Red Wave Radio

Hi,

My apologies if this has been covered before:
Radio Shack sells a frequency counter for around $100.  Does anyone know
exactly which bands it will hit?  Is it really 0-1.3GHz or so as one sales
droid claimed?  Does it register in the 800 MHz cellular band, or are there
built-in censoring mechanisms to preclude that?  Are there any known mods
for it?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
-Patrick Penzias Dirks.

Quote:>Hi,
>My apologies if this has been covered before:

None needed, new people all the time.....

Quote:>Radio Shack sells a frequency counter for around $100.  Does anyone know
>exactly which bands it will hit?  Is it really 0-1.3GHz or so as one sales
>droid claimed?

I've had mine respond from 100 Hz to 1.8 Ghz.  

Quote:>Does it register in the 800 MHz cellular band, or are there
>built-in censoring mechanisms to preclude that?

Picks up everything, you just can't HEAR it.

Quote:>Are there any known mods for it?

See a following article.  I'll post it again.

Quote:>Any info would be greatly appreciated.
>Thanks in advance,
>-Patrick Penzias Dirks.

I like the counter, especially since I got a %10 discount when I bought it
and I mod'ed it to hold (see a following article).
Galen, KF0YJ

How to add a hold function to the Radio Shack RF Frequency Counter:

Ground TP 17.  In the schematic, TP17 is pin one of U3, connected to
+5V thru a 47k resistor.  On the circuit board, TP17 is on the display
side, just right of the lower-right corner of the IC.  Grounds are about
1/4 inch below and to the right, the three non-tinned points in the large
area of metal.  TP17 is the tinned pad next to a SM resistor marked '473'
for 47k.

I rigged a momentary switch to ground TP17 thru a 1k resistor (you never
can tell) and it works just fine!  I drilled a small hole to mount the switch
just above the plastic depression so I could push the button with my right
thumb.  A small toggle switch would fit if you want to hold longer.

Galen, KF0YJ