How effective are these for tracking down sources of RFI?

http://www.zapchecker.com

Steve wrote:
How effective are these for tracking down sources of RFI?

http://www.zapchecker.com

I have one. I've found cables underground, wires in the walls, etc.
I've used it to get a rough idea where RF is leaking. For what you pay,
it is a good device. It is not a test instrument.

I have a rather interesting application for the zapchecker. At a
certain military base that doesn't exist, I can detect when they fire
up their radar. The peak detector on the zapchecker (the LED, not the
meter) will flash about every 13 seconds. This is from about 10 miles
away.

I should point out that this device was sold for year at local flea
markets at a substantially lower price than what you pay for it online.
The varients of the basic model are really just hacks the designers saw
done with the original zap checker.

Note also that if you crank up the sensitivity, the zapchecker will
detect reradiated RF. That is, metal objects in the presence of a RF
field will reradiate the RF just like a passive radiator, and the
zapchecker will think it is alive.

You can use the zap checker to get relative readings. In RF shielding,
you take an initial reading, note the gain on the dial and the reading
on the meter, then shield a compent and see if the RF level drops.

Yeah but how much do they cost?
cuhulin

Much better prices here

http://www.danaco.net/tscm.htm

GB

wrote:
Yeah but how much do they cost?
cuhulin


--
"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government
has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't
enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a
crime that it becomes impossible to live without breaking laws."

-- Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

wrote:
Yeah but how much do they cost?
cuhulin

CA residents add 8.25% sales tax.

ZC 185: $159.00 + S&H
ZC 190B: $369.00 + S&H
ZC 300: $599.00 + S&H
ABC 126: $2799.00 + S&H

Steve wrote:
How effective are these for tracking down sources of RFI?

http://www.zapchecker.com

- Possibly a REAL cheap SWR, hooked into a Cheap antenna amplifier

- might do more or less the same thing..!

WOW,at those prices and considering I wouldn't hardly ever use it,I
guess I dont need one that bad.Thanks anyway.
I am not knocking the product or the prices,I am sure for some people
they are well worth the prices.Maybe some day one of them will be
waiting on me at the Goodwill store for a dollar or two.
cuhulin

wrote:
Steve wrote:
How effective are these for tracking down sources of RFI?

http://www.zapchecker.com

- Possibly a REAL cheap SWR, hooked into a Cheap antenna amplifier

- might do more or less the same thing..!

No. The zapchecker has a log amp in it.

wrote in
:

I dont know.I wouldn't mind having one of those myself.How much do they
cost? I want to buy one of those temperature checkers,the kind you hold
in your hand and it aims a beam at things.I want one to check them
wimmins out.
cuhulin


Just use a plain old rectal thermometer & some jiffy lube.

In article . com,
"Steve" wrote:

How effective are these for tracking down sources of RFI?

http://www.zapchecker.com

Probably OK but they look geared for over 1 GHz by the antennas.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California