Radio direction finder

[bracer]

Hi!


I have some troubles understanding the german RDF-equipment like the Samos.
My question is what is the difference between "Suchen" and "Peilen"?


Here's the Samos:



The switch I am wondering about:



The indicator shows different values depending on if your in "Suchen"-mode or "Peilen"-mode.



Photos are from this page: https://www.kriegsfunker.com/radios/samos.php


Thanks for any insights!!
Cheers!

[Skybird]

Could be that "Suchen" means a general searching for the presence of any signals, whereas "Peilen" means to decide on the precise direction once a signal had been caught.

[Catfish]

^ I'd say so, too. You can still use ths device as an am/fm radio to hear terrestrial radio stations

These infos are in german (at least not swyzerdütsch lol), maybe it helps - would help but only have time at the weekend for translations or look for details.

http://www.shortwaveradio.ch/doku.php?id=de:fumb4

http://www.shortwaveradio.ch/lib/exe...mos_manual.pdf

[bracer]

Do you think "Suchen" could pick up signals from any direction and then you would use "Peil" to search for the specific direction?
Could "Suchen" possibly be a passive mode?


I wonder if it used different antennas for the different modes.



Good info, I'll go through it and see if I understand some of it!
Thanks guys!

[mapuc]

Talking to the entire world is an interesting hobby.

Could the word Suchen(searching) mean scan of some type
and the word Peilen(pointing)at a given direction.

Markus

[bracer]

Found this in the manual from Catfish:


"Um dem besonderen Verwendungszweck als MeBgerät gerecht zu werden, enthält der Empfänger eine Umschaltmöglichkeit der hochfrequenten Verstärkung (Suchen - Peilen - die Stellung Suchen entspricht der selbsttötigen Verstärkungsregelung, währen bei Stellung Peilen die Verstärkung von Hand geregelt wird) und eine Instrumentumschaltung"



Google translated to:


"In order to do justice to the special purpose of use as a measuring device, the receiver contains a possibility to switch the high-frequency amplification (search(Suchen) - bearing(Peilen) - the search position corresponds to the automatic amplification control, while the amplification is controlled by hand with the Peilen position) and an instrument switch"


Doesn't make sense to me?

[mapuc]

I made a search for this type of device called Amateur Radio and found this page with many different type of Amateur Radio
You could say they have developed since the Amateur Radio radio in the picture came

https://www.kenwood.com/usa/com/amateur/

Markus

[bracer]

Originally Posted by mapuc

I made a search for this type of device called Amateur Radio and found this page with many different type of Amateur Radio
You could say they have developed since the Amateur Radio radio in the picture came

https://www.kenwood.com/usa/com/amateur/

Markus

Haha, yes there seems to have been some advances in this technology!
The Samos from my opening post was used in the Uboats and battleships of the Kriegsmarine.

[bracer]

I also found this in the manual:
"Ist das zu suchende Zeichen in seiner Amplitude unbekannt oder stark schwankend, so wird der Kippschalter "Peilen - Suchen" auf "Suchen" geschaltet. Der Skalenverlauf des instrumentes ist in diesem Fall annähernd logaruthmisch und umfabt 5 dekaden. Ist das Zeichen verhältnismäBig konstant, so wird der Schalter auf "Peilen" geschaltet. Der Verlauf der Instrumentskala ist dann annähernd linear und umfabt eine dekade."


Translated to:
"If the amplitude of the character to be searched for is unknown or fluctuates strongly, the toggle switch "Peilen - Search" is switched to "Search". In this case, the scale of the instrument is approximately logarithmic and spanned 5 decades. If the symbol is relatively constant, the switch is switched to "bearing". The course of the instrument scale is then approximately linear and spans a decade."


Doesn't help me either. What would decade be in this context?

[bracer]

Originally Posted by bracer

The Samos from my opening post was used in the Uboats and smaller ships of the Kriegsmarine.

Oh, wait, I am not sure any uboats used the Samos!?

[mapuc]

Originally Posted by bracer

I also found this in the manual:
"Ist das zu suchende Zeichen in seiner Amplitude unbekannt oder stark schwankend, so wird der Kippschalter "Peilen - Suchen" auf "Suchen" geschaltet. Der Skalenverlauf des instrumentes ist in diesem Fall annähernd logaruthmisch und umfabt 5 dekaden. Ist das Zeichen verhältnismäBig konstant, so wird der Schalter auf "Peilen" geschaltet. Der Verlauf der Instrumentskala ist dann annähernd linear und umfabt eine dekade."


Translated to:
"If the amplitude of the character to be searched for is unknown or fluctuates strongly, the toggle switch "Peilen - Search" is switched to "Search". In this case, the scale of the instrument is approximately logarithmic and spanned 5 decades. If the symbol is relatively constant, the switch is switched to "bearing". The course of the instrument scale is then approximately linear and spans a decade."


Doesn't help me either. What would decade be in this context?

I think I discovered what it meant by this decade-Decade is also another word for 10-so could it mean it spans 10 something(hertz perhaps)
Suchen it scan widely and Peilen it scan 10(hertz) at the time.

Just a suggestion

Markus

[bracer]

Originally Posted by mapuc

I think I discovered what it meant by this decade-Decade is also another word for 10-so could it mean it spans 10 something(hertz perhaps)
Suchen it scan widely and Peilen it scan 10(hertz) at the time.

Just a suggestion

Markus

That makes sense! The indicator shows signal strength, so the search mode can pick up signals of various/wide amplitudes and the "Peilen" focuses on a smaller amplitude up to 10.

[mapuc]

Would also be interesting to know if he can get it to work and if he has luck getting in contact with other radio operators around the world.

I can't afford it, but manner what fun it would be taking to people in other places on our planet or having a chat with some of you.

Markus

[Platapus]

Why would you need a radio direction finder?


It's right there in front of you!

[Catfish]

^