freq counter antenna

[w4rtt]

Decided to do a little snooping this weekend with the trusty Scout frequency recorder, but I couldn't find my little Comet Miracle Baby antenna. What to do.
I wanted to keep the relative stealthyness of the Comet, so a regular rubber duckie was out.
Scrounge mode!
Found a BNC female to RCA female adapter in the junk box.Checked the wire box, and found an old speaker wire with an RCA plug still attached.
OK, this can work.
Cut the wire to about 6" and transmitted on everything I was licensed for. Got hits on every transmission, so I started trimming back the wire an inch at a time. Got to 1" and was still getting hits so I stopped there. Split the wires and made them 90 degrees, and I now have a new stealth dipole.

Randy
W4RTT

 

[KGIII]

I honestly don't know what that is (and I could Google but this is code for I'd appreciate learning about the critter and where I may purchase one if it is what I think it is) but it is strangely sexy.

Anyhow - does that little gizmo just scan for and log frequencies that it catches? Does it output or store and dump to PC? I can't imagine why I'd need one but it would be interesting to see and play with as I do a whole lot of driving around.

 

[majoco]

It doesn't scan - it's a wide open, wide bandwidth, no filters digital frequency counter - feed it any frequency and it shows it on the display.

 

[KGIII]

Thanks - it seems like it would be handy. I'm just feeding what appears to be a growing addiction. I have taken to claiming that it is an addiction to learning. Geeking out to radio is something I've wanted to do forever and the images shared above are one of the main attractions for me. The truth is that I don't actually have a good reason... I am not sure if I'm ashamed of myself or not.

Though now I have to wonder if something like that would work well for a hand-held scanner. I think a bulk bits and pieces order is on my list of things to do. It has been nearly 20 years since I've set up my soldering station. Things like this make it seem like a definite as opposed to a maybe.

 

[w4rtt]

The Scout is definitely not a scanner and would not work as one. It is a near field receiver, meaning that it will lock onto and display the strongest frequency it finds. It is really designed to be on the deaf side, else it would be constantly displaying any background freq it picks up.
This particular model DOES have the ability to Reaction Tune many scanners. In other words, the Scout grabs this super secret frequency and automatically tune the scanner to that freq and lets you see and listen. Works with most Icom receivers with a CI-V port, the Optocom and one of the older AOR's.

Randy
W4RTT

 

[KGIII]

And absolutely much appreciated. Your picture sent me off on a long (two hours or so) plunge into learning new things. I have since learned why they are handy and why a good/considerate ham might want one in their shack.

Well no... Let me say that I think I understand now. If what I read was correct and I properly understood it.

Basically, if you don't mind, the device seems to measure the strongest/closest frequency and is useful for ensuring that you're broadcasting on the channel that your equipment says you are transmitting on because sometimes there are some variations or they lose their calibration?

I'd say sorry but you *did* stick a picture of a funny looking gizmo with wires poking out the top of it into a forum of what I can only affectionately call geeks. It was only a matter of time before someone noticed and had no clue and wondered WTF you were up to. I, truly, appreciate it. I'd have never even known of that critter and never have thought about the calibration of the equipment. I did find a potential seat (I've passed all the tech practice tests as they're all pretty much common sense and I've a background in electronics so I guess that helps) to go test on Monday. I doubt I will have time though, ah well.

I think the biggest thing I learned is to not try to guess the device's use by the label on it. Again, much thanks for the information. I think I am going to go to RadioShack later and see if I can get the bits to build my own similar antenna for the base scanner. Not for any good reason other than to just do it but, well, you've inspired me to attempt that so I have that to thank you for as well.

 

[W2NJS]

A lot of people also take counters to hamfests to check the bandsplit of used radios, Motorola for instance, that are for sale. You take the counter and a good battery for the radio, put the battery on the radio at the sales table, key it up and read the frequency which will in most cases tell you the bandsplit of the, for instance, Saber radio. I forgot to say that you usually bring an antenna with you as well. Nothing worse than buying a Saber "blind," then getting home and finding it's a 403-433 radio.

 

[KGIII]

I still haven't slept. Anyhow...

There's another reason for one. I could see it also being in a radio tech's bag just to do a quick check on people's equipment should they not have one. I think I'm getting the idea.

I am consistently getting 85% or higher on the practice exams. It is a walk-ins welcome test on Monday so, who knows?

I'm not sure the missus will let me go to ham fests... I'm pretty good at buying stuff. Heck, you seem to know what you're doing - what with all your posts and all. If you don't mind and have a second or an opinion, I don't suppose you know of any good mobile ham radios? Even if I don't pass the test I already want to listen. I figure I'll start with a mobile and then look into a more aggressive setup after I have started to figure out what I prefer. So, any recommendations will be greatly appreciated?

It doesn't mean I'll listen - but it does mean I'll weigh any of your recommendations more heavily then the reviews I'm seeing over at Amazon.

 

[W2NJS]

If you poll three people about whose is the best mobile you'll get three answers...more if you poll more than three people. They'll say Icom, Yaesu, and Kenwood, and they'll all be right because so much depends on personal preferences. The only firm fact I'd recommend is that you get a radio that does VHF and UHF, then dig into features and cost. Personally I've relied on the Icom IC208H for about eight years and now own three of them, one at home, one in the car, and one in the ski condo. It's a single-display radio which means it shows only one channel at a time, where other dualbanders in some cases will display two channels at the same time, so there's one particular item you have to decide on, among several others.

 

[KGIII]

Duly noted. I will take a gander.

I figure I'll (I am sure I'll ask many other people) try to limit myself to asking only people who seem to know what they're doing. It is a rather exciting thing to learn about, I am not sure if it is the whole geeking out to radio that I have wanted to do since I was a child but never had the time to do or if it is more about the educational aspect. I actually enjoy learning new things and I like things that are difficult to understand. Perhaps I'll never bother testing (seems unlikely) but the learning is fun and I've already decided that I'll be getting a ham radio even if just to listen.

Additionally... Your posts made me think of something. It would be nice if we could give a month, three months, six months, etc subscriptions to the site to people. As in buy them for them directly through the site. I realize this isn't the place to bring that up but I believe it is an interesting idea and I'd have happily bought a month or two for you. Just as a way to say thank you or to reward people. I have to wonder if anyone has proposed that in the past? Either way, that is threadjacking beyond the pale so I'll contemplate putting a new post into the appropriate section sometime if it hasn't already been proposed and declined.