Background Noise Test Kit

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Hi, I am looking for a “Background Noise Test Kit” information - how to assemble one, or can we order it somewhere? It is for testing 166 MHz antennas and measuring antenna interference.

I understand we don’t need to worry about antenna interference for 434 MHz, correct?

THANK YOU! Eva.

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I believe what you are looking for is called a spectrum analyzer. The same device can be configured to show the noise on 166mhz and also 434mhz. While 434 mhz generally has less noise then 166mhz it still can have noise on it.

William

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The American Bird Conservancy Motus team is finalizing a document that outlines the use of a noise-testing kit, as well as how to evaluate the recorded data. It should be done sometime this week or next, and I’ll make a separate post on the Community forum with this and the resources needed to build your own kit. A noise kit is a portable SensorGnome, not a spectrum analyzer. And you are correct, 434 MHz is not affected by radio noise like 166.38 MHz, and therefore we really only test for 166.

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Hi, Eva. I don’t have information about how to assemble one, but I am holding one of Motus’s built kits I can send you. Send me your address at my email below and I’ll get it in the mail to you. It’s two packages: a tube with the test antenna and a box with the receiver. There are a test tag and instructions with the receiver.

Yes, as I understand it, we don’t need to worry about 434 MHz.

Cheers!

Dave Krause

davekrause17@gmail.com

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Julie

Below is the official motus.org documentation link to how to build a SensorGnome V2 Unfortunately pages about building are a bit dated. The youtube videos below are better for where you are headed.. https://docs.motus.org/sensorgnome/

M ore ‘current’ youtube video of a portable sensorgnome for noise testing are here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK4yw607AG4 Be sure to check the other links in the video description

Here is a youtube on noise testing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE4UyQEMx04

Let me know if you need additional help understanding any of the pieces.

-Rich Schramm

-Rich

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Thank you everyone for your replies and information!!

I will get in touch with Dave Krause and see if I can borrow his test kit before building my own… :slight_smile:

Thanks everyone! This is very helpful. Eva/Julie

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Information update: I learned from American Bird Conservancy that the Pacific Northwest group has two test kits available for PNW participants, and there may be a waitlist for sharing them. :slightly_smiling_face: So, that means there might be additional kits available to share, right?