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Random Nonsense / Geek Stuff All those random tech ramblings you can't fit anywhere else! |
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#1 |
Cooling Savant
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 107
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My electrical engineering class is near the end of the semester and we've started working on a design project. The goal of the project is to create a very sensitive AM radio. During each round they will decrease the power of the AM signal and whoever can still here the variations in the signal stays in.
For mine I have a few ideas and was wondering if you guys had any suggestions. First, I was thinking that we filter the signal with an active band pass filter that would amplify the signal as well. Or maybe just use a passive filter and then amplify the signal with a transistor. For the antenna I was thinking a wire loop antenna like http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip...8585/loop.html Anybody else have some good experience with this that could give me some suggestions?
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#2 |
Cooling Savant
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Posts: 294
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I know a lot of radio theory, but I have never actually built one, so I'm not sure what the best way to go would be. I would say you should get a very high gain OP-AMP that works at the frequency that you intend to be using (I take it this on one frequency only), or chain several high-gain op-amps together. That would be the way to get the highest possible, I would think.
A loop antenna is only good if you don't know whether their antenna will be horizontal or vertical. If theirs is horizontal, you should use a long horizontal antenna, if theirs is vertical, use a long vertical antenna.
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#3 |
Pro/Staff
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Klamath Falls, OR
Posts: 1,439
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I can say one thing from a theoretical standpoint: cool your amp stage. The noise level of an amplifying transistor is greatly improved by cooling it.
However, I don't know whether that will be a significant factor in your design. Other error sources may dominate (antenna design, circuit board routing, etc...). |
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#4 |
Responsible for 2%
of all the posts here. Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Posts: 8,302
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FWIW
A passive filter can significantly attenuate a signal, so if you have a better option, use it. I'll backup all advice above. Do you have any information on the source of the signal? frequency? etc... What are some of the other contest's parameters? |
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#5 |
Cooling Neophyte
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Sin City
Posts: 37
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You should also compete aginst something like my Tube driven 1937 Delco Model R 1157 Radio
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#6 | |
Cooling Savant
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 107
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![]() Quote:
Here's a previous years competitor. http://www.amradio.freeservers.com/
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#7 |
Cooling Savant
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Posts: 294
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Okay, in that case you can just use a basic diode detector, just like the people in the link you sent did. Just put several high-gain op-amps prior to the detector, and you should do fairly well.
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Can anyone else here say that they have a watercooled monster that's 45" tall? |
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#8 | |
Thermophile
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,014
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![]() Quote:
![]() Are there any size restraints for the unit? You could make a serious signal amplifier and antennae assembly with enough room...
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#9 | |
Cooling Savant
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Surf City USA
Posts: 433
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![]() FM-23-10 FYI dead 'D' cell batteries make great resistors. ![]() |
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