Cool post !
My introduction to radio systems happened when was about 17. I pulled apart a transistor radio and detuned it by messing with the tuning coil. Then I found out the people next door had a listening device in their sons bedroom.
So I started learning everything I could about radios and how they worked from that point on. If I could have read what you wrote here back then it would have saved me many visits to the library. The was no such thing as the Internet back then.
I've been a hobbyist radio and TV repair man for years. After I found that first bug I was hooked and I had to learn everything I could about radio.
Thank you so much for having the time to read through my post. Judging from when you started dealing with radios, I think it is safe to say that you are an expert now. But seriously, what did your neighbours need a listening device for?
I wouldn't say an expert, I just know enough to fix a broken radio or TV or build a radio from scratch. I don't even have any qualifications in electronics just piles of books.
I think his dad planted the bug in his sons room because he was a control freak. I didn't like his dad much so I went there with a field strength meter and we found it. The son wanted to remove it but I told him to make a trail of false information to see who planted it.
We made up a fake story about "getting the stuff" and acted it out near the bug. His dad turned up to catch us in the act. He caught us but "the stuff" was chocolate.
I used to find FM bugs everywhere, in pubs, clubs, restaurants and other public places.
Now they are not so easy to find, they use burst bugs that send encrypted packets of data periodically and frequency hoppers etc, so you need to do a full spectral analysis to identify signals that are normally cleverly hidden these days. You also need to use tools like GNU radio to decrypt the packets.
I just don't have time to go looking for them any more.
You still know better than me. I have never built a radio myself from scratch. I just know how they are built, and I studied some electronics!
You guys were really smart about tracing the bug owner. Yes you are right about having to do a full spectral analysis to catch frequency hoppers. You are really an interesting fellow. I am following you to see what you're up to. And oh, don't bother finding me because you can't do that with the equipment you've got. Thank you so much for your response.
Thanks for the upvotes @churchboy
I'll give you few back when my steempower comes back up a bit.
You are an interesting fellow too, I don't get a chance to talk about electronics much these days. I love your work!
I'm following you too.