From: Gunner
Organization: Coyote Engineering
Reply-To:
Newsgroups: misc.survivalism,rec.radio.shortwave
Date: Tue, 05 Apr 2005 10:53:17 GMT
Subject: Radio Question
Over the weekend, I stumbled into a Panasonic RF-4800 general
communications receiver. It looks like it just came out of the box.
Mint+.
I have some issues that perhaps some of you can help with.
I spend most of the week working out of an RV in an RV park. The
park rules are such that they really frown on antennas other than TV.
So it leaves out a long wire antenna. My TV antenna (no cable in the
park) is about 12' to the yagi. So I have a mounting height
issue..the Slinky trick is out.
Anyone got a good suggestion for a low profile receiving antenna that
will cover broadcast to 31 mhz? Vertically polarized, or
horizontally..horizontal would be best. The RV has a surface aprox 7'
wide by 20' long.
loop antennas are out. No way to turn it from inside and are a bit
high profile.
Second big question. The only place to put this receiver is within 3
feet of my computer. So Im getting freaking huge birdies all over the
spectrum with the puter/monitor turned on.
The receiver has a 50ohm Pl259 coax connector, as well as a binding
post for a long wire. Plus a binding post for AM broadcast and a
third for FM broadcast.
The RV itself is a damned good Faraday cage. Aluminum siding, aluminum
window frames and screen. Even the local stations fade to zip when
the door is closed. I have to leave the cell phone near a window to
work. So the antenna has to be external. Shrug.
Anyone got any suggestions? Ive got a chunk of wire tossed over the
roof at the moment, but tis not particularly effective.
Gunner
Rule #35
"That which does not kill you,
has made a huge tactical error"
Gunner -
I use an H-800 Skymatch active antenna from LF Engineering
http://www.lfengineering.com/products.htm
It's mounted in my attic and it gives me marginally better SW reception than
a 50 ft. random wire hung around the eaves of the house. It gives great
improvement in the MW broadcast band, day and night. It's supposed to be
good for LF too but I never go there.
The antenna "probe" is only a 26" long tube. You could probably mount it on
your TV antenna, or even on a standalone pole outside the RV, or on the
roof. I paid $20 extra for the BNC connector option, and supplied my own
coax. Otherwise, the coax is permanently joined to the probe. No biggie
though - you could cut it and install connectors.
It's a pretty good all-round antenna and an easy one to install. There are
better, more expensive active antennas.
As far as the computer-generated noise, try putting ferrite chokes on all
the computer wires & cables. There was a thread here a while back about an
inexpensive place to buy them. Also, you could try putting up some kind of
metallic barrier between the computer & radio and ground it, or maybe build
a little Faraday cage over the 'puter. Experiment!
Good luck,
Greg