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TC the Giant posted:My understanding is that VLF comms are usually reserved for the most basic messages. Beacons for navigation, simple instructions, stuff like that. The antennas for transmitting on those freqs are enormous, which really limits their uses. Pretty much this. Not normally one to push Wikipedia but this page actually does a good job breaking down longwave. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longwave The VLF comms with submarines do take enormous antennas (like 20 miles long!) and they are data transmitted extremely slowly because of the super narrow bandwidth used make it through. They don't use VLF for fun, those super long wavelengths are what it takes to get a signal deep underwater.
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Aug 29, 2010 06:28
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JammyLammy posted:edit: Because of how old the book is, some of this information is outdated and sort of makes me sad that I can't use it Unfortunately, if you're in the US any radio or scanner made after 1994 has those frequencies blocked along with any frequencies used for the old analog cellular phones. It's actually unnecessary these days since analog cellular service isn't active any longer and most cordless phones are using digital spread spectrum to prevent eavesdropping.
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Aug 29, 2010 14:05
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It mentioned using 1700-1800 can (was) able to pick up old cordless phone calls, this sounds like it could be hilarious to listen to. Doubt anyone uses cordless house phones these days though.
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BigHustle posted:Unfortunately, if you're in the US any radio or scanner made after 1994 has those frequencies blocked along with any frequencies used for the old analog cellular phones. Up until a few years ago, I could usually find a 900Mhz phone call within a couple minutes with my scanner. I haven't tried recently but so many people are doing away with their landlines now, and I don't think you can even buy 900MHz phones anymore. As a kid in the early 2000s there was usually two or three calls I could pick up at any given time in the 900MHz range. I'd listen to them quite a bit and started recording the "good" ones. The voyeurism aspect of scanners was actually what got me into radio in the first place. As I got older it started to feel a little creepy so I stopped. The oddest one I ever heard was a woman who apparently had a stroke while she was on the phone.
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Aug 30, 2010 00:20
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Better ways I can improve my speaker wire antenna? Basically radio is next to window, a long (~40 feet of speaker wire) is attached to the antenna using an alligator clip. The wire goes out the window, then up to a window in the attic, where its just ducktaped to the wood beams in the ceiling. Wire is going inward into the attic. It boosted signals and I'm actually picking up things from inside the house, however I'm getting TONS of interference, its very hard to get just one station coming in when I'm getting static and stations from other freq. bleeding in. What can I do to improve this?
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Sep 1, 2010 02:13
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JammyLammy posted:Better ways I can improve my speaker wire antenna? If you're using a random wire antenna, really the only things you can do to improve the signal quality are to make sure that your antenna isn't grounding to any metal, make sure that it's not running parallel to any power lines, and when listening to the radio make sure that you have any fluorescent lights or anything with a power supply is away from you. I know I had interference with my radio when I had the lights on or had my netbook plugged into the wall and nearby.
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Sep 1, 2010 04:47
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Got an alarm clock and laptop plugged in next to it =/ Would it be worth just putting down the money and getting one of these http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3680209
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Sep 1, 2010 11:22
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JammyLammy posted:Got an alarm clock and laptop plugged in next to it =/ I haven't used one, but a lot of people like them. Loops knock out all kinds of external interference, but you have to retune them whenever you change frequencies for optimum performance. Oh... You might want to save a couple bucks and buy the Kaito branded model from Amazon instead.
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Sep 1, 2010 14:25
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BigHustle posted:I haven't used one, but a lot of people like them. Loops knock out all kinds of external interference, but you have to retune them whenever you change frequencies for optimum performance. Ordered, and free 2-day shipping via free prime  Thanks
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Sep 1, 2010 18:10
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Ooh, this thread! The buzzer's stopped again.
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Sep 1, 2010 19:30
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Was it a coordinated effort with the guy who is holding the Discovery Channel hostage?
