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Old November 22nd 09, 04:32 AM posted to rec.radio.shortwave
Bill Baka Bill Baka is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Sep 2009
Posts: 331
Default Shortwave for cars?

wrote:
On Nov 21, 4:55 pm, Bill Baka wrote:
Has anyone seen any shortwave radios in cars lately? I remember a few
from across the pond back in the 60's but it seems to have died out as a
fad. I would like to put one in one of my cars rather than a boom box
thing and be able to tune the world from wherever I find myself.
The other advantage is that I can drive to a spot with no power lines
for miles at night to listen relatively static free. I could (in theory)
take a long wire on a fishing pole (28-32AWG?) and put on a disposable
weight and toss it as far as possible into some high trees. Once it is
stuck firmly just back the car up until the whole spool is used up and
connect the car antenna to it.
Anybody tried it or anything like it?

Bill Baka


There is always XM radio. BBC world service all the time, and many
other shortwave stations on a rotating basis.


The point was I want to do my own searching and not listen to some lame
satellite station. I will *never* buy a car that requires me to pay a
satellite station $10 every month.

If you are going to do any SWL with a fixed antenna, there is really
no need to mount it in the car. I have a Welbrook ALA100 that I have
used in the field many times with home brew wire loops.

http://www.lazygranch.com/images/radio/loop1.jpg

Interesting looking setup, could be used as a direction finder too.
I have a marine RDF but it uses a pre-mounted loop-stick in the rotating
antenna. Too bad it cuts off at just over the old 2805 frequencies.
Thanks for the picture.

Bill Baka