HF through UHF

Bands

Frequency	1.8-160 MHz AND 140-525 MHz: two directional couplers in one box, switch-selected
Power	measures to 200 W across 5/20/200 W ranges on both sensors; ~4 W minimum
Modes	forward power, SWR
Weight	630 g (22.2 oz)

Connectors

sensor 1	SO-239 pass-through (HF, 1.8-160 MHz)
sensor 2	N-type or SO-239 pass-through (VHF/UHF, 140-525 MHz), varies by model
dc power	13.8V DC input
note	SX-600N variant has N-type on both sensors. Standard SX-600 has SO-239/N-type mixed.
power req	13.8V DC for meter illumination, LED function display, and PEP mode (power cord included).

Estimated (unverified): weight (~630 g per one independent source; the '2 lbs' dealer block is the family's usual shipping placeholder - factory figure unconfirmed)

TWO meters in one box: separate directional couplers for 1.8-160 MHz and 140-525 MHz - each with its own SO-239 pair - and a front switch WITH LED INDICATORS choosing which sensor feeds the single sweep needle: the whole station, HF through 70 cm, on one face The do-everything desk solution: HF rig through sensor A, VHF/UHF rig through sensor B, no repatching, no second meter, no decisions Same family electronics per sensor: 5/20/200-watt ranges, 4-watt floor, PEP with RMS/peak switching 12 VDC at a sleepy 50 mA for the illumination; measurement stays passive $190-200 current: less than the two single-band boxes it replaces, in half their desk space From Daiichi Denpa Kogyo - Tokyo-headquartered, developing in Kawagoe, Saitama - the maker whose 'Diamond' brand anchors this whole accessory aisle

Strengths

The two-radio desk's tidiest answer: both station feedlines live in one meter, permanently, with a switch instead of a coax swap - and the per-sensor electronics are the family's proven recipe. Cheaper than buying the SX200 and SX400 it contains, smaller than either pair, and the 50-milliamp lamp is the only thing that ever asks for power.

Weaknesses

The switch selects ONE sensor at a time (simultaneous two-radio monitoring needs two meters after all), the single-needle ritual applies per band, 200 watts caps both paths, and four SO-239s on the back demand a moment of labeling discipline lest the HF rig meet the UHF coupler.

Verdict

The default meter for the standard two-radio shack: HF here, VHF/UHF there, one face watching whichever you key. Stations running both radios at once - or amplifiers - shop upward; everyone else just stopped needing two meters.

The SX600 answers the modern shack's standard geometry - one HF rig, one VHF/UHF rig - with the obvious-in-hindsight solution: build both meters into one box. Inside live two separate directional couplers, one spanning 1.8 to 160 MHz and the other 140 to 525, each with its own input/output pair on the back panel, with a front switch - LED indicators marking the live sensor - selecting which coupler drives the single sweep needle. Both feedlines stay connected permanently; checking either station is a flick, not a repatch.

Per sensor, the electronics are the family recipe proven on the SX200 and SX400 it effectively contains: 5/20/200-watt ranges with a four-watt floor, PEP measurement with RMS/peak switching, the single-needle calibrate-and-read ritual, and illumination as the only DC customer (twelve volts at fifty milliamps). At $190-200 it undercuts the two boxes it replaces while halving their desk footprint - the kind of arithmetic that explains why the SX600 became the default meter of the standard two-radio station.

The honest fine print: the switch means ONE sensor reads at a time (true simultaneous monitoring still takes two meters), 200 watts caps both paths so amplifier stations look elsewhere, and the four rear SO-239s reward a label-maker's discipline. The maker is Daiichi Denpa Kogyo of Tokyo - 'Diamond' being the brand that anchors half this accessory aisle - and the build carries the house reputation: the meter equivalent of furniture, installed once and consulted for decades.

Diamond SX600