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Sep 1, 2010 21:25
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BetterWeirdthanDead posted:Was it a coordinated effort with the guy who is holding the Discovery Channel hostage? Well, I went home with a waitress The way I always do How was I to know She was with the Russians, too? I grabbed a hostage in Discovery I took a little risk Send lawyers, guns and money Dad, get me out of this I'm an innocent bystander but somehow I got stuck Between a rock and a hard place And I'm down on my luck And I'm down on my luck And I'm down on my luck Now I'm hiding in an office I'm a desperate man Send lawyers, guns and money The whale poo poo has hit the fan Send lawyers, guns and money...
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Sep 1, 2010 22:10
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BigHustle posted:Warren Zevon fuckery. I... I love you. 
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Sep 1, 2010 22:28
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JammyLammy posted:Ordered, and free 2-day shipping via free prime
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Sep 1, 2010 23:32
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nmfree posted:FYI, that design usually works really well on MW, but not on SW.  Well, it should come in handy for MW then. drat, whenever I look around I can never seem to get a definitive answer =/ I found some sites on building loop antenna for shortwave, I guess I could give those a try.
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Sep 1, 2010 23:53
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JammyLammy posted:
MAGNETIC LOOP. MAGNETIC LOOP. BUILD A MAGNETIC LOOP. YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID. LINK IN THE OP. Seriously, it is so easy to build and it works so loving well there's no excuse not to.
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Sep 2, 2010 00:16
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Err, thats what I was referring to about the ones I found. Alright, goon project this weekend.
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Sep 2, 2010 00:17
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AstroZamboni posted:I... I love you. It was either that or 'Symphony of Destruction'. Warren seemed the more obvious choice. JammyLammy posted:Alright, goon project this weekend. A good source for the variable capacitor listed in the instructions is a thrift store like the Salvation Army or Goodwill. Grab an old AM clock radio with a dial tuner and you should be good to go.
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Sep 2, 2010 04:39
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JammyLammy posted:
While the Degen DE31 Antenna is nothing amazing, its cheap as gently caress on ebay and folds up to take up zero room when you are not using it. I found in my case it worked better than my homemade mag loop. I tossed my mag loop away, it takes up too much space for me.
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Sep 2, 2010 06:31
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So finally a reason to post in this thread again. I was listening to UVB-76 tonight, sounds like it had some new Morse code along with some music. I'm sure that it's going to turn out that this is somehow part of a viral marketing campaign.
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Sep 2, 2010 06:40
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quote:The Buzzer, with "The Swan's Lake" and with an OM counting live!
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Sep 2, 2010 21:07
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So if one want to start getting into QSLing. What the proper information does one need? Listening to 5985 khz right now, can't understand a word of it (Don't speak chinese) but I'm fairly certain its this station http://www.schoechi.de/az-brm.html I'm guessing for starters I need to get my license and some callsigns =/
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Sep 4, 2010 04:58
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To get a QSL card from a station, all you need is paper, an envelope, and a stamp. In the past I've written in with the frequency and time I was listening, the quality of the signal, and usually some commentary on the program. Both China Radio International and Radio Turkey sent me back a postcard (more in the case of China.) In both cases I actually emailed in my QSL report, but for something like Radio Myanmar you may need to use snail mail, possibly including a reply coupon.
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Sep 4, 2010 05:07
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Hate to double-post, but just for the benefit of the guy who asked about QSL cards, I figured I'd come back and post some examples. Inspired to start collecting QSL cards again, I found the Radio Havana signal, as it's pretty reliable and clear. Here's what I sent out via email:quote:Radio Havana Cuba: This morning, this was already in my inbox: quote:Dear [me]: Hopefully that means a QSL card is on its way. Another example, for present and future would-be QSL collectors: quote:QSL Report for Voice of Turkey What I got back:  Click here for the full 640x478 image.  Not technically related to QSL cards, last night while just hitting the scan button I found what I *think* is Radio Tunis on 7275 kHz right before 0500 GMT. All I could get was some singing, followed by something in what sounded like French. It's far and away the most distant find I've gotten with just my whip antenna... now to build a mag loop!
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Sep 4, 2010 16:30
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JammyLammy posted:So if one want to start getting into QSLing. What the proper information does one need? That was actually China Radio International being relayed by Okeechobee, Florida's WYFR (Family Radio). CRI leases some time from WYFR for the stronger signal in the United States.
