(2017-10-13, 19:15)mwaters Wrote: How useful is that Trifield EMF meter, and what is the best setting? And how does it compare to a portable AM radio?
(This is my Trifield Air Ion Detector. I know they make good stuff.)
My experience with the AM radio is it can get you in the area, and I located some with it... but the Tri-Field is great for tracking direct to the source... I can walk right up to the device with it... now that depends on where and what the device is, but it's how I know my remaining intermittent noise will take a bomb, arson, rifle or similar to eliminate ...
Settings? I dunno... I first determine if it's Electric, Magnetic, or RF... for Magnetic, I change between the two scales as needed--- whatever... walk around with it, and a few seconds have a line, a few more seconds a general direction, then just a matter of walking that direction, watching the meter indications.
Electric and RF are detected out of the Top of the unit... just point in a direction and "follow the box" watching stronger meter levels... for magnetic more or less depend on 'meter' readings to determine direction and location, takes a bit more walk around, and you follow the 'stronger' readings... really fun when you've got more than one source.
That's about it for 'nearby' stuff.... those 'distant' or different sources, I guess you'd still have to infer. You probably can do nothing to mitigate a Submarine Comm station, or a Pet fence or Robot Mower, but at least you can determine the source.
The Tri-Field is supposed to be good at tracking GHOSTS also... see it on those weird TV shows all the time... I can't validate that, however... .
The Little Signal Generator BlitzorDuck shows works well at the preamp side.... just connect a scope probe to it's output, lay it on the antenna, for example and adjust the output freq to "beat down' or mix with an incoming persistent signal.... you can sometimes nail it's exact freq doing that.... fairly quick and easy, if that's desired. Watch either with oscope, or on the Signals GUI... it works, if anynone's interested. Suggested you get one that you can vary the freq on directly without stopping, and punching in more numbers, The Duck tells me that one doesn't work that way. (Gotta Trust The Duck.) He says he copped it at Goose Gaggle Garage Sale while their beaks were turned.
