Radio Frequencies

After reading this blog, I decided a Tektronix 496 was a reasonable spectrum analyzer for me to look at RF's for my tuners and antennas, FM MPX signals, digital SPDIF signals, and audio frequencies when I want to see up to 100kHz or higher (the 496 goes from 1kHz up to 1800 Mhz, my old HP 3580 only goes to 50kHz).  The lowest center frequency is 1kHz, and the highest frequency is 1800 Mhz.  Obviously it's no good for wifi or things like that, and I would have liked to view wifi signals, BUT even the boat anchor pricing goes up another $1000 or more for spectrum analyzers with 2Ghz and above response--those microwave analyzers are still in heavy demand by professionals.  There's much less professional concern nowadays with mere VHF and UHF, so analyzers limited to that range are comparatively cheap.

While I'm slowly (very slowly) making progress debugging my Acoustat speakers (each new test requires 1-2 weeks "to be sure" because the problem is intermittant), I've decided to indulge my long running desire to get involved with...radios of all kinds.

I was blown away by the capabilities of the 1-30Mhz Icom IC-7300 and have one of those on order (due to recent rebate promotion, they were sold out so I'm still waiting for mine...but will have the assurance of a fully updated unit and still get the rebate--I hope).  I'm also planning to get CB radio (always wanted one of those) and a scanner.  I've started buying and setting up antennas for each, and will get them all professionally grounded with ground rods and bonded ground back to the main house ground rod.  Also finally I'll put up a rooftop antenna for FM, but it won't be my APS-13 which has been waiting in it's box for more than 10 years.  Sadly that's still to complicated because I refuse to have any antenna actually on the roof, so I need side mounted mast or tower, which I continue to think about how to do.  Professional antenna installers aren't interested in such things...they'll attach tiny HDTV antennas to your chimney or roof, and those are the only options they're interested in anymore.  I may get some hams to help me with my big antennas someday.  But first, I'm planning to become ham myself, with some smaller simpler antennas.  For FM I'll be using either a Godar FMDX 100 or Magnum Dynalab ST-2, which I can simply tack on to fascia board on the side of the roof at the peak (no massive tower or mast required).

One of the essential things for installing and comparing antennas is an antenna analyzer.  I could have used my Spectrum Analyzer if it had the tracking generator, but it does not.  So, instead, I got a Sark-110, which is a tiny miracle, which gets great reviews.

Here is a tutorial and video on the Smith Chart often used for understanding antennas.

Here is Paul's Antenna Attic about FM antennas.  I have an APS-9 and Radio Shack 15-2163 still in their factory boxes.  Sadly those will have to wait until I get some help installing them.  Whips are a comparative snap to put up, except for correctly handling the grounding which should be done by an electrician.

Measuring a trap using Sark 110.

List of Pirate Radio Stations on HF Underground.

Sherwood Engineering's tests of HF receivers.

Hardcore DX on HF (aka Shortwave) stations.

Factory brochure on Tektronix 496.

"Super Antenna."

Dave's Shortwave Receiver List.

Roger Russell's McIntosh Loudspeaker History, Part 2.

The Audio Expert (Ethan Winer).

Audio Myths workshop at Audio Nirvana Resources.

The JBL SA-1600 complementary symmetry amplifier reviewed by Julian Hirsch in 1966.

Best Antenna Analyzer for the money.