I agree this is the case with active preselector, so I went with a passive
one; we'll see! : }

"Verstaldin" wrote in message
news
I have limited experience with antenna amplifiers, but they tend to add to
problems an inexpensive reciever might already have. If the receiver
cannot
handle large signals in the vacinity of small signals well, then you may
simply overload your receiver or introduce signals produced by the
amplifier. A preselector helps by limiting what is coming at the reciever
from the antenna by narrowing the range of frequencies. That can reduce
some
noise and interference.

Something guaranteed to reduce interference is to turn off everything in
the
house that has a computer chip in it as well as motors. This means TV,
VCR,
DVD, Stereo, Shortwave and scanner receivers, and especially computers and
monitors, with an emphasis on monitors. Also, operating on batteries
instead
of AC current can be very helpful because AC lines can carry a lot of
noise.
Ground your receiver to a metal rod pounded into the ground as close as
possible to the receiver. When I say turn off, what I mean is, pull the
plug
out of the wall entirely so no connection exists to the AC line
whatsoever.
Some items may have a small amount of current running so it may start more
quickly, TV's especially. Finally, a good antenna cut as close as possible
to the band of most interest, balanced and matched properly for impedance
and connected to the receiver by low loss coaxial cable directly to the
receover.

With the advent of Broadband over Powerlines, cell transmissions and other
transmissions that are deliberately pumped down a cable line or telephone
line, it is getting very difficult to have good shortwave reception. I
question how much people really need to read their email or text message
or
send photos over cell phones. I think they are an important means of voice
communications, but they don't take the place of an office telephone. A
reduction in their use would not hurt anyone IMHO.

"junius" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi Lisa,

I've used a number of MFJ preslectors in conjunction with a number of
receivers. The most basic and inexpensive is the MFJ-956, recommended
earlier in this thread by David. It's a decent, non-fussy little unit
that really doesn't require too much re-tuning as you scan across a
given band. The same can largely be said of the MFJ-1045C which I
recently picked up from Grove. The 1045C, though, is an active
preselector, so you'd have some gain added to your signal. I don't
know that you'd necessarily want or need additional gain; I don't have
any experience with the receiver you're working with. The 1045C runs
off of an AC adapter or can be run off a 9 V battery. The option of
running the unit off a battery can be nice if you ever take your
receiver out into the field. Note: the 1045C is advertised on the
websites of some retailers as being made to accomodate 2 receivers and
2 antennae. I called MFJ a week and a half back (prior to ordering a
1045C) and was informed by a tech at MFJ that the 1045C is designed for
one antenna and one receiver: there are no radio 1/2 or antenna 1/2
switches as on the MFJ 1040C preselector (also distinguishing the two:
the 1040C does not allow for 9V battery operation, and the 1040C is
designed to permit use w/a transceiver). The 1045C looks a lot like
the MFJ 1020C active antenna (which is sometimes advertised as being
useful as an active preselector); the 1045C and 1020C are similar in
appearance/layout of controls. According to the MFJ tech, though, the
internals of the two are quite different and the 1045C is to be
preferred where the preselection function is concerned.
The other MFJ preselector to consider is the MFJ-1046, which is
advertised as a "high dynamic range passive preselector". This was my
first preselector and it remains the one I use most often. One thing I
particularly like aobut it is that I've not noticed any signal loss in
using it. And more often than not, I have no need for any
amplification of the signal. This preselector is pretty narrow in its
bandwidth, so it often requires a few small tuning adjustments as you
tune across a given SW BC band.

In any case, hope some of this helps.

Junius

Lisa Simpson wrote:
Fishing for recommendations for antenna preselectors that would work
well
with a Radio Shack DX-394 & Eavesdropper C antenna . . .