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renderman wrote:So I got a quote back from JFW:

$258.50 /each + ~$53 shipping

I'll be looking for alternatives as that's just painful to think about.

Does anyone know if I can get away with an attenuator for a different range? i.e. DC - 3Ghz, or does it have to be tuned for the specific range I'm playing in?

If you want it 'calibrated', you need one spec'd for the frequency range. Most of the time, one for up to say, 3ghz will work ok for 6, but may not exhibit the same loss at 6 as at 3, (probably more loss at 6,) but it should be close if it is made with good quality materials. I've 'cheated' with stuff that is rated only to 1ghz and used it on 6 gig, but if it has to be "gnats ass" I verify the loss with some test gear to see how far off it is.

I'm not looking for exact measurements here, I just want to shrink the gain incrementally to find the rogues. It does'nt have to be exact gradations.

If that's the case, things just got a whole lot more ebay friendly

A lot of them will have a range like "1GHz-3Ghz", but they're aren't necessarily that much cheaper.

One alternative is a "pad" or fixed-value attenuator. Pads tend to be cheaper. Get one with a value of, say, 70dB, and you can hook that into the circuit as needed, when near an RF source.

Thorn wrote:A lot of them will have a range like "1GHz-3Ghz", but they're aren't necessarily that much cheaper

True, but it makes the chances of finding something on ebay that much easier

A quick google for fixed coaxial attenuators hits:

Fixed Attenuators - Coaxial, Low Power


There are some "N" types for around $10 USD down the list....

Yeah, I don't want to get into having to change attenuators in the middle of a rogue hunt.

I used the bloodhounds in the wardriving contest at DC13 when my laptop borked on me and I really liked the mobility and ability to dynamically change the gain.

Slingshot handle bought, waiting on sleeve and battery so far.

I'm struck by the irony of this project; Normally I'm trying to increase my gain, not lower it