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Old November 20th 08, 01:18 AM posted to rec.radio.shortwave
RHF RHF is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,652
Default Best Rx $1K for daytime SWL (BBC beam to Africa, etc.)

On Nov 19, 8:34*am, wrote:
I live in Ontario, Canada. *My goal is to listen to daytime SW
broadcasts beamed to Africa by the likes of BBC, DW, VOA, RNW, etc.

Right now I have a Sony 7600GR with a few indoor antennas (reel
antenna, ANLP1, etc.). *With this equipment it's difficult to get good
reception of these daytime signals.

I plan to install a wire antenna (around 30 feet long), either
outdoors along my 5.5' high wooden fence (I live in the suburbs) or in
my attic.

Will a Sony portable and an outdoor/attic wire be enough to get
consistently good reception of these stations? *Or should I get a
better receiver?

If so, what receiver should I buy?

Portable choices:
Sangean ATS-909 (I hear it can handle long antennas)
Eton E1XM

Tabletop choices:
Icom R75
Icom R1500
used Kenwood, Yaesu, etc. (ebay)

PC-controlled choices
Ten Tec Rx-320D

The Icom R75 is a little pricy for me ($700 here in Canada). But if it
is that much better than say, the Eton E1 at fishing out these
broadcast signals then I will seriously consider it.

I'm also a little afraid of buying a PC receiver because I live in a
noisy RF environment. *(I like the thought of receiving DRM, though!)

Thanks!


Todddem,

You already have the "PC" so the Ten Tec RX 320D
is a viable Receiver to consider.
http://radio.tentec.com/amateur/receivers/RX320D
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0321.html

As "JP" pointed out as critical {may be more critical}
then the SWL Receiver is the Shortwave Antenna.

-IF- African is your 'target' reception area
-or- more importantly Broadcasts from Europe
to Africa. Then a Dipole Antenna may be your
better 'choice' in Shortwave Listening Antennas.

The Eavesdropper-T 'Trapped' Dipole Antenna is about
43 Feet Long, and can be pointed broadside to either
Europe {East} or Africa {SE} from Canada.
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/0680.html

The B&W ASW-60 Multi-Band Trap Dipole Antenna is
about 35 Feet Long, and again can be pointed
broadside to either Europe {East} or Africa {SE}
from Canada.
http://www.bwantennas.com/ama/specials.ama.htm#asw60

iane ~ RHF