Receiver for MILSATs?

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VK3RX

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I'm looking for a standalone receiver (not an SDR dongle or computer controlled) that I can leave scanning the milsat range, and I was wondering what you guys use.

In particular I want one with a 25-30kHz bandwidth. I'm using a receiver with bandwidths of 50kHz and 15kHz available, but of course the 50kHz is too wide and the 15kHz results in audio clipping.

I believe the AOR AR-ONE has a 30kHz BW available but it is a lot of $$$$ to have sitting around doing one thing :)
 

PACNWDude

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That AR-One is a great receiver. Some older AOR units like the AR5000 work well also. Icom 7000 series receiver can be found used for less money too. You are still talking $1000+ though.

They are all relatively expensive compared to a USB dongle though. I myself have an Icom 7000. Many people use cheap and simple scanners too.
 

mancow

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Have you looked at the signals with an SDR yet? Since most all voice transmissions are pirates they don't care about centering the transponder. The clipping that I've heard has been due to them being off frequency by 5k either way. As for stand alone receivers I use a BCT15 and it works great.
 

eorange

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I've used a BC780, an Icom R-6, and an AOR 8200mkiig. They all receive pretty well on the mil sats.
 

VK3RX

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I don't hear pirates over this way, fortunately :)

I'm hearing the clipping on legit signals e.g. ICE flights, MAC CENTER etc.

The filtering in my receiver is pretty sharp @ 15kHz, but the problem wasn't quite as bad on an IC-R7100 I had quite some years back so I might try some of the older receivers or look at the AORs..

I used to listen to the JTF-FA ops in Indochina, amongst other things.
 

PACNWDude

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I need to dig out my BCT-15, would allow for a little more portable use. While cleaning up my stash of radio gear I found mine still in its original box, with computer control software and everything, but never have powered it on. Also found and old Icom IC-F2020 UHF radio brand new with it.

The pirates are hacking together what every they can to use the milsats, always amazed at people's ingenuity. Old radios and television satellite dishes cobbled together for comms, very nice.
 

TexScan780D

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I've used a BC780, an Icom R-6, and an AOR 8200mkiig. They all receive pretty well on the mil sats.

I have a BC780 laying around not used in years, so what would I need to do for listening to the sats.

I have a multi-band ground plane base antenna.
 

mancow

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I have a BC780 laying around not used in years, so what would I need to do for listening to the sats.

I have a multi-band ground plane base antenna.

Search for an article by member PRCGUY that describes how to make an X style antenna yourself. Hook it to the 780 and search or load up the freqs. That's it.
 

xemod

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I'm looking for a standalone receiver (not an SDR dongle or computer controlled) that I can leave scanning the milsat range, and I was wondering what you guys use.

In particular I want one with a 25-30kHz bandwidth. I'm using a receiver with bandwidths of 50kHz and 15kHz available, but of course the 50kHz is too wide and the 15kHz results in audio clipping.

I believe the AOR AR-ONE has a 30kHz BW available but it is a lot of $$$$ to have sitting around doing one thing :)

Standalone receiver to MILSATs will always be problematic. Conventional receivers have high noise figure or bad intermodulation resistance. 15kHz filter is good for listening to audio - you need a receiver with a finer step. Many pirates are matched up exactly transponder.
 
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