WWV receiver
 

As a project to learn more about building radio receivers, I'd like to
build a WWV receiver (or maybe a receiver for the Canadian station CHU,
since it's nearby and the format sounds easier to decode). I'm looking
for suggestions for how to design such a radio, reading material, etc.

I was thinking it might be easier to design a fixed-frequency receiver
(rather than a tunable one) because I could just select the L and C in the
resonant circuit to give the right frequency. Or, since WWV is at such
"round number" frequencies, maybe I could somehow use a crystal
oscillator?

thank you,
Tobin
--
http://web.pas.rochester.edu/~tobin/

WWV receiver
 

Tobin Fricke wrote:
As a project to learn more about building radio receivers, I'd like to
build a WWV receiver (or maybe a receiver for the Canadian station CHU,
since it's nearby and the format sounds easier to decode). I'm looking
for suggestions for how to design such a radio, reading material, etc.

I was thinking it might be easier to design a fixed-frequency receiver
(rather than a tunable one) because I could just select the L and C in
the resonant circuit to give the right frequency. Or, since WWV is at
such "round number" frequencies, maybe I could somehow use a crystal
oscillator?

thank you,
Tobin
--
http://web.pas.rochester.edu/~tobin/

You could build a direct conversion receiver with a crystal oscillator.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

WWV receiver
 

Tobin Fricke wrote:
As a project to learn more about building radio receivers, I'd like to
build a WWV receiver (or maybe a receiver for the Canadian station CHU,
since it's nearby and the format sounds easier to decode). I'm looking
for suggestions for how to design such a radio, reading material, etc.

I was thinking it might be easier to design a fixed-frequency receiver
(rather than a tunable one) because I could just select the L and C in the
resonant circuit to give the right frequency. Or, since WWV is at such
"round number" frequencies, maybe I could somehow use a crystal
oscillator?

You might look at the Ramsey electronics 10 MHz WWV receiver kit. It's
a pretty basic crystal controlled superhet/ceramic filter/AM detector
with AGC.

Tim.

WWV receiver
 

Tobin Fricke wrote:
As a project to learn more about building radio receivers, I'd like to
build a WWV receiver (or maybe a receiver for the Canadian station CHU,
since it's nearby and the format sounds easier to decode). I'm looking
for suggestions for how to design such a radio, reading material, etc.

I was thinking it might be easier to design a fixed-frequency receiver
(rather than a tunable one) because I could just select the L and C in the
resonant circuit to give the right frequency. Or, since WWV is at such
"round number" frequencies, maybe I could somehow use a crystal
oscillator?

Are you looking to decode the data transmissions or listen to the voice
signals. If the former it may take something more sophisticated
because you will have to feed a decoder.

WWV receiver
 

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 08:39:46 -0800, Tobin Fricke
wrote:

As a project to learn more about building radio receivers, I'd like to
build a WWV receiver (or maybe a receiver for the Canadian station CHU,
since it's nearby and the format sounds easier to decode). I'm looking
for suggestions for how to design such a radio, reading material, etc.

I was thinking it might be easier to design a fixed-frequency receiver
(rather than a tunable one) because I could just select the L and C in the
resonant circuit to give the right frequency. Or, since WWV is at such
"round number" frequencies, maybe I could somehow use a crystal
oscillator?

thank you,
Tobin
The 30 meter Vectronics direct conversion receiver kit can be tuned to
receive WWV. I built one, and before I moved the range up to the 30
meter ham band at 10.100MHz, I used it with WWV at 10.000 MHz to
calibrate my frequency counter.
Ted KX4OM

WWV receiver
 

"John S." wrote in message
ups.com...

Are you looking to decode the data transmissions or listen to the voice
signals. If the former it may take something more sophisticated
because you will have to feed a decoder.

Well, the 60 kHz WWVB transmissions were designed to be decoded, and there
are a fair number of projects out there to do just that. However, depending
on where you are, you can typically only hear WWVB for a small part of the
day.

...

WWV receiver
 

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 08:39:46 -0800, Tobin Fricke
wrote:

As a project to learn more about building radio receivers, I'd like to
build a WWV receiver (or maybe a receiver for the Canadian station CHU,
since it's nearby and the format sounds easier to decode). I'm looking
for suggestions for how to design such a radio, reading material, etc.

I was thinking it might be easier to design a fixed-frequency receiver
(rather than a tunable one) because I could just select the L and C in the
resonant circuit to give the right frequency. Or, since WWV is at such
"round number" frequencies, maybe I could somehow use a crystal
oscillator?

thank you,
Tobin

How about a simple one to three transistor regenative reciever. There
are several on the net.

Here's a few:

w1.859.telia.com/~u85920178/rx/regenrx.htm
http://www.techlib.com/electronics/regen.html
http://www.tricountyi.net/~randerse/regen.htm

Try Google for more.

Allison
no spam, no uce!

WWV receiver
 

xpyttl wrote:
"John S." wrote in message
ups.com...

Are you looking to decode the data transmissions or listen to the voice
signals. If the former it may take something more sophisticated
because you will have to feed a decoder.

Well, the 60 kHz WWVB transmissions were designed to be decoded, and there
are a fair number of projects out there to do just that. However, depending
on where you are, you can typically only hear WWVB for a small part of the
day.

..

True, but his message did not make that clear. A receiver that tunes
to the HF voice signals won't work well on the LF band.

WWV receiver
 

WWV receiver
 

"xpyttl" wrote in message
...
However, depending on where you are, you can typically only hear WWVB for a
small part of the day.

Does a bigger antenna help? Or is there just so much more background noise
than signal that it's a lost cause?

Hmm... isn't the data rate something like 1bps? Maybe they could do some
direct sequence spreading at 100Hz or so and improve the link margin a handful
of dB... :-)