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Sep 4, 2010 20:37
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Radio Nowhere posted:That was actually China Radio International being relayed by Okeechobee, Florida's WYFR (Family Radio). CRI leases some time from WYFR for the stronger signal in the United States. That explains why it was coming in with a strong signal. I guess googling frequency isn't the best way of getting station id's. How do you figure out stuff like that? edit: Well, time to write down the parts list for the loop and get them at lowes. double edit: The loop guy in the link in the OP could stand to give better directions =/ JammyLammy fucked around with this message at 21:25 on Sep 4, 2010 |
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Sep 4, 2010 21:02
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JammyLammy posted:That explains why it was coming in with a strong signal. I guess googling frequency isn't the best way of getting station id's. How do you figure out stuff like that? I use Shortwave Info. You can search by radio station to see when broadcasts take place or enter a frequency to see what's broadcasting at that moment in time. It's nice since it shows you the frequencies around what you searched for as well as shows a map of the transmitter locations. Most of the foreign broadcasts I picked up when I was living in Jersey were rebroadcasts coming out of Radio Canada's Sackville, ON transmitter site or Family Radio's Okeechobee, FL transmitter like Radio Nowhere mentioned. The only exceptions I really came across were Radio Havana coming out of Cuba, the Atencion numbers station also coming from Cuba, and a station (Radio Algerienne, maybe?) that was broadcasting Quran calls out of southern France.
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Sep 4, 2010 21:31
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JammyLammy posted:That explains why it was coming in with a strong signal. I guess googling frequency isn't the best way of getting station id's. How do you figure out stuff like that? That frequency I just knew from experience, it is either Family Radio or CRI coming from that transmitter in Florida. Here's one I like, http://www.geocities.jp/binewsjp/bia10.txt @ http://www.worldofradio.com/ Glenn Hauser does that "World of Radio" program many shortwave stations carry. His on-air presentation is dry but it's crammed full of shortwave information and changes. Just F3 your frequency on that list and narrow it down to the time (in GMT) and language you're hearing. Nothing is 100% in shortwave but this comes pretty close since it's constantly updated.
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Sep 5, 2010 00:00
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Alright, maybe you guys can help me with this. I finally made the Magnetic Loop (http://www.kr1st.com/swlloop.htm) took a shorter amount of time then I thought. I played around with mine, and not sure if its working though =/ The guy left some parts vague, so hopefully someone can help me. 1) Duct Tape doesn't insulate? I'm having that to hold the outer circle, until I get something small and wood to put between the ends. 2) The coupling loop. Does the wire need to be bare or tubbed? The instructions he has are leaving me a bit confused. So I take the wire, make it a circle (does it need to be a complete circle with both ends touching?), then the end of the wire goes into the phone plug and that into the external antenna hole of the G3?
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Sep 7, 2010 03:00
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JammyLammy posted:Alright, maybe you guys can help me with this. I finally made the Magnetic Loop (http://www.kr1st.com/swlloop.htm) took a shorter amount of time then I thought. I played around with mine, and not sure if its working though =/ The guy left some parts vague, so hopefully someone can help me. The house wire for the coupling loop needs to be bare, and the ends of the coupling loop are isolated from one another. It must NOT be a closed loop with the ends touching. If they are in contact anywhere, then the circuit of the coupling loop is shorted and won't pick up doodly squat from the main loop. The ends of the wire for the coupling loop attach (one end each) to the core and braid of a standard coax cable. Coax is specifically mentioned in the instructions for your feedline for a reason. It works better than anything else for this application. You can get a coax to 1/8" mono phone plug adapter at radio shack so you don't have to wire up your own phone plug. As for the connections between the wiring of the tuning capacitor and the copper coil and between the coupling loop and the coax, make sure you thoroughly clean and solder the connections. Don't use clamps, alligator clips or crimp connections. Also, make sure none of the prongs on the tuning capacitor contact the main loop. Consequently, make sure the coupling loop is not in direct contact with the main loop. Hope this helps! AstroZamboni fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Sep 7, 2010 |
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Sep 7, 2010 04:11
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That clears up alot of things, thanks Just some last minute items.AstroZamboni posted:Also, make sure none of the prongs on the tuning capacitor contact the main loop. Other then the connections mentioned in the guide, right? And just to make sure I got the coupling part right. I use the #14 house wire, strip it bare then make the circle with it. One end is just hanging loose (insulated and not making contact with anything) while the other end goes into sometype of connector that makes connection with a coax cable. Right?
