A dummy load is a simple resistive load inside a shielded container that allows a transmitter to be operated without the RF signal being radiated into the atmosphere. You can test the output power of your transmitter to ensure that it is operating within specification. A dummy load is often used while troubleshooting a transmitter problem.

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An antenna analyzer is a tool used by ham radio operators to check if an antenna is properly tuned, meaning it's resonant at the frequency you want to use. When an antenna is resonant, it can transmit and receive signals more efficiently. The analyzer measures the antenna's characteristics, like impedance and standing wave ratio (SWR), to help you adjust the antenna for the best performance. This ensures that the antenna works well on the frequency you're interested in, making your radio communications clearer and more reliable.

It's worth remembering that an antenna analyzer or SWR meter can only measure the impedance and SWR, which can be a reflection of how resonant the antenna is, but it can at times be deceptive. For example, a dummy load is basically a 50 ohm resistor which can dissipate a lot of heat – it looks amazing on an SWR meter or antenna analyzer but does not work well as an antenna!

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The right answer is a resistor that works the same at all frequencies. Some resistors derive their resistance from coiling a length of wire around a form. That coil of wire has inductance, and that can affect how well radio signals travel through the resistor depending on their frequency (a topic covered on the General exam).

So a dummy load usually consists of a composite resistor, one with a resistive material, but no coils (so no inductance), or non-inductive. It usually contains a heat sink, or some way to dissipate the heat, so the resistors don't burn up. Some dummy loads place the resistors in an oil bath and use the energy to heat up the oil. Some use copper plates on both sides of the resistors in order to let the copper plates dissipate the heat.

Yes, most dummy loads are made to match the 50 ohm impedance of an antenna or transmitter, so they can substitute for the antenna and maximize the flow of power from the transmitter into the dummy load. And yes, you can use a dummy load to terminate a transmission line instead of an antenna. But that choice, the "50 ohm reactance one," is just a distractor - remember that they're asking what a dummy load consists of, not what it does. Just forget the rest of the choices.

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SWR stands for Standing wave ratio, which indicates how much energy outputted by the transmitter is actually delivered to the load (antenna). A standing wave is created when energy is reflected back from the antenna system and the SWR is the ratio of the maximum to the minimum. The second number is always 1 and a perfect impedance match is when the first number is 1 also. For more information see Standing wave ratio.

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The SWR, or Standing Wave Ratio, is a measure of how well the impedance of the transmitter (or receiver) matches the impedance of the antenna system. When the impedance (effective resistance at a given frequency) of each are the same it results in the most efficient transfer of power from the transmitter to the antenna.

(this is a little counter-intuitive; you might expect that the lower the impedance the more power emitted, but maximum power transfer occurs when the impedances are the same)

When your antenna system produces a higher SWR some of the power is reflected back to the transmitter; at higher power levels this can damage the transmitter. With older radios this was a common problem that needed to be protected against, but most solid-state (read: modern) transmitters automatically protect against that by reducing the power in cases of high SWR so that the reflected power will not cause damage to the transistors in the output amplifier.

There aren't generally any major problems caused by bad SWR in your emissions, the power required is the same, and lowering power does not affect the impedance match of the feedline... it's strictly to protect the transmitter from damage.

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A SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) reading indicates the quality of the impedance match between the radio and the antenna system. When it is not matched, energy is reflected back to the transmitter and lost as heat, sometimes damaging to the transmitter. The goal is to have a 1 to 1 ratio of maximum to minimum standing wave ratio. An SWR of 1.1:1 to 1.5:1 is good.

You can think of this effect much like a glass window. The goal of a perfect window is to have all of the light to go right through the window and not be reflected back. A mirror is a special kind of window that is designed to reflect most of the light back; it does not let the light through so this is a very high reflection ratio. One-way glass is made to be partially reflective so that some light is reflected and some is passed through such that it operates as a mirror in the room with bright lights on and a partial window on the other side where the lights are off or very low. Radios need a good clear window and have very low reflections so that we efficiently transmit our energy into the atmosphere, not back to our electronics.

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All cables, no matter how well designed, have some "loss". This comes from the natural resistance that the cable has to electricity. The amount of resistance that a wire has can be roughly calculated based on the thickness (gauge) of the wire and the length; the longer the length, the more resistance it has. Feed line, like other cables, also has resistance.

This resistance results in power lost when going through the feedline and being converted into heat.

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SWR is short for Standing Wave Ratio

A directional wattmeter can be connected in-line to measure how much power (in watts) is flowing in a certain direction through a feedline. If the feedline and antenna are perfectly matched, you should have full power (whatever the transmitter is capable of) forward, with little or none reflected.

This is because forward power indicates the power from the radio, and reverse or reflected power is the power that bounces back when it hits the improperly matched antenna.

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Moisture in coaxial RF cables will cause impedance changes that cause feed line failure. Water can short out the conductors at the cable ends and connectors. It can corrode the connections which increase the resistance or even open the circuit. Water in the cable can also change the capacitance of the coax which directly changes the impedance. Seal your connectors and cable terminations to prevent moisture contamination and cable failure.

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If you've ever seen something that got left out in the sun and turned hard and brittle, you can understand why that could be harmful for a coax cable. Any coax cable connected to an outside antenna will be exposed to sunlight, ultraviolet light resistance will significantly delay (or even prevent) the cable from becoming brittle and cracked.

If the cable jacket becomes brittle and cracked, water could enter the cable, causing it to fail.

You can also use an electrical conduit to protect the cable from damage.

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"Air core" coax can have very low loss even at high frequencies, however unlike other dielectrics used in coax, air is very easily displaced by water, should there be any leaks or problems with the coax jacket.

For more information, see the wikipedia article on Coaxial Cable.

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