted when I installed it in my PC due to static electricity or something?
By the way, how far of range would you say you get with your 1 watt card?

Hi!
As I know, PCI MAX 2006 has max output power 350 mW when installed in the PCI slot. Transmitter do not use external power 12-15 Volts when installed in the PCI slot. And it does not work with external power supply without LCD module. It would give 1Watt output power when it being used outside the computer with external power supply. But... I use my PCI MAX 2006+ outside the PC with external power supply 13,8 Volts. It would give 1 Watt but I see only 350 mW max by professional wattmeter. But... I can receive my radio station with satisfactory quality at a range 13 km! I was shocked. I use 3/4 wave pin antenna on the house-top (25 m from the ground). I have made over this antenna from 165 MHz for 107 MHz by cut some length from the pin and making matched element.
A piece of black wire as antenna was in box with PCI MAX 2006+ when I received it. First time I installed transmitter in my PC and with the piece of wire I could receive a stereo programm in range 50 m from the computer in ferroconcrete building. Test it. Good luck!

Sir Nigel wrote:You need to use an external power supply to get higher output. I don't think the PCI power supply is that much.

ssmith88 wrote:the LED on the back of my transmitter is RED, but all the ones in the picture are green.

Marko, did something get changed?

If we run out of green leds, we use red. That's about all that changed:)

Is that really TRUE that I CAN'T get 1 watt output if I use my pci max 2006 in the PCI slot even if I hook up a external power supply of 15 v. DC 1 amp??????
Will it will only put out 1 watt in stand-alone mode, not in the PCI slot???
I hope that isn't true!!!!

Kostyusha wrote:As I know, PCI MAX 2006 has max output power 350 mW when installed in the PCI slot. Transmitter do not use external power 12-15 Volts when installed in the PCI slot. And it does not work with external power supply without LCD module. It would give 1Watt output power when it being used outside the computer with external power supply. ...

My 2006+ doesn't work that way. I get 350mW at Power Level 15 (max) when I run the card off the PCI bus's power only. When I plug a clean 15VDC power supply into the card, even while it is transmitting, power immediately jumps up to approximately 1W at Power Level 15. When I disconnect the external power, it immediately drops back to 350mW. I do not have the LCD display.

I am measuring the signal strength inline between the card and the feedline to the antenna. I can also verify the proportional change in field strength with an FS meter situated near the dipole antenna.

PhilJSmith67 wrote:

Kostyusha wrote:As I know, PCI MAX 2006 has max output power 350 mW when installed in the PCI slot. Transmitter do not use external power 12-15 Volts when installed in the PCI slot. And it does not work with external power supply without LCD module. It would give 1Watt output power when it being used outside the computer with external power supply. ...

My 2006+ doesn't work that way. I get 350mW at Power Level 15 (max) when I run the card off the PCI bus's power only. When I plug a clean 15VDC power supply into the card, even while it is transmitting, power immediately jumps up to approximately 1W at Power Level 15. When I disconnect the external power, it immediately drops back to 350mW. I do not have the LCD display.

I am measuring the signal strength inline between the card and the feedline to the antenna. I can also verify the proportional change in field strength with an FS meter situated near the dipole antenna.

It is very interesting! I'll try this as soon as I can.
Can we get 1 W in stand along mode with external power supply? Waiting of Marko's comment.

Of course you can. You only need external power supply in any situation to activate full power.

pcs wrote:Of course you can. You only need external power supply in any situation to activate full power.

I use external power supply 13.8 V, but output power is under 500 mW. Why?

what kind of instrument are u using for this mesurment?

5r wrote:what kind of instrument are u using for this mesurment?

wattmeter Telewave 44A.

Kostyusha wrote:

5r wrote:what kind of instrument are u using for this mesurment?

wattmeter Telewave 44A.

The 44A is rated for +/- 6% accuracy at FM broadcast band frequencies, this is +/- 6% of full scale. So at the 5W setting it will be accurate within +/- 300 mW meaning that a meter reading of 500 mW could really be anywehere from 200 to 800 mW--if (a big IF) a bunch of other factors (line impedance, dummyload/antenna impedance, etc.) are within the specs at which the meter accuracy was meaured.

Accurate low power RF measurments cannot really be made with instruments like the 44A--you need a lab grade power meter.

One last issue, the specs for the PCI 2006+ indicate that a 15 V external supply is needed for 1 W output, your 13.8V power supply is obviously some 1.2 V less than that.

So, if we very crudely project the power increase using 15 V would deliver (about 18%) and multiply that times the potential high-end real value of the 500 mW you measured (800 mW). we get 0.945 W which is within 0.6 dB of 1.0 W...