Frequency counters

[poltergeisty]

I am looking for a frequency counter that can detect digital spread spectrum and frequency hopping spread spectrum. I could have swore Optoelectronics sold one, but when I looked at their web page and on Ebay I couldn't find one. Does one exist? Is it possible?

Another question. I have a cordless phone that uses DECT 6.0 and my frequency counter doesn't pick up the 1800 MHz signal. How do I pick this signal up? Thanks!

 

[nd5y]

Simple low cost ham/CB/hobby type frequency counters won't work on spread spectrum or TDMA. They can only measure a constant carrier that is on longer than the counter's gate time or else it just displays random numbers. DECT 6.0 has something like 5 digital carriers and 2 time slots. You would need an expensive test set designed for DECT or a spectrum analyzer.

 

[poltergeisty]

So it looks like I would need TSCM specialized equipment then?

According to this video I guess a frequency counter could detect FHSS? I have a Radio shack model that goes up to 1.3 GHz and a cheap Chinese knock off that goes up to 2.4 GHZ. Did you know that a woman invented FHSS? If I remember right.

 

[KB7MIB]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; U; en-US) Gecko/20081217 Vision-Browser/8.1 301x200 LG VN530)

Hedey Lamar, a famous actress of the 1930's-40's, IIRC.

 

[nd5y]

So it looks like I would need TSCM specialized equipment then?

According to this video I guess a frequency counter could detect FHSS? I have a Radio shack model that goes up to 1.3 GHz and a cheap Chinese knock off that goes up to 2.4 GHZ. Did you know that a woman invented FHSS? If I remember right.

You have to understand what a frequency counter actually does and how they work. They count the number of wave cycles that are above the trigger level during a period of time called the gate time. The gate time can be anything from fractions of a second to tens of seconds depending on the resolution setting, quality of the counter, etc. Commonly the display update rate is the same as the gate time.

To get any meanigful reading the signal you are trying to read has to be on longer than the gate time and not change frequency during the gate time, otherwise the counter will display random junk like the one in the video.

 

[rfradioconsult]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; U; en-US) Gecko/20081217 Vision-Browser/8.1 301x200 LG VN530)

Hedey Lamar, a famous actress of the 1930's-40's, IIRC.

Hedy Lamarr the actress, Hedly Lamar was character in Blazing Saddles!

 

[poltergeisty]

Got another question regarding this. I will be purchasing an EMF detector and was wondering if it could detect the radiation from spread spectrum. like a poor mans bug detector. When I get the EMF detector I'll see if the cordless phone which uses DECT 6.0 can be measured with the EMF detector. I'm sure it will have a reading, but by how much and at what distance I'm not sure.

 

[n5ims]

Hedy Lamarr the actress, Hedly Lamar was character in Blazing Saddles!

For folks that may be confused if it's Hedy or Hedley, this video makes it very clear.

Pledge to Hedley Lamarr - YouTube

 

[KD4UXQ]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; U; en-US) Gecko/20081217 Vision-Browser/8.1 301x200 LG VN530)

Hedey Lamar, a famous actress of the 1930's-40's, IIRC.

The Official Site of Hedy Lamarr