If I use a Budwig Dipole Center Insulator
(http://www.k1cra.com/images/products/original/299.jpg) for my random
length long wire antenna, should the length of the wire coming off each side
of the center insulator be equal?

My yard will allow me to have one side of the insulator about 200 feet long
and the other side only about 50 feet. Should I even mess with the center
insulator and just go with a random length of wire?

I am just running this into a DX398 for occasional shortwave listening.
Thanks.

DJ wrote:

If I use a Budwig Dipole Center Insulator
(http://www.k1cra.com/images/products/original/299.jpg) for my random
length long wire antenna, should the length of the wire coming off each side
of the center insulator be equal?

My yard will allow me to have one side of the insulator about 200 feet long
and the other side only about 50 feet. Should I even mess with the center
insulator and just go with a random length of wire?

I am just running this into a DX398 for occasional shortwave listening.

For your purposes you'd be better off just running a random length of wire. And
since you're running a portable you probably won't want to make that wire to
terribly long as you might overload the radio.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

DJ wrote:
If I use a Budwig Dipole Center Insulator
(http://www.k1cra.com/images/products/original/299.jpg) for my random
length long wire antenna, should the length of the wire coming off each side
of the center insulator be equal?

My yard will allow me to have one side of the insulator about 200 feet long
and the other side only about 50 feet. Should I even mess with the center
insulator and just go with a random length of wire?

I am just running this into a DX398 for occasional shortwave listening.

Don't worry about the two sides being equal. That's only important if
you intend to transmit and need the antenna to have a predictable
impedance. For receiving, the name of the game is to put up as much
wire as possible.

A random length of wire will probably work just fine.
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


DJ wrote:

If I use a Budwig Dipole Center Insulator
(http://www.k1cra.com/images/products/original/299.jpg) for my random
length long wire antenna, should the length of the wire coming off each
side
of the center insulator be equal?

My yard will allow me to have one side of the insulator about 200 feet
long
and the other side only about 50 feet. Should I even mess with the
center
insulator and just go with a random length of wire?

I am just running this into a DX398 for occasional shortwave listening.

For your purposes you'd be better off just running a random length of
wire. And
since you're running a portable you probably won't want to make that wire
to
terribly long as you might overload the radio.

Thanks, overload is an issue. The 398 has a limited gain control. Is there
a receiver that can handle 200+ feet of wire without