[Moon] HP 3586B

[melum at alaska.net]

Hi Pete,

Just a quick comment:  When I use it for noise measurement, I select WTD3100Hz bw, and turn averaging on.  I select Noise/Demod position also, and it seems impervious to tones in this position, i.e., meter doesn't seem to change with incoming cw signals but continues to read noise level.

I use it with 10.7MHz IF out of my AR-5000, but it should work just as well at 28MHz.

I mentioned that I peak the noise using an external analog meter (HP 400EL) plugged into the audio output jack on the back of the unit.  I have encountered a slight difficulty with this, that the unit auto ranges, so sometimes it is difficult to get the readings to stay in the center of the meter.  I think there is a way to turn that off, but I haven't found it yet.  I am still learning this machine.  You definitely need the analog meter to really peak on the noise.  Otherwise its too difficult to peak with an averaged digital readout.

The best thing about it, as I scan across the sky with the antenna, every time I see the noise level go negative, I hit the "RDNG->OFSET" button and it resets my cold sky baseline.  This is so cool!  I believe with this I am really finding true cold sky.  Then with this baseline set, my further readings are actual noise level read out in dB to 0.1dB whether it is sun, moon or cosmic sources, or my tree and earth readings.

Averaging seems to keep the fluctuation down to +/- .2dB worst case, usually +/- 0.1dB.  I am not sure if the unit allows heavier averaging or not, as I said I am still learning the unit.

Otherwise, for lack of a General Radio 1236 IF meter that many folks use, it seems to work very adequately.  I cannot use that meter anyway with a 10.7 IF.

73 & GL

Mike, KL6M

----- Original Message -----
From: pete sias <petesias at yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, February 5, 2007 11:58 am
Subject: [Moon] HP 3586B

> Hello to the group,
> 
> Wanting to do accurate sun measurements for checking
> the performance of my 23cm system and wondering what
> the group thinks about using the 3586B selective level
> meter for this task? 
> Plans would include using it at the 28mhz IF.
> 
> One member has reported that it works well for him but
> I have not seen mention of it for this use any where
> else. 
> 
> Tnx,
> 
> Pete   NØOY
> 
> 
> 
> 
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