At 09:00 AM 6/28/2011, Herbert Graf wrote:
>So, in my huge amounts of free time I've been thinking that the one area
>of electronics I don't really have much experience is radio.

I played with the science workshop spectrum analyzer=20
<http://www.science-workshop.com/> many years ago and wasn't all that=20
happy with it.  I don't remember the details but one major problem=20
was inability to calibrate the frequency accurately.  It was useful=20
to get a general idea of what the spectrum looked like but that was=20
about it.  The last time I used it was probably 10 years ago.

I've been using an old HP 8559 for the past many years but late last=20
year, I finally bought something better: its called a Signal Hound=20
<www.signalhound.com> .  I also purchased its companion tracking=20
generator when they became available early this year.  Both go up to 4.2GHz=
..

If you do purchase one of the Signal Hound units used, make sure that=20
you get the "B" version.  The earliest units (non "B") spew=20
significant amounts of the first LO out the input connector which can=20
(DID!) cause significant problems.

I also recently purchased a VNA (vector network analyzer) from=20
<www.SDR-kits.com> .  This is a NICE little box that does one and two=20
port measurements.  It will function as a rudimentary spectrum=20
analyzer but there are limitations that are at least well=20
documented.  Its good up to 1.3GHz.

Both of the units I mentioned are fully assembled, not kits and not=20
parts collections that can be gathered up.  Sorry about that.  But=20
they both work well.

dwayne

--=20
Dwayne Reid   <dwayner@planet.eon.net>
Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd    Edmonton, AB, CANADA
(780) 489-3199 voice          (780) 487-6397 fax
www.trinity-electronics.com
Custom Electronics Design and Manufacturing

--=20
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
.