Amateur Radio Stack Exchange
Amateur Radio Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [equipment-design]

90 questions
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How to detect common-mode currents or “RF in the shack”?

Let's say we already know that if your antenna is not suitably constructed or connected then you can get current on the shield of your coaxial feed line which will flow through the shielding/grounding of your equipment, becoming “RF in the shack”,…
Kevin Reid AG6YO
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What does the addition of a shield to a small loop accomplish?

A small shielded loop is an antenna with a loop of wire, smaller than 1/10th of a wavelength in diameter, also surrounded by a shield. Often, they are constructed from coax. There is a gap in the shield somewhere. Feedpoint arrangements differ among…
Phil Frost - W8II
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Why are vacuum tubes still used in amateur radios?

I wonder, even in this modern generation why the outdated vacuum tubes are used. In other electronic circuits they have been replaced by more efficient (and small) transistors years ago. Why they are still used?
Sumithran
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Why do today's transceivers use LC filters rather than crystal filters?

Going through a number of schematics for today's receivers (Elecraft KX3, for example) I note that most use LC circuits for filtering. The wikipedia article for Crystal Filters suggests, however, that crystal filters are used in high quality…
Adam Davis
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How is the IF for a superhet selected?

There seem to be almost as many choices for the intermediate frequency (IF) as there are superheterodyne receivers and transceivers out there. The ones I have come across are 455 kHz, 452 kHz, 1.6 MHz and 6 MHz. What would be the rationale for…
VU2NHW
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Why is dynamic range relevant for an SDR?

Sometimes I see dynamic range mentioned as a figure of merit for an SDR. For example, I know that the bits per sample used by the analog to digital converter can affect the dynamic range. Why do I care about dynamic range? What happens when I don't…
Phil Frost - W8II
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What is dBm and why is it used rather than watts?

Reading through an RF power amplifier datasheet, I found the sheet only referenced dBm output power, rather than watts. What is dBm? How do I convert it to watts? Why, or when, would you use dBm to specify power output rather than watts? Are there…
Adam Davis
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How to design a rubber ducky antenna

I am attempting to design an antenna for a 162.4 MHz omni receive only application and am confident it is going to be difficult if not impossible. I have very tight specs on space(6" diameter by 3" deep cylinder) so the first antenna I came across…
Josh Cox
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Can you use a satellite dish for a ham radio antenna?

Can I use a satellite dish as a ham radio antenna? I was thinking that because there are two unused, working satellite dishes that have all appropriate wires attached conveniently to the roof of my house. Would there be a way to use the dish as a…
hopefulhacker-Reinstate Monica
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What limits a PIN diode or varicap from being used in a "Software Defined [Radio] Filter"?

A PIN diode varies its capacitance based on a DC bias, and a Varicap exhibits this effect even more clearly. What limits the use of "solid state variable capacitors" like these for dynamically filtering (low power/received) RF signals? The question…
natevw - AF7TB
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How Could Superheterodyne Receiver Ever Work?

I am surprised how the Superheterodyne Receiver still works and is still in use after coming to realise the impact of Image Frequencies on its performance. Basically, I'm curious how engineers make such an architecture work despite the affect made…
Denis
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RF Transceiver for walkie talkie use

I'm close to my EE. BSc finale and I'm looking to play around a little bit with the stuff I've learned. To be honest, I'm a little bit upset that after 4 years of learning communications theory, I'm not able to choose the hardware I need. My idea is…
Santiago
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Simple circuit for acceptably clean CW in homebrew TX?

I'm working on a design for a home-brew 10 metre transmitter for CW. My oscillator is running cleanly, and I need to add a (small, probably 1/2 ~ 1 Watt) power stage to it, and I need to "modulate" the signal--i.e. turn the output on and off :) I…
Toby Eggitt
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Double power-handling ability of RF amplifier output transformer

I want to base the output network for a 500W push-pull HF amplifier on "A 250W Broadband Linear Amplifier" described in Chapter 17 of the 2014 ARRL Handbook. I need advice on whether and/or how the 1:4 impedance step-up transmission line transformer…
Brian K1LI
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Dummy load construction and heat dissipation

I'm building my own dummy load, consisting of resistors submerged in liquid paraffin (or something similar, not 100% decided). I had some questions around heat dissipation and how I can calculate and avoid the thing over-heating. Is there a…
David VK2VXK
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