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Sep 7, 2010 17:19
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JammyLammy posted:Other then the connections mentioned in the guide, right? Yeah, you definitely want to wire up the connections mentioned in the instructions. If it connects anywhere else, it shorts. As for the second part, I think there's something seriously amiss. 14 gauge house wire wouldn't have insulation on it. Did you get #14 electrical braid? 14 gauge house wire in this case is referring to galvanized steel wire, also called utility wire. You're looking for something like this. It is a bare, stiff steel wire of a single filament, not a braid. AstroZamboni fucked around with this message at 17:56 on Sep 7, 2010 |
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Sep 7, 2010 17:53
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AstroZamboni posted:Yeah, you definitely want to wire up the connections mentioned in the instructions. If it connects anywhere else, it shorts. Welp, looks like I need to stop at radioshack again. Have the wrong wire =/ Hopefully thats the last thing I'm missing. So, replace the wire that I'm using, loop it, insulate. Then the last step I got is to connect that to the coaxial cable. (got the coaxial cable and the proper phone plug) Is there a connector for wire -> coaxial? The people at radioshack had no idea.
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Sep 7, 2010 18:54
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No. You need to solder one end of the loop to the coax core, and the other end to the coax braid. You need to cut a coax cable to do this. It isn't hard. Also, you won't find the galvanized steel wire at Radio Shack. You'll need to go to a hardware store to get it.
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Sep 7, 2010 20:07
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AstroZamboni posted:No. You need to solder one end of the loop to the coax core, and the other end to the coax braid. You need to cut a coax cable to do this. It isn't hard. Ah, I see now. So strip part of the tubing off one end of the coaxial cable.  Click here for the full 705x493 image. Solder one end of the loop to part B and solder the other end to part D. Should hopefully be able to get this up and done by tonight when I get back from classes. Thanks for the help.
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Sep 7, 2010 21:04
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JammyLammy posted:Ah, I see now. Precisely. To attach the other end of the coax (the one that still has an RF connector) to your radio, just use one of these.
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Sep 7, 2010 21:34
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The coax cable didn't have a copper colour to it on the mesh... Regardless, I got it done  I'd take pictures but I don't have a camera. Whats the best way to test it and make sure everything is working properly?Thanks for the help Feel bad for the other people who must be thinking something major updated when its just Astro helping me while I gently caress around with this stuff.
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Sep 8, 2010 02:32
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The best way to test it is to tune in a weak station without the antenna, then plug it in and twiddle the tuning capacitor knob until the signal is strongest. If the tuning capacitor knob makes no difference, then there's something wonky somewhere and its time to troubleshoot.
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Sep 8, 2010 05:42
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For those of you who do utility monitoring, the NOAA has put up the new Worldwide Marine Radiofax Broadcast Schedule.
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Sep 10, 2010 21:28
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The
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Sep 15, 2010 18:41
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Hadn't a clue about this thread, and found it when googling about fixing a crooked Grundig G3 knob. I bought it not too long ago at Frys, but their only other stock is an open box/refurb mystery one so I can't really return it for an immediate exchange. Is there a simple fix that someone knows about? I'm anxious about prodding and pulling it, fearing I'll hear some plastic crack and know I just boned my chance to get Eton support. If not, I'll just send them an email. It'd be a pain to have to go through a big swap routine just for something so mundane. Maybe I'll just return it and find it online somewhere. Turning the knob like a maniac while running through frequencies would be a little nicer if each revolution I didn't have the wheel rubbing into the casing like a wobbly car tire squeaking into the bodywork.
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Sep 17, 2010 07:55
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