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This quote is obviously about telescopes, but I think in many ways it applies to homebrew radio. We sometimes use the term "first light" to describe the first signals heard through a new homebrew receiver. That term comes from astronomy, and is used to describe the first light seen through a new telescope. I think there are strong parallels with homebrew radio.
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Isn't a telescope just a receiver for a shorter wavelength ? :)
ReplyDeleteBest Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
Chuck: Maybe the telescope is more of an antenna, with your eye as the detector and your brain as the amplifier. Something like that... 73 Bill
ReplyDeleteBill -
DeleteYou are correct.
More noise on both a telescope and a receiver during the day.
Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
If it was a cold, clear night in NNJ, it was time to break out the Edmund Scientific 3 inch reflector "Space Conqueror"! See bottom of page: http://www.weasner.com/etx/fun/ancient.html
ReplyDeleteAll of $29.95 , and it let you see the Rings of Saturn !
At least my neighbors had no TVI those nights. 73!
Probably around 1973 I had a cardboard tube refractor. Must have been about 1.5 or 2 inches. I remember seeing the Galilean moons. Very cool.
ReplyDeleteAs I always point out on observatory tours, the universe is filled with EM waves. We just happen to need equipment for everything but a narrow range of wavelengths at optical. Consider that if we were born with a radio detector, the room would look quite low contrast with all the radio photons flying around, some from milliseconds after the Big Bang. Evolution and equivalent led us to an EM sensor which peaks in the green, precisely where the sun's blackbody radiation peaks.
ReplyDeletePhilip: I have always wanted a pair of glasses (think Google "Glass") that would allow you to visualize the radio wavelengths. While it's most noble purpose would be to peer into the heavens as you described, my application is just here on my bench. I want to look through the glasses and point to where the problems are in my Homebrew Stuff, "Hey, There's Your Problem!". But you should get first dibs on these glasses for your tours.
ReplyDeleteLow contrast a problem? Add frequency selectivity and demodulation options to these glasses!
@ WN2A: that would be a great tool indeed. We repeatedly find now that, with streaming services confusing people as to digital data vs. EM wave propagation (and also that few people tune a radio any more in the general public), it is harder and harder to reveal the existence of radio waves all around us. I too would love that type of VR device, although implementing it would be an interesting challenge especially for low frequencies. But imagine seeing WWV tick off the seconds in AM mode as you observe it in your IF level signal on your home-brew radio..
ReplyDeleteCorrect, implementation is tough on this one. The toughest issue is the antenna, as the electronics and display are not as difficult. Maybe a baseball cap with conformal phased-array patch or fractal antennas? At least for microwaves that opens up possibilities. Sombero hat for VHF/UHF?
ReplyDelete