[RFI] Portables for sniffing RFI

[Dave Cole]

Jello,

Pretty much if it is portable, and it receives the RFI in question, it 
will work.  I have used a SDR for the past few years now, I used to use 
an FT817ND, and have used a portable SW receiver...  Sometimes I use a 
portable SW radio, as opposed to the SDR for speed and portability.

Whatever you use, the radio should have a way to measure and document 
signal strength.  It should be something that you can repeat those 
measurements with, and expect to get something close to the same 
readings from run to run.  It should be easy to handle, run on 
batteries, and IMHO it must have an AM mode.  I do all RFI hunting using 
AM mode.  The radio should cover from 1.6 to 30 MHz., you move up in 
frequency as you get closer.

I also have and use, one of those MFJ three element 135 MHz receivers 
when I get close, it is mounted on a three element beam...

For info on categorizing RFI using an SDR see:
https://www.nk7z.net/sdr-rfi-survey-p1/

I use a portable SDR setup I cobbled together, and can see related RFI 
sources drop and rise in unison as I rotate the loop.  That helps a lot 
in pinning something down to a single transmitter, and/or location...

All in all, if it works, is portable, and has an S meter of some sort, 
it should work fine...

That's my take on it...

On 7/11/19 11:24 AM, Leonard Halvorsen via RFI wrote:
> What's the general consensus on good portable radios for use in
> tracking-down RFI (and general listening)? I have heard the Tecsun-880 is a
> good performer. Any other recommendations???
> 
> Leo H.
> WA2AMW
> _______________________________________________
> RFI mailing list
> RFI at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
> 

-- 
73, and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Technical Specialist
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources