Hello,

I have bought a Ray Jefferson RDF/630 direction finder. I'm trying to
decide whether or not to get it fixed at Radio Shack. I'm hoping that
someone can tell me if the direction finder works on just the beacon
and AM broadcast bands or if it also works on the CB, FM broadcast,
and VHF bands as well. What I mean to ask is if it will determine the
direction of a signal on all of those bands or if the CB, FM, and VHF
bands are just there for monitoring with the omnidirectional (whip)
antenna. Anybody?

Thanks in advance,
Sean Kelly
Seattle

On Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:05:24 -0700, Sean
wrote:

Hello,

I have bought a Ray Jefferson RDF/630 direction finder. I'm trying to
decide whether or not to get it fixed at Radio Shack. I'm hoping that
someone can tell me if the direction finder works on just the beacon
and AM broadcast bands or if it also works on the CB, FM broadcast,
and VHF bands as well. What I mean to ask is if it will determine the
direction of a signal on all of those bands or if the CB, FM, and VHF
bands are just there for monitoring with the omnidirectional (whip)
antenna. Anybody?

For fixing the direction of a fixed base station, that's what the
little rotating antenna is for on top. You need to orient the antenna
to known North (there should be a outer ring that you can rotate to
North), then find the null or the strongest signal strength of a known
fixed base station, compare that bearing to North, then check a chart
for the station's relative position along the line of strongest or
weakest (null) signal. That will be the base line and you will be
somewhere along that base line - give or take a couple of miles.

For mobile stations, it doesn't work. The vertical antenna is for
listening to SW and VHF if you aren't using it for RDF.

And it's a Ray Jefferson 630/RDF.

And I hope you aren't planning on using it as a navigational device.