On 9/23/2012 6:33 PM, NM5K wrote:
On 9/22/2012 10:11 PM, Channel Jumper wrote:



Large snip.

Well said.

tom
K0TAR

ultravista skrev 2012-09-20 06:11:
I recently acquired an Icom IC-706MKII radio. My plan, before I get my
license and begin transmitting, is to use the radio for a general
coverage and shortwave receiving.

The IC-706 has two coaxial antenna ports and I am looking for antenna
suggestions for monitoring shortwave. I live in a house and have the
ability to string just about anything up.

Looking for recommendations for a great all-around shortwave antenna
that will connect to the coaxial port.



A very nice antenna is the horizontal loop. If you feed it with a open
ladder line you can work the whole HF band. At the station side you need
to use a balun, the guanella balun does a great job.

You don't even have to make the loop resonant, I have a loop with 135
meters circumference, the feeder is an open ladder line ending in a
guanella balun. I can use all bands from 160m to 10m on that antenna,
using my rigs internal match.

No matter what antenna you finally choose, you have to get it up as high
as you can, if you want to get connections from far away anyway.

/Ben - SM0KBW

On Thu, 20 Sep 2012 04:11:29 +0000, ultravista
wrote:


I recently acquired an Icom IC-706MKII radio. My plan, before I get my
license and begin transmitting, is to use the radio for a general
coverage and shortwave receiving.

The IC-706 has two coaxial antenna ports and I am looking for antenna
suggestions for monitoring shortwave. I live in a house and have the
ability to string just about anything up.

Looking for recommendations for a great all-around shortwave antenna
that will connect to the coaxial port.

A random length of wire strung around your yard, and coming to the
central connector of your coax plug, will probably give you more
stations than you know what to do with.

If you want to get fancier, MFJ makes an inexpensive random wire tuner
(#16010) that you can peak for maximum signal strength. This is
something you could also use when you get your license and are ready
to transmit.

You could also build a random length dipole, and feed it with coax,
connecting the center conductor to one leg, and the braid to the other
leg.

Lots of options here. Start simple.

bob
k5qwg