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| Reviews Summary for VK3YNG VHF Foxhunt Sniffer Mk 4 |
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Reviews: 8
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $180
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Description: The VK3YNG Foxhunt Sniffer is a specially designed synthesised VHF direction finding receiver covering 120MHz and 144MHz bands. The receiver is designed for quickly finding the direction of beacons or hidden transmitters. Anything from distant weak signals to very close "sniffing" of transmitters running many watts of output power can be pin pointed accurately without suffering "overload" problems that plague other designs. Full auto-ranging operation allows the operator to quickly and intuitively locate the source of a signal without twiddling knobs or watching meters. The operator is freed to concentrate on more important things such as negotiating terrain or reading maps.
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More info: http://users.bigpond.net.au/vk3yng/foxhunt/2m_sniffer/manual.htm
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write your own review of the VK3YNG VHF Foxhunt Sniffer Mk 4.
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AB2M
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 19, 2009 20:00
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Excellent, especially for ELT/constant carrier
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Been using the MK4 to DF ELTs with Civil Air Patrol and it's phenomenal. Very easy to determine bearing and ignore reflections. Paired with the (now discontinued) Diamond MAY-1000 portable beam and finding ELTs is like shooting fish in a barrel.
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AH6RH
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Rating: 5/5
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May 25, 2008 15:41
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Superb
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I agree with everything written in terms of size, sensitivity, auto-ranging attenuation, and eyes-free operation.
The unit is small, fitting into the palm of your hands. A good 2 or 3 el beam, the MK4 sniffer, and you're off and running.
Allow two weeks for shipping and clearance from customs.
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VK4IPE
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 21, 2007 23:15
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First ever Foxhunt & we Win!!!!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Our two local clubs have an annual foxhunt competition & I decided to have a go this year as I have never tried foxhunting before. I didn’t have time to construct a sniffer so decided to purchase a MK 4 due to the glowing reports on how good they work. I made up a tape measure antenna (WB2HOL Design) with all the parts from my local Bunnings DIY store (cost about $20). The XYL (VK4LIZ) & I therefore decided to give it a try just using the handheld sniffer.
I found the MK4 so easy to use if it’s set for the basic modes. We tracked the fox and were the first to find it!!! Over 30 minutes later the normal winners of the foxhunt turned up & was amazed on the fact that we had found it with just an handheld sniffer (they were both using rotatable beams on there cars as well as a handheld sniffer!!!). Therefore what more can I say!! First foxhunt that we had undertaken & we win with lots of time before the next one arrived. I must also say thanks to Bryan VK3YNG who manufactures the unit, I e-mailed him on the Sunday night asking if there was any chance of getting one to me by the following weekend for the foxhunt, I transferred the money on the Monday & had it delivered on the Wednesday. I couldn’t have asked for better service. I therefore recommend this unit not just for the experienced foxhunter but also novices like the XYL & me.
73’s
Roger VK4IPE & Celia VK4LIZ
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KA7OEI
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 23, 2007 10:09
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Well thought-out
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've had this for more than a year and it has worked extremely well - both for finding hidden transmitters as well as wideband 2 meter QRM. In the latter case, the choice of several filters software filters (and having AM detection available) was invaluable in helping identify the source of the noise - which seems to have been a malfunctioning switching power supply that was wiping out most of 2 meters at a friend's QTH.
The current versions have been improved such that they will run down to 2.25 volts or so (1.125 volts/cell) without degradation, and then all the way down to about 2 volts before auto shutoff with only minimal performance degradation: Previous versions had limited run-time with AA alkalines and lithium AA's were recommended. I'm still on my original pair of alkaline AA's despite lots of hours of use.
As others have said, sensitivity is extremely good (usable audible S-meter readings were obtainable down below -130dBm in my testing) - but it is still able to get you to within a foot or two of the antenna of a multi-watt transmitter with its outstanding built-in attenuation.
Clearly, this unit is the result of a lot of experience, forethought, and refinement!
