Low band setup

[reconrider8]

What would be your perfect lowband MILCOMM setup?

 

[merlin]

A Watkins Johnson WJ-8737. They need a good antenna, but impossible to beat.

 

[jonsmth]

A Watkins Johnson WJ-8737. They need a good antenna, but impossible to beat.

Absolutely,! We used a Watkins Johnson URR-74 coupled with an HP-3585 Spectrum Analyzer on my first Submarine. I spent many hours in front of that scanner.

 

[bearcatrp]

A Watkins Johnson WJ-8737. They need a good antenna, but impossible to beat.

How are the current radios compared to this?

 

[merlin]

How are the current radios compared to this?

There are a few, such as Icom and AOR, The can come close, but talking the $2000 + radios
You still need a good antenna such as Log periodic for 30 MHz and up.

 

[bearcatrp]

Thanks for the reply.

 

[prcguy]

I had a nice setup years ago using a Harris PRC-117B in the VRC-94 mount with speaker as a receiver and a big military 30-90MHz Discone. The radio had eight memory channels with scan in the 30-90MHz range and you can assign 150Hz tone squelch or run noise squelch. I’ve since parted with all my PRC-117A, B and D versions but still have the Discone buried in the garage.

I currently use an Icom 8600 with COM-201B 30-90MHz ground plane for the occasional VHF lo milcom signals I find. I would be willing to bet the Icom 8600 exceeds all specs that an older WJ receiver could muster.

 

[merlin]

I would be willing to bet the Icom 8600 exceeds all specs that an older WJ receiver could muster.

Match in performance perhaps, but exceed, no. Problem with older WJ equipment is finding somthing in prime operating condition.
There is only one Icom model that is mil-spec, like the IC-781 on steroids that replaced Japanese mil radios. (misplaced the spec sheet for that)
The newer WJ though can easily outdo it. Look up the SI-8614-3

 

[prcguy]

Match in performance perhaps, but exceed, no. Problem with older WJ equipment is finding somthing in prime operating condition.
There is only one Icom model that is mil-spec, like the IC-781 on steroids that replaced Japanese mil radios. (misplaced the spec sheet for that)
The newer WJ though can easily outdo it. Look up the SI-8614-3

Rob Sherwood has been testing and rating receivers for probably 40yrs and has seen a lot of high end mil types. The Icom 8600 is at the top of his list for stand alone HF/VHF/UHF receivers, nothing has tested better to date. In their prime time of the 70s, 80s and 90s where surplus used WJ receivers are affordable to hobbyists, they were some of the best. But newer technology has surpassed them.

 

[prcguy]

Just last week I got a new VHF lo setup for monitoring, although it will also transmit. I found a great deal on a Technisonics TFM-30 helicopter transceiver that covers roughly 26 to 52MHz, computer or front panel programmable with 200 channels and scan in multiple banks. These have been used in CHP helicopters in the past.

I programmed in some CHP channels and a few VHF lo military freqs and it works really well using my COM-201B
broad band military ground plane. If I had room in the dash of my truck I would find a way to stick it in there.

 

[vagrant]

Get yourself an OE-254 and sell me that COM-201B.

 

[prcguy]

Get yourself an OE-254 and sell me that COM-201B.

I have an OE-254 somewhere in the garage and ran a modified version for awhile using 10ft elements which made it work down to about 25MHz. It worked ok on CB through 6m.

 

[vagrant]

@prcguy - The OE~24 looks like it would require a bit more time on setup and takedown, as well as being more delicate. Also, don’t you have a Shakespeare vertical that handles the same range? If so, what is that model and how does it compare to the 201B?

 

[prcguy]

@prcguy - The OE~24 looks like it would require a bit more time on setup and takedown, as well as being more delicate. Also, don’t you have a Shakespeare vertical that handles the same range? If so, what is that model and how does it compare to the 201B?

I have a couple of Shakespeare SFB3512/VRC vehicular whips with ground plane adapters that cover 30-512MHz continuous but I’ve never compared one to a 201B.

 

[merlin]

Just last week I got a new VHF lo setup for monitoring, although it will also transmit. I found a great deal on a Technisonics TFM-30 helicopter transceiver that covers roughly 26 to 52MHz, computer or front panel programmable with 200 channels and scan in multiple banks. These have been used in CHP helicopters in the past.

I programmed in some CHP channels and a few VHF lo military freqs and it works really well using my COM-201B
broad band military ground plane. If I had room in the dash of my truck I would find a way to stick it in there.


View attachment 159661

I think you lucked out, deffinately a newer top shelf radio. If you paid anything less than 2K $$, you got a deal.
IF/WHEN these are found, people are maying more than that.

 

[merlin]

Rob Sherwood has been testing and rating receivers for probably 40yrs and has seen a lot of high end mil types. The Icom 8600 is at the top of his list for stand alone HF/VHF/UHF receivers, nothing has tested better to date. In their prime time of the 70s, 80s and 90s where surplus used WJ receivers are affordable to hobbyists, they were some of the best. But newer technology has surpassed them.

Yea, I can't deny that, but there is a finite line between civilian and Mil-std radios.
My clearance wouldn't allow me to enter a SCIFF center but from the door, what I saw, beats anything civilian.
Now that was modern technology at its best.

 

[prcguy]

I think you lucked out, deffinately a newer top shelf radio. If you paid anything less than 2K $$, you got a deal.
IF/WHEN these are found, people are maying more than that.

I paid $250 and it came with programming software, install and maintenance manuals. But that’s nothing compared to the TFM-550 I also got with remote control head. That one covers about 26-52MHz, 136-174MHz and 406-512MHZ with 600ch. Unfortunately the 550 had an intermittent VHF hi receive problem and I just sent it back to the seller. That one was my new best buddy.

 

[merlin]

Jeez, where can I find such deals.

 

[prcguy]

Jeez, where can I find such deals.

They were advertised on another forum but I suspect most people don’t know what they are. There are others available like the TDFM-7000, a four band analog/P25 radio that uses XTS-5000 modules for each band. It costs more but the price is actually a fraction of what avionics shops are charging. I don’t think the 7000 does low band since I haven’t seen an XTS-5000 in lo band.

 

[vagrant]

@prcguy - Wait what? What can I do with my XTS5000 radios? Here I am suffering with each one in its own XTVA when I could rip out my double din radio/CD stack out of the dash and shove something I don’t really need in there? Fantastic! Time to read some manuals.

Some time later, “…yeah, CHP used to use this in their aircraft”.