RadioBanter - View Single Post - DIY antenna- which?

June 23rd 04, 11:57 PM

On 23 Jun 2004 14:22:15 -0700, (Michael Salmons)
wrote:

Hi,

I've finally purchased a fine desktop SW receiver, and I'd like to
have a nice antenna to use with it as well. I've made a number of
antennas for mediumwave, and I'd like to do the same for SW. I've read
several descriptions found online and think I've settled on Arnie
Coro's broomstick antenna or the 7m sloper just for a starter. Has
anyone tried either of these? Or would you recommend something else
for a good starter DIY antenna? My primary listening interests are
Africa and the Pacific and I live in the midwestern US.

Thanks,

Michael Salmons
salmonsm @ missouri . edu

My recommendation is to forget the broomstick. Not familiar with a
"7m sloper" but suspect it's roughly 21 feet of wire installed in a
sloper configuration (hey, my brain's working overtime today!) which
equates to 'outdoor antenna.' Any given amount of wire outdoors can
be expected to perform better than that amount indoors and it's common
for less wire outdoor to better than more indoors as well. I'll
presume that in your reading you've learned about grounding, keeping
things away from power lines and the benefits of coax feedline. Your
time will be better spent stringing the most wire you can outdoors and
grounding the best you can than it would winding wire on a broom
handle or section of pvc tubing.

Good luck,
Howard