Part Number: RFMETER-MAN

Price : $5.00

WARNING: This product contains chemicals, including lead, known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and/or other reproductive harm.

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS FOR

Wash hands after handling.

RF FIELD STRENGTH METER KIT

[RFMETER-KIT]

PO Box 501 Vacaville, CA 95696 USA 1-707-448-3750 http://www.techkits.com

DESCRIPTION
This useful kit is a wide-band RF detector that indicates RF field strength in the 100KHz-500Mhz range at low levels. The kit includes an etched & drilled circuit board and all necessary components (except 9V battery). It also comes with a plastic case, antenna and an attractive analog meter. The RF power reading is not linear and simply indicates the presence of RF and its relative level. However, it makes a great BUG detector or you can use it to test the output of any RF transmitter; including Ham Radios, cordless telephones and even car alarm transmitters! The circuit has an adjustable attenuator to handle everything from low to high power levels.

FIGURE 4 FINAL ASSEMBLY

ANTENNA

KNOB

QUICK ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Refer to Component Placement Diagram (Figure 1) for locations and polarities. Refer to Figure 3 for connecting other devices to PC board. Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Step 5: Step 6: Step 7: Step 8: Step 9: Step 10: Step 11: Step 12: Step 13: Insert and solder capacitors C1-C4. Insert and solder electrolytic capacitors C5 & C6, NOTE PROPER POLARITY. Solder 9V battery connector to PC board, NOTE PROPER WIRE COLORS. Solder 5 in. wire from terminal lug to ANT location on PC board. Attach meter to plastic front panel, secure with appropriate washers & nuts. Solder 4 in. wires from meter terminals to +OUT & -OUT on board, NOTE POLARITIES. Solder two 2.5 in. wires from switch on potentiometer to S1 location on PC board. Solder two 4 in. wires from potentiometer VR1 to +OUT & -OUT locations on PC board. PLASTIC ENCLOSURE Insert and solder Inductor L1. Insert and solder 8-pin socket for U1, NOTE PIN 1 LOCATION. Insert and solder diodes D1-D4, NOTE PROPER POLARITY. Insert and solder resistors R1-R5. Insert and solder wire jumper JP1 in place on PC board.

VR1/S1

C5

0.1

10

100K

C3

9V BATTERY

R3 D2 D3 ANT L1
1N34

R5

JP1

8765 U1 1234

10M

100P

C1

100

OUT+ OUT-

METRIC SCREW

Copyright 2004, LNS Technologies, Vacaville, CA.

All rights reserved.

REAR of METER

No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission from LNS Technologies.

RFM-MAN-0804

Printed in the USA.

R1

C6 + 10

C4

0.1

R4 0.1 D1 C2

100K

R2

1K

D4

S1

+V G

FIGURE 3 INTERCONNECT DIAGRAM

Install Diodes
VR1 BOTTOM VIEW 2.5 Inches

DETAILED ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

D1 - 1N34A Germanium (silver) -><D2-4 - 1N914 Signal -><-

D iode

RED WIRE

4 Inches BLACK WIRE

C5 0.1 10

Refer to Figure 1 and the diagram at right when installing the diodes. Diodes are polarized and must be installed correctly in order for your kit to work properly. Each diode has a black or white band near one end of its body. The band indicates the cathode end and should be oriented according to the Component Placement Diagram. Install Inductor

C athode

Schem atic Sym bol

100K

C3

R3

R5

10M

D2 D3

JP1

ANT

100P

C1

U1

C4

0.1

100

5 Inches
R1 L1

C6 + 10

OUT+ OUT-

+ OUT

TERMINAL LUG

REAR of METER

R4
100K

R2

1K

D4

S1
+

+V G
1N34

The inductor looks like a resistor but is wound with many loops of wire that are clearly visible on the outside. Solder it in the location show in Fig 1. Install Resistors

0.1

D1 C2

Orientation of a resistor doesn't matter, but the value does. If you need help identifying the value of a resistor, the parts list has the color bands listed.

- OUT

Locate resistor R1 (100 Ohms), install and solder it in place according to Figure 1. Then repeat the installation procedure with each of the following resistors: R2 R3,4 R5 - 1.0K Ohm Resistor, 1/4 Watt, 5% - 470 Ohm Resistor, 1/4 Watt, 5% - 10M Ohm Resistor, 1/4 Watt, 5%

C ponent om Installation

B end

PC Board Foil S ide

TLC272

Repeat the process with the 0.1 uF (micro farad) capacitors C2-C4.

N on-polarized

R3 100K

0.1 MFD

U1A

100 OHM

Install Electrolytic Capacitors Electrolytic Caps - C5 & 6 -><Electrolytic capacitors are shaped like "cans" and usually have the value printed on their wrapper. Being a polarized device, one side of the wrapper will have a line of "minus" signs as arrows, pointing down the side of the cap to the minus leg. These caps must be installed in the PCB with the plus leg (the unmarked leg) of the cap in the hole marked "+" on the component location drawing. Using the Parts List as a guide, locate C5, a 10 MFD capacitor. Check the orientation, then install and solder the C5 into place. Repeat with capacitor C6.

