[Premium-Rx] Looking for recommendations on high performance VLF receiver.

[Nick Hall-Patch]

Unless you can remote a tuned loop to somewhere 
away from house wiring (one of my many potential 
projects...), even a tuned loop may just be a 
noise hound, unfortunately, because inside a 
house is where the electrical noise is often to 
be found, if not with one's own consumer devices, 
then everyone else's, conveyed down the power line.

Using an amplified broadband loop somewhere on 
your property away from power lines may get you 
away from a substantial portion of local noise 
(for an 
example: 
https://www.loop-antennas.com/wellbrook/ALA1530LN), 
plus rotation may enable nulling of at least one source of noise.

As others have mentioned, local electrical noise is the killer.

best wishes,

Nick



  At 15:22 2018-04-09, Al Klase wrote:

>Peter,
>
>You'll likely hear better with a simple tuned loop.
>
>Al
>
>On 4/9/2018 10:56 AM, Peter Gottlieb wrote:
>>I have about 150 feet at a max height of about 
>>25 feet. What would be my best choice for a VLF monitoring antenna?
>
>
>>Peter
>
>>>On Apr 9, 2018, at 10:45 AM, Bruce Gentry <ka2ivy at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>In addition to having a good receiver, a good 
>>>(quiet) location and antenna are also 
>>>needed.  How many people go on "RXpeditions" 
>>>for VLF?  As for receivers, how would a 
>>>classic TRF/regen receiver like an RBA or RAK 
>>>work for you?  The detector bandwidth narrows 
>>>as you approach oscillation, and the RAK has 
>>>sharp audio filters. The reason I ask about 
>>>these receivers is their simplicity, "purity", 
>>>and lack of conversion noise along with good 
>>>sensitivity. The Collins R-389 and many others have a lot of internal noise.
>>>
>>>>On 4/9/18 2:06 AM, Tom wrote:
>>>>Hi Folks!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>    I've been having a blast pulling in VLF 
>>>> aircraft beacons in the 200-525 K/c range.
>>>>
>>>>    I am looking for recommendations for a 
>>>> premium receiver that will cover VLF. If it 
>>>> can cover say VLF to HF (maybe 10k/c - 30 Mc, that would be even better!)
>>>>
>>>>    Due to the nature and spacing of the 
>>>> signals, selectivity is an absolute 
>>>> must!  Signals can typically be 2 K/c apart 
>>>> from each other, creating all sorts of heterodyne issues.
>>>>
>>>>    My best receiver is the CEI-357 (R-1401): 
>>>> Sensitivity is good, selectivity is also 
>>>> quite good, but the noise blanker doesn't 
>>>> seem to work, and this a real performance 
>>>> killer (especially since we're getting into the noisy time of year!).
>>>>
>>>>    The CEI-357 has 6 K/c, 3 K/c, 1 K/c, and 
>>>> 100 Hz filters. For VLF work, the 3 and 1 
>>>> K/c filters are what I primarily use. The 1 
>>>> K/c filter gets used the most. Being able to 
>>>> use a .5 K/c filter would be a huge asset 
>>>> for pulling in the Canadian beacons that have the 400 Hz modulation.
>>>>
>>>>    Having the ability to go from AM to USB 
>>>> and LSB is also a huge plus: I bagged a 
>>>> beacon in the Caribbean (a 3900 mile path!) 
>>>> because I was able to switch to SSB and use a narrow filter.
>>>>
>>>>    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>-Tom
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>
>--
>Al Klase – N3FRQ
>Jersey City, NJ
>http://www.skywaves.ar88.net/
>
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Nick Hall-Patch
Victoria, BC
Canada