ESM1 Wadsworth Signal Meter

By ND Lindsey

I've just received a new ESM1 Wadsworth Signal Meter from Worthington Distribution. (Note: Doesn't appear on the web pages as of 12/16/99, ND got it from paper catalog-- RL)

As best I can tell, this is the least expensive unit on the market at $59.95 and frankly, I'm impressed. The unit is ready to use right out of the box and "Does Not" require a TW523 X10 interface.

The unit consists of a 12 Vdc, 500 mA wall wart style power supply and a small 2x2x 3/4 plastic box at the other end of a 6' cable. In the box is a well made dual sided printed circuit board that appears to be hand built in a one off style of production.

The professionally screened meter face has a single yellow LED Power ON indicator in the top right corner and a single green LED opposite that indicating the reception of a valid X10 command. Between these two LEDs is a 10 segment horizontal LED bar graph style display with a scale of 0.1 to 5 volts.

The ESM1 has already resolved a lot of my power line data problems by identifying low or marginal signals. It is also useful as a relative indication of signal strength before and after different appliances are plugged in or turned on to determine their X10 signal absorption. In the absence of an X10 signal the meter serves as an indicator of any power line noise of 100mv or more at the X10 frequency of 120 kHz.

The more expensive signal strength meters have more bells and whistles with memory and X10 signal analysis, but for my need and budget as a DIYer, I'm very happy with the ESM1.