Sniffer Direction Finder

[capes]

Does anyone have any information on a Sniffer (I think it is called).  It is a homemade direction finder - I saw one a few years ago, and it worked almost as well as an L'Per.

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http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=5048.0

[BigMojo]

No, no, no...The L'Per almost works as well as the Sniffer!

And you can by three Sniffers for the price of one L'Per.

[JoeTomasone]

No, no, no...The L'Per almost works as well as the Sniffer!

Not in my testing.   The L-Per isn't as sensitive and is much more susceptible to refelection-induced errors.

And you can by three Sniffers for the price of one L'Per.

No joke.   $300 or so out the door with a beam antenna.

[PHall]

No, no, no...The L'Per almost works as well as the Sniffer!

Not in my testing.   The L-Per isn't as sensitive and is much more susceptible to refelection-induced errors.

And you can by three Sniffers for the price of one L'Per.

No joke.   $300 or so out the door with a beam antenna.

And have you contacted L-Tronics with your problems with the L-Per?

L-Tronics is not a big corperation. It's a small business that is owned and operated by a long time CAP member.

You have a problem with their products or a suggestion to make their stuff better, contact them.

[JoeTomasone]

And have you contacted L-Tronics with your problems with the L-Per?

L-Tronics is not a big corperation. It's a small business that is owned and operated by a long time CAP member.

You have a problem with their products or a suggestion to make their stuff better, contact them.

I haven't because the problems are mostly inherent to the design and approach.

As I mentioned in the other thread, the L-Per works on a time domain approach across multiple antennas.   The Sniffer (as most/all of us use it) works on signal strength from a beam antenna.   While you *could* use the L-Per in receive mode with a beam, the beauty of the Sniffer is that it not only converts signal strength into a tone (which is much easier to discern subtle changes in than the sweep tone), it also has an automatic 9-step attenuator.   We could ask that these features be incorporated into the L-Per, but we've already identified a unit that does it, is much smaller and lighter, and is 1/3 1/2 the current cost.

As a bonus, the Sniffer can be used to DF on CAP & Ham frequencies, allowing for the possibility of tracking jammers on either, or practice in Amateur Radio foxhunts. (Note: As can the new LL-16 L-Per)

Now, bear in mind that I have not checked the new L-Per's receive sensitivity (orange unit with fold-in antennas) to compare it with the Sniffer, but I did check the old L-Per (with the huge wooden antenna unit)
and found the Sniffer to be more sensitive - meaning AOS at greater distances (2.5 vs. 3 miles in my testing with a practice beacon).  But given what I feel is the far superior performance in actual ELT work and the cost differential, I had no reason to check it.

[PHall]

Well, lets see, the Original L-Per was designed in the 70's. The Sniffer was designed when?
I think the "state of the art" has improved a little since the 70's.

[JoeTomasone]

Well, lets see, the Original L-Per was designed in the 70's. The Sniffer was designed when?
I think the "state of the art" has improved a little since the 70's.

Indeed it has.

http://www.ltronics.com/ll-16df.htm


..The Sniffer still beat it in our testing; it fared little better than the older unit (the LH-16).  The operational theory hasn't changed any - it's just better and much nicer updated hardware. 

And I see that there is a new price of $750.00 - making the Sniffer only half the price, not a third.

[BigMojo]

I still stand with Joe. A smaller, lighter, cheaper, and in my opinion better product...it's a no-brainer to me.  (I really like your mini-beam Joe, saving my pennies now).

L-Tronics should be doing more market research.... How many of our new aircraft carry l-tronics DF's now....None. They have the Becker, which is a better system. I would think that when they notice a continual stream of sales dry-up they'dd do something about it.

Lead the market, or it will lead you.