Peter:
I am working on the Receiver chapter for the LF book
and
What is your favorite receiver and how does it compare with others
that you might have tried?
My favorite LF receiver is the family of receivers that were once used to
maintain the microwave radio and long haul coax FDM analogue carrier
systems. These instruments (radios) were made by a number of different
companies, the one I have now is a Wandel and Golterman, AT-611, that covers
6 kHz to 18 MHz. This radio has a "stabilized" local oscillator system that
will hold a frequency to less than a Hz over long periods of time. This
class of radios have generally very superior IF filters, mine has a 24 Hz
filter that makes the radio especially good at coping with loud signals that
are nearby in frequency. There is generally no AGC in these radios as they
are in fact selective volt meters in their original application.
I have had a number of receivers for LF over the last few years, but when it
comes time to go looking for weak signals, the W&G is the one that gets
turned on.
I have also made use of the ICOM PCR-1000 as an LF receiver. What I have
done here is made up a list of internal birdies in the receiver in the LF
range and then hooked up the antenna to it and gone signal hunting, checking
with the list of birdies is important so I can interpret what I am hearing.
The PCR-1000 is a compromise of compromises - it is not a good LF receiver
but it will let you tune around and get familiar with the LF part of the
band.
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