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KF7GD
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 10, 2005 17:48
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Best ever
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The best sniffer around!
I really enjoy mine and use it every hunt.
It does everything you need and does it well.
Good job thanks.
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K2GW
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 25, 2004 08:58
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VHF Gold Standard
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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This receiver when mounted on a WB2HOL tape measure beam is the current gold standard for VHF-DF. The previous reviews give all of the details. Super sensitivity with automatic 9 levels of attenuation allows DF'ing a one watt signal from five miles away down to 1 foot! And I still had a couple more levels of attenuation available.
The selectable ability to hear the signal strength indicator (a varying tone) in one ear while listening to the actual signal in the other allowed me to quickly locate individual stations participating in a roundtable on a repeater input. This obviously would be of great value in a "bananna hunt"
It's not cheap, but well worth the money if you're a serious DF'er. Even folks with dopplers have to get out of the car at the end. This receiver is unmatched for locating a camouflaged transmitter in the woods.
So the next time you see photos of champion DF'ers in international competitions look for the little blue boxes on the antennas.
All we need now is a US distributor to make it simpler to get here.
73
Gary, K2GW
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WB6BYU
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 14, 2004 17:53
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A great DF receiver for 2m and ELT hunts!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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This receiver takes some getting used to, but the features and abilities make it unmatched for a DF receiver.
Frequency range is 120 - 123 and 143 - 150 MHz to cover both 2m and ELTs. The receiver has automatic attenuation in 15dB steps, with a numeric readout telling you the current step. This gives an immediate indication of how strong the signal is. Once you find the delay setting that works best for your hunting style, the receiver automatically adjusts the gain for you and all you have to do it take bearings.
The receiver has 3 modes: AM, FM, and audio S
meter (variable tone frequency with signal strength - what the Aussies call "Whoopee mode".)
With stereo headphones, you get the strength tone in one ear and the modulation in the other. There
is also a built-in small speaker - good for demos,
or as a backup in case your headphone cable snags
on a branch and self-destructs.
The receiver has a BNC fitting - the user has to supply a suitable beam antenna. (The WB2HOL tape measure beam is a good start.) There are 6 memories for your favorite frequencies: direct freqency entry is great for known transmitters, but does not allow for tuning the band to find the desired signal.
It's great to have ELT coverage in the same unit. However I find I have to set the attenuation level manually for ELT signals because the varying power output seems to confuse the range-setting logic. This may just be one of the other settings that needs to be changed.
With a sensitive pair of headphones I usually run the unit at minimum volume. At this setting the signal strength tone is considerably weaker than the demodulated audio, though this is not a problem at higher audio levels. There is a light sensor to adjust the brightness of the range indicator - I put a piece of black tape over the
sensor so it always runs at low illumination to reduce battery current.
The receiver runs on two AA cells, and Bryan VK3YNG has done some great work to document the expected life of different battery types (on his web site.) In summary, use good quality Alkaline cells, or, better yet, Lithium cells. The receiver does not work with rechargable cells (the output voltage is too low) and there is no provision for an external power source.
This receiver makes it easy to take bearings without having to adjust the receiver gain or attenuation for the signal strength. But do get some practice before using the more advanced features on an actual hunt - I still get confused when setting the attenuation levels manually and often end up on the wrong frequency by mistake! The automatic attenuation steps can be a bit confusing when the signal suddenly gets weaker (though there is a tone announcement to tell you that it changed.)
It won't win hunts all by itself, but it makes it easier to do better - especially on foot in the woods where one has to pay constant attention to footing and avoiding obsticles instead of operating the receiver.
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WM5R
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 10, 2003 11:54
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Hot new two meter ARDF receiver
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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As a brand new owner of the VK3YNG VHF Foxhunt Sniffer Mk 4, I am really looking forward to hunting with this receiver. I love the blue front panel!
I purchased mine from Bryan using PayPal, which is probably the easiest way to get the money to Australia, but Bryan also takes wire transfers and Western Union - email him for details.
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