For One and All,

For all and one...

Better Signal-to-Noise Ratio from a Combination of Improvements
including . . . a Ground.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/5961

What I generally 'see' as far as an "Improvement" of the
quality of the RF Signal getting to the Receiver is from a combination
of things.

1. The Wire Antenna Element is placed farther from the House.

This can help if needed. Most of my antennas are over the house.

2. A 'remote' Ground Rod is used : Again this Ground Rod
is planted in the ground farther away from the House.

But again, this is only due to the incomplete antenna that
you are running in that case. "I assume the usual random wire of
whatever config"

3. Use of a Matching Transformer between the Wire Antenna
Element and the Coax Cable : Mounted the Matching Transformer
on the Ground Rod - if possible.

Again, this will almost always have zero effect on s/n ratio.
There is usually no lack of signal without the transformer.

4. Use of a Coax Cable Feed-in-Line : Laying-On -or-
Buried-Under the Ground - if possible.

You do not have to use coax to have low noise reception.
Ladder line can work just as well, if properly balanced.
Coax is just often more convenient, and easier to work with.
But ladder line can be just as quiet. If the coax is poorly
decoupled, it will be as noisy as any unbalanced ladder line.

5. The Extra Mile - Use a well grounded Lightning Arrestor
and/or an In-Line 1:1 Isolation Transformer where the Coax
Cable leaves the Ground and enters the House.

But what does this have to do with improving the s/n ratio?

NOTE - All the above is no good if you do not have a very well
Grounded Household Electrical System. Do This First !

I'm sorry, but this is pure hogwash. You *do not* need *any*
kind of a ground to have a good low noise receiving system.

RESULTS - Actually in most instances what I 'see' is a reduction
in the S-Meter reading : But I also "Hear" a Greater Reduction
of the Noise Level. Thus the Signal-to-Noise Radio 'improves'
and the Listenability of the RF Signal (Audio) is much Better.

Well, sure, you are decoupling the feedline in a better manner.
Ground wouldn't have anything to do with it, except you are using
ground as a method to decouple the feedline. You can decouple
the feedline just as well using other "non grounded" methods.
You are confusing a technique with the actual cure. The actual
cure is the decoupling of the line, not the ground. The ground is
just a method you are using to decouple the line.

BUT REMEMBER - YOUR PRIMARY USE OF A GROUND IS FOR IMPROVED ELECTRICAL
SAFETY AND LIGHTNING PROTECTION - USE IT [.]

I have no argument with this if those concerns are actual.
IE: My battery run IC-706 needs no safety ground. In that
case, it can be ignored.
But my older tube rigs do need to be safety grounded.
In that case, ignoring can be painful...
Most of my antennas are elevated, and my mast does take
strikes from time to time. I *do* have a well grounded mast
for a lightning return, and I have a ground bulkhead outside
my window to ground lines to in bad wx...
But still....Has nothing to do with improving s/n ratio.. :/

i hope we are communicating - iane ~ RHF

Your lips move, but I can't hear what you're sayin....
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