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Difference between revisions of "Milcom Receiving Equipment"

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==The VHF/UHF Milcom Receiver==
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A receiver for monitoring VHF and UHF Milcom must cover, at a minimum, the 225-400 and 138-144 mhz ranges. Mil flights sometimes also use the civil air band (118-136 mhz) range. With the exception of the civil air band (where [[AM]] mode is the norm) and the VHF Low/162/406 Mhz bands ([[FM]]), either AM or FM mode transmissions may be heard in these ranges so the ability to change mode independent of the frequency being received is very important.
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If you are using a scanner, one with a fast scan rate is necessary when scanning a large number of milcom channels.  Most milcom aircraft communications are short in duration, and after a while you will be accumulating and scanning a large number of frequencies.  What qualifies as a 'fast' scanner is subjective.  As an example, the Uniden [[BC780XLT]] is a popular mil air scanner which can scan 100 channels per second.
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Good sensitivity in the above frequency ranges is a must.  You will be receiving milcom aircraft signals originating from hundreds of miles away, and they can be relatively weak. Dynamic range (resistance to overloading) is also important,  particularly if you live in an urban area. This will help you avoid hearing signals such as FM and TV where they don't belong.
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==Antennas==
 
==Antennas==
 
* See our [[Scanner Antennas]] page for a large number of links.
 
* See our [[Scanner Antennas]] page for a large number of links.

Revision as of 14:01, 26 November 2020

The VHF/UHF Milcom Receiver

A receiver for monitoring VHF and UHF Milcom must cover, at a minimum, the 225-400 and 138-144 mhz ranges. Mil flights sometimes also use the civil air band (118-136 mhz) range. With the exception of the civil air band (where AM mode is the norm) and the VHF Low/162/406 Mhz bands (FM), either AM or FM mode transmissions may be heard in these ranges so the ability to change mode independent of the frequency being received is very important.


If you are using a scanner, one with a fast scan rate is necessary when scanning a large number of milcom channels. Most milcom aircraft communications are short in duration, and after a while you will be accumulating and scanning a large number of frequencies. What qualifies as a 'fast' scanner is subjective. As an example, the Uniden BC780XLT is a popular mil air scanner which can scan 100 channels per second.


Good sensitivity in the above frequency ranges is a must. You will be receiving milcom aircraft signals originating from hundreds of miles away, and they can be relatively weak. Dynamic range (resistance to overloading) is also important, particularly if you live in an urban area. This will help you avoid hearing signals such as FM and TV where they don't belong.


Antennas

  • See our Scanner Antennas page for a large number of links.
  • See our Scanner Accessories page for links on filters, splitters and preamps
  • Picking the right coax for your setup is very important. As you go higher in frequency, the loss from a cheap cable can be significant. Here's a good page on the subject.


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