I remember the Big Ear well, and if you watch an NFL football game closely you will see a field tech working the sidelines with the great grand-daddy of the Big Ear, being used to pick up playing field audio.
I wonder if one of those field techs ever borrowed one and...
8^)
I remember the Big Ear well, and if you watch an NFL football game closely you will see a field tech working the sidelines with the great grand-daddy of the Big Ear, being used to pick up playing field audio.
I wonder if one of those field techs ever borrowed one and...
8^)
Your comment made me laugh out loud!
Best Wishes
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
Your comment made me laugh out loud!
Best Wishes
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
The LinxTechnologies HP2 series 900 MHz modules
that you used in your doppler radar radio link no
longer exist, as you had mentioned.
But the company has an HP3 series out now.
If my solar powered FM broadcast band repeater
package ever becomes really useful, then I will
go to a 900 MHz STL instead of a 49 MHz one.
And I will use the HP3 series modules.
There is a lot to learn here, and it will take time,
but I think it will be fun.
Best Wishes,
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
The LinxTechnologies HP2 series 900 MHz modules
that you used in your doppler radar radio link no
longer exist, as you had mentioned.
But the company has an HP3 series out now.
If my solar powered FM broadcast band repeater
package ever becomes really useful, then I will
go to a 900 MHz STL instead of a 49 MHz one.
And I will use the HP3 series modules.
There is a lot to learn here, and it will take time,
but I think it will be fun.
Best Wishes,
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
A quick perusal of the specs for the HP3 series leads me to believe these are equivalent to the HP2 series except for cosmetics. The challenge to using them is more mechanical than electronic. I mounted them in Altoids cans using some female header strips. Many of the pins are grounded so I soldered these to the tin for support. My antennas are connected via about six inch lengths of RG174 which was done for prototyping. My plan is to solder the four ground plane elements to the tins and to mount the driven element through a hole drilled in the box securing the element with a blob of 5 minute clear epoxy.
There is a caution in the data sheets about how close to a conductive plane the modules can be mounted but mine work fine approximately centered which puts them about 1/4 inch from the box surfaces.
This type of construction might be a challenge considering your sight but you could probably adopt another approach. I do recommend using a socket or header strip and plug them in rather than soldering them.
Neil
A quick perusal of the specs for the HP3 series leads me to believe these are equivalent to the HP2 series except for cosmetics. The challenge to using them is more mechanical than electronic. I mounted them in Altoids cans using some female header strips. Many of the pins are grounded so I soldered these to the tin for support. My antennas are connected via about six inch lengths of RG174 which was done for prototyping. My plan is to solder the four ground plane elements to the tins and to mount the driven element through a hole drilled in the box securing the element with a blob of 5 minute clear epoxy.
There is a caution in the data sheets about how close to a conductive plane the modules can be mounted but mine work fine approximately centered which puts them about 1/4 inch from the box surfaces.
This type of construction might be a challenge considering your sight but you could probably adopt another approach. I do recommend using a socket or header strip and plug them in rather than soldering them.
Neil
Hi Neil! Thanks for the info on how you dealt
with the 900 MHz chips that you had. I think
it is very cool.
My projects go very slowly because of my life
situations. But I can tell you that I almost
have everything I need to get this solar powered
repeater up and running. (With the 49 MHz feed.)
When the time comes, I will try to do 900 MHz with
those new chips from the same company.
By the way, I looked up 900 MHz walkie talkies and
found a remarkable (at least I think it is) product.
I think the company is called TriSquare. (I'll have
to check that.) Anyway, they make a pair of
walkie talkies at 900 MHz that do frequency hopping
spread spectrum. This means the transmission
cannot be monitored on an analog receiver. I can't
remember if they change channels 50 times a second
or 500 times. The range is said to be better than
that of FRS radios. I read some reviews. One user
said that if you were using more than two radios
for the same conversations, there were some
sync problems. But these radios are inexpensive.
Depending on where you order them, it looks like
you can get a pair for about $70! If I was made
of money, I would buy some tomorrow just to
see what they were like. If I thought they could
be hacked easily, I would buy a pair for my Part 15
repeater link.
Anyhow, they were interesting. Thanks again for
your 900 MHz application info, and I will keep you
and the whole crew posted as to where this
experiment goes.
Best Wishes
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
Hi Neil! Thanks for the info on how you dealt
with the 900 MHz chips that you had. I think
it is very cool.
My projects go very slowly because of my life
situations. But I can tell you that I almost
have everything I need to get this solar powered
repeater up and running. (With the 49 MHz feed.)