C3

R4 100K 4.5 VDC

R2

Using the Parts List as a guide, locate the 100 pF (pico farad) capacitor, C1. Then refer to Figure 1, install C1 and solder it into place. Orientation is not critical, since ceramic capacitors are non-polarized. Clip any excess wire from the bottom of the PCB.
C5 +

9 VDC

10 MFD

Ceramic Capacitors - C1,2,3,4

C eram ic C apacitor

S1 ON/OFF

9 VDC

Install Ceramic Capacitors

BAT

+ C6 D4
M1

1K

VR1

U1B 8 TLC272 + 7 6 4

10 MEG

R5

D3

C1 5 0.1 MFD
L1

100 pF
ANTENNA

Electrolytic C apacitor

50 uA

1K

0.1 MFD

C4

10 MFD

R1

C2

"M inus" Leg

B ottom V iew

D2, D3 & D4 = 1N4148

2.5 mH

D2

D1

1N34A

PARTS LIST FOR THE RF POWER METER KIT

Install IC U1 - TLC272CP Dual Op-Amp RESISTORS R1 .......... R2 .......... R3,4 ........ Gold) R5 .......... VR1 ......... 10M Ohm, (Brown, Black, Blue, Gold) 1.0K Ohm, Panel Mount Potentiometer with ON/OFF Switch. 100 Ohm, (Brown, Black, Brown, Gold) 1.0K Ohm, (Brown, Black, Red, Gold) 100K Ohm, (Brown, Black, Yellow,

-><-

First, inspect the 8-pin IC, U1 [TLC272] WHILE IT IS STILL IN THE BLACK FOAM. Notice the notch in one end that will identify pin 1. Before removing the IC from its protective foam, remove static electricity from your body by grounding yourself by touching a water pipe or metal appliance.

The drawing below shows a typical IC and its identifying features:

Integrated C ircuit (IC )

CAPACITORS C1 .......... 100 pF, 50V, Ceramic C2-4 ........ 0.1 uF, 50V, Monolithic or Ceramic -><- C5,6 ......... 10 uF, 16V, Electrolytic SEMICONDUCTORS -><- U1 .......... TLC272CP, Dual Op-Amp IC -><- D1 .......... 1N34A Germanium Diode -><- D2-4 ........ 1N914 or 1N4148 Signal Diode MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS L1 ........ JP1 ........ -><- M1 ........ ANTENNA ...... PCB ........ -><- U1 ........ -><- BAT ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ Inductor, 2.5 mH, Axial Wire Jumper, 0.6 inch long 50 uA Meter, Panel Mount 8 inch Metal Antenna Printed Circuit Board (RFM0997) 8 Pin IC Socket 9V Battery Connector Solder Terminal Lug Knob for Potentiometer VR1 Plastic Enclosure & Front Panel (4) 1/4 Threaded Hex Spacers (4) #4-40 1/4 Screws (4) #4-40 Nuts (1) M3 Metric Screw for Antenna 24 ga. Stranded Hookup Wire Attach Potentiometer and ON/OFF Switch
E V nd iew D identifies pin 1 ot

A notch in one end m identify the top ay of the IC P 1 is . in the top left pin.

VR1 & S1 - 100K Ohm Potentiometer with Switch

Cut three 4-inch pieces of 24 gauge stranded hookup wire and solder the wires to the terminals of R5 as shown in the diagram below. Then cut two 2.5-inch pieces of 24 gauge stranded hookup wire and solder the wires to the outside (switch) terminals. Next, refer to Figure 3 for details of connecting the three wires from the potentiometer to the printed circuit board. Solder the wires to the PC board as shown. Refer again to Figure 3 and attach the two wires from S1 to the PC board as shown.

VR & S 1 1 Potentiom eter & Sw itch

4.0" Long

NOTE:

-><- Indicates a polarized component or device.

2.5" Long

S older H ere

Mount PC Board in Case Mount the PC board in the bottom half of the plastic case with two (#4 x 1/4") self tapping screws. Mount the potentiometer on the plastic case by inserting it into the hole and attaching the metal nut. You need to bend or remove the small metal tab sticking up from the potentiometer body so that it will not interfere with assembly.
P B C oard 1/4" S tandoff #4 H N ex ut

FIGURE 1 COMPONENT PLACEMENT DIAGRAM

0.1
E nclosure B ottom #4-40 x 1/4" S crew

C4 R3
100K
100K

10 + C6 10
R4

100

R1 + C5 0.1 C3
S1

FINAL ASSEMBLY
Solder 4 in. wires from meter terminals to +OUT & -OUT on PC board, NOTE POLARITIES. Install antenna as shown in Fig 3 with terminal lug touching antenna, secure with metric screw. Connect a 9V battery to the battery connector & place battery in enclosure. Attach plastic front panel (with meter attached) to enclosure using 4 screws.

5 6 7 8

JP1 R5

1K

U1

R2
10M

4 3 2 1

OUT-

100P

C1 D3 D2
G +V
1N34

D4 D1

OUT+

0.1

OPERATION
Note: Diode D1 is affected by ambient light. The circuit must be placed inside the plastic enclosure away from light before performing any tests or adjustments on this circuit. Turn the RF meter ON and set VR1 to approximately 1/2 of its rotation. The meter needle should move slightly. Bring the antenna near a broadcasting RF source (Ham radio, cordless phone, car alarm transmitter, etc). The meter should move in response to the RF field. If the RF signal is strong enough to make the meter go off scale, you can adjust VR1 for a better reading. This project is a handy way to test the output of a transmitter to verify that it is working. You can also use the RF field meter to sweep a room for hidden transmitter bugs. Be sure to shut the unit OFF when not in use to conserve the battery.

L1

C2

ANT