I don own any suitable RF power measuring equipment. How can I tell if my Pocket Tracker is transmitting with the expected amount of RF output power?
The RF power output of a Pocket Tracker is closely related to the DC input current. If you can measure the DC current from the power source (usually a 9 volt battery or vehicle electrical system) you can get a good idea of the RF output power. Many DMMs (digital multi-meters), even the inexpensive ones, have the capability of measuring DC current if the proper connections are used and the meter is wired in series with the power source. Installing a jumper-shunt on J13 (the pair of pins near the shield) will put the Pocket Tracker in continuous transmit mode. It might be best to do this on the secondary frequency by installing the Frequency Select jumper-shunt (near the flat side of the board that normally contacts the battery) so that the jumper-shunt connects the center pin with the pin closest to the corner of the board labeled “J2”. Use the LED enable jumper on J13 and power up the Pocket Tracker. Expect a current reading of around 100 mA. If the LEDs are on, add 3 mA for each LED t
