Hi, I am a newbie to this site and to electronics in general. I need to monitor usage of UHF bands (400-800MHz). For this, I am planning to do the following: 1. Buy an omni-directional discone antenna 2. Hook it up with a frequency pre-selector box 3. Hook the output of pre-selector with lab style oscillloscope. I want to monitor channels with bandwidth 6Mhz. Can you please check if my method is correct or not. Also, can someone please suggest me a frequency pre-selector box which will suit my requirements (6 Mhz monitoring in 400-800 Mhz range). I can hope to spend up to $1000 (as this is a funded project). Thanks everybody. George

 

Also, would an off-shelf lab CRO would satisfy the requirement? Sorry, I have computer science algorithmic background.

 

If the project is worth anything, I would advise renting or borrowing an RF spectrum analyzer. I think you will find trying to kluge something together, as a newbe to electronics, will be fruitless.

Ken

 

Used Communications Monitors can be bought cheaply, and that would satisfy your UHF band requirements.

I'm sure your aware of CFR 47 part 15.9 concerning the Prohibition against eavesdropping

 

Eavesdropping schmeevesdropping..

You can always 'happen' along a used frequency whilst experimenting.

Ill save you a cell..