When the time comes, I will try to do 900 MHz with
those new chips from the same company.
By the way, I looked up 900 MHz walkie talkies and
found a remarkable (at least I think it is) product.
I think the company is called TriSquare. (I'll have
to check that.) Anyway, they make a pair of
walkie talkies at 900 MHz that do frequency hopping
spread spectrum. This means the transmission
cannot be monitored on an analog receiver. I can't
remember if they change channels 50 times a second
or 500 times. The range is said to be better than
that of FRS radios. I read some reviews. One user
said that if you were using more than two radios
for the same conversations, there were some
sync problems. But these radios are inexpensive.
Depending on where you order them, it looks like
you can get a pair for about $70! If I was made
of money, I would buy some tomorrow just to
see what they were like. If I thought they could
be hacked easily, I would buy a pair for my Part 15
repeater link.
Anyhow, they were interesting. Thanks again for
your 900 MHz application info, and I will keep you
and the whole crew posted as to where this
experiment goes.
Best Wishes
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
These are TriSquare eXRS TSX-300-2VP
FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum)
digital 2 way radios.
They run I watt and seem to be the same or
a little bit better than FRS radios, but they
are completely private. The FHSS scheme
means there is never any interference ever.
The TSX-300-2VP model also has text messaging.
There is no FCC license required.
I know that this is a bit off the subject, but I think
anybody who likes radios would find these interesting.
Best Wishes
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
P.S. Maybe these units have been mentioned on this
board before, but I'm not sure.
These are TriSquare eXRS TSX-300-2VP
FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum)
digital 2 way radios.
They run I watt and seem to be the same or
a little bit better than FRS radios, but they
are completely private. The FHSS scheme
means there is never any interference ever.
The TSX-300-2VP model also has text messaging.
There is no FCC license required.
I know that this is a bit off the subject, but I think
anybody who likes radios would find these interesting.
Best Wishes
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
P.S. Maybe these units have been mentioned on this
board before, but I'm not sure.
On more comment on the TriSquare
TSX-300-2VP. I guess they are really
being noticed in the 2 way radio world.
Popular Communications ran a big
article on them. Also, a soldier on duty
in Afghanistan said that his company
is using them there, and that they are
better than the military issued radios!
Also, they come with an external vox
mike/headset, which suggests that
they might be workable as a Part 15
900 MHz link, because they seem to
have jacks that accept transmit audio,
and send out receive audio. (?)
However, audio fidelity could be a big
issue. They might really only work well
on the voice frequency spectrum.
Man, if I had the money, I would buy
them and try to hack them for a link
just to see what would happen.
There is one more thing. They do require
a lot of energy to run. They have rechargable
battery packs, although I thiink they will run
on AA batteries.
Actually, the 900 MHz link I am envisioning will have to
consume little power, (well the receiver anyway)
because it will be solar powered, as mentioned
above. This means that I will be using the 900 MHz
modules that Neil has talked about instead. (When
the time comes.)
Interesting Stuff!
Best Wishes
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
On more comment on the TriSquare
TSX-300-2VP. I guess they are really
being noticed in the 2 way radio world.
Popular Communications ran a big
article on them. Also, a soldier on duty
in Afghanistan said that his company
is using them there, and that they are
better than the military issued radios!
Also, they come with an external vox
mike/headset, which suggests that
they might be workable as a Part 15
900 MHz link, because they seem to
have jacks that accept transmit audio,
and send out receive audio. (?)
However, audio fidelity could be a big
issue. They might really only work well
on the voice frequency spectrum.
Man, if I had the money, I would buy
them and try to hack them for a link
just to see what would happen.
There is one more thing. They do require
a lot of energy to run. They have rechargable
battery packs, although I thiink they will run
on AA batteries.
Actually, the 900 MHz link I am envisioning will have to
consume little power, (well the receiver anyway)
because it will be solar powered, as mentioned
above. This means that I will be using the 900 MHz
modules that Neil has talked about instead. (When
the time comes.)
Interesting Stuff!
Best Wishes
Bruce, MICRO1690/1700
Hi Bruce MICRO1700.
For the first time in human history I disagree with something you said. You said that the Trisquare radios might be "off-subject," but I think it's totally on subject. Especially since you found there are audio inputs/outputs (for STL use?)
Find out if the specs mention the bandwidth, which would be a clue probably to the audio quality. My impression is that up in the 900mHz space, bandwidths are usually very generous.