Hi folks,

firstly, i think the Virgin newsgroup/email server is playing up because i've posted this several time to various NG's but none
have shown up. Humbliest appologies if this has show all those times , it's not me messing about -- if they did show, i missed
them and the replies. If not, i hope this one gets through as i could do with the help and advice.

i'm going to put up a random wire for general SWL . I have a kit w/ 25 mtrs of wire / balun / coax feed ready to hang and receive.
Problem is my garden dimensions.

it's 8 mtrs wide , 10 mtrs long and diagonally 12 mtrs across - more or less a square shape.

can anyone help with these suggestions on how to run the wire.

1) i've read you can't fold the wire back on itself. Could i come from one corner of my house , follow the diagonal 12 mtrs
across the garden , support the wire on a pole at the opposite corner , then go back towards the house along the 10 mtr distance ?
Does this constitute folding the wire back on itself ? The angle of the bend at the pole would be approx 45 deg. with the wire in
a V shape yet the wires would be an increasing distance apart up to the house. Would this be a problem ?

2) I can fit in an inverted L but this would only be 16 mtrs of wire not including coax feed. The coax feed would be coming out of
the loft and onto a bracket which would support the balun and straight onto the horizontal length. The vertical bit would then
drop down at the far end . Would this work as all the pics of inverted L's ive seen show the feed starting at the bottom of the
vertical first which then goes up to the horizontal and out

height isn't too much of a problem as i can get it over the guttering level. This is all for RX not TX

sorry if these are basic, basic questions. I 'll be experimenting later but for know, i just want to get it all up and running as
best as possible.



thanx again as usual,
Simon



--


************************************************** ************************************************** *******************
i want to die peacefully in my sleep , same as my grandad - not like his passengers,all screaming and shouting
************************************************** ************************************************** *******************

Simon,
The 'shape' of a general purpose SWL antenna that will
be used on a number of bands isn't all that critical. It
won't be particularly 'resonant' on any band and it's
directional properties will be random, rather than something
easily predictable and 'aimable'. In general (meaning that
there are always exceptions), the longer and higher you can
get it the better it will work.
The 'folding it back on it's self' that you talk about
refers to the angle between the 'folds'. The smaller that
angle, the less effective length there is, to a point, sort
of. At the extreme, wrapping the wire back around it's self
effectively cuts the wire off at that point, again, 'sort of'.
Given the amount of area you have to play with, you have
several choices as to 'shape' of the antenna. Rectangular,
triangular, and almost anything inbetween, not to mention
in the vertical direction. If it were me, I'd try for what
ever 'shape' that would result in the most length. Since there
isn't ''one'' perfect length and height for an SWL antenna, and
since it won't be optimum for all bands, give one a try. Later
try another 'shape'. Keep the one that works best for your
location and band(s) of interest.
'Doc

For shotwave listening, string up what you can and get a small antenna
tuner. This will allow you to peak the signal on the band your listen to.

You didn't say what type SWLing your doing. If your going after Broadcast
DX, that is one thing, if trying to receive high power HF broadcasts
another. Both have unique solutions.

Tell us what you are interested in chasing and we can give you a more
intelligent answer.

If your answer is "everything", your purposed solution will work well on
some and poorly on others.

"lethal" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,

firstly, i think the Virgin newsgroup/email server is playing up because
i've posted this several time to various NG's but none
have shown up. Humbliest appologies if this has show all those times ,
it's not me messing about -- if they did show, i missed
them and the replies. If not, i hope this one gets through as i could do
with the help and advice.

i'm going to put up a random wire for general SWL . I have a kit w/ 25
mtrs of wire / balun / coax feed ready to hang and receive.
Problem is my garden dimensions.

it's 8 mtrs wide , 10 mtrs long and diagonally 12 mtrs across - more or
less a square shape.

can anyone help with these suggestions on how to run the wire.

1) i've read you can't fold the wire back on itself. Could i come from
one corner of my house , follow the diagonal 12 mtrs
across the garden , support the wire on a pole at the opposite corner ,
then go back towards the house along the 10 mtr distance ?
Does this constitute folding the wire back on itself ? The angle of the
bend at the pole would be approx 45 deg. with the wire in
a V shape yet the wires would be an increasing distance apart up to the
house. Would this be a problem ?

2) I can fit in an inverted L but this would only be 16 mtrs of wire not
including coax feed. The coax feed would be coming out of
the loft and onto a bracket which would support the balun and straight
onto the horizontal length. The vertical bit would then
drop down at the far end . Would this work as all the pics of inverted L's
ive seen show the feed starting at the bottom of the
vertical first which then goes up to the horizontal and out

height isn't too much of a problem as i can get it over the guttering
level. This is all for RX not TX

sorry if these are basic, basic questions. I 'll be experimenting later
but for know, i just want to get it all up and running as
best as possible.



thanx again as usual,
Simon



--



************************************************** **************************
*******************************************
i want to die peacefully in my sleep , same as my grandad - not like his
passengers,all screaming and shouting

************************************************** **************************
*******************************************

W4JLE wrote:
For shotwave listening,

You're not supposed to listen to the shotwave. You are supposed to
wear ear protectors. :-)
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp



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"lethal" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,

firstly, i think the Virgin newsgroup/email server is playing up because i've
posted this several time to various NG's but none
have shown up. Humbliest appologies if this has show all those times , it's
not me messing about -- if they did show, i missed
them and the replies. If not, i hope this one gets through as i could do with
the help and advice.

i'm going to put up a random wire for general SWL . I have a kit w/ 25 mtrs of
wire / balun / coax feed ready to hang and receive.
Problem is my garden dimensions.

it's 8 mtrs wide , 10 mtrs long and diagonally 12 mtrs across - more or less a
square shape.

can anyone help with these suggestions on how to run the wire.

1) i've read you can't fold the wire back on itself. Could i come from one
corner of my house , follow the diagonal 12 mtrs
across the garden , support the wire on a pole at the opposite corner , then
go back towards the house along the 10 mtr distance ?
Does this constitute folding the wire back on itself ? The angle of the bend
at the pole would be approx 45 deg. with the wire in
a V shape yet the wires would be an increasing distance apart up to the house.
Would this be a problem ?

2) I can fit in an inverted L but this would only be 16 mtrs of wire not
including coax feed. The coax feed would be coming out of
the loft and onto a bracket which would support the balun and straight onto
the horizontal length. The vertical bit would then
drop down at the far end . Would this work as all the pics of inverted L's ive
seen show the feed starting at the bottom of the
vertical first which then goes up to the horizontal and out

height isn't too much of a problem as i can get it over the guttering level.
This is all for RX not TX

sorry if these are basic, basic questions. I 'll be experimenting later but
for know, i just want to get it all up and running as
best as possible.



thanx again as usual,
Simon

If you want "all-round" performance with reasonable rejection of ignition
noise, etc, try getting some extra wire and rig up a loop right round your
8x10 meter garden. If you don't want to go that far, try a 10m and 8m legs at
right angles, joined by a balun & coax into the house. As always, get the
wires as high as you possibly can.

--


************************************************** ****************************
*****************************************
i want to die peacefully in my sleep , same as my grandad - not like his
passengers,all screaming and shouting
************************************************** ****************************
*****************************************