Ultra high speed scan system

Abstract

A high speed scanning radio has conventional RF amplifier, a mixer, a frequency synthesizer for the generation of local oscillator signals, an IF amplifier, a demodulator, and an audio output stage. The receiver includes a memory for storing a plurality of frequency codes corresponding to respective radio channels and a scan control for reading those codes, two for each channel, into the frequency synthesizer. A linear combination of each pair of distinct frequency codes is utilized to generate a local oscillator signal. A squelch circuit including a multi-order analog highpass filter, noise diode detector, a multiplexer, an analog to digital converter, and an arrangement for storage of successive average values of noise, and for comparing those successive noise values with one another to provide a noise difference and for comparing successive noise differences with a predetermined squelch control value, detection of the presence of a signal on a channel being indicated when successive noise differences exceed the predetermined squelch control value. The squelch circuit disables the audio output stage in the absence of a detected signal on any one of the channels corresponding to said sequentially read pair of frequency codes, and the squelch circuit is deactivated and the scan control interrupted upon detection of the presence of a signal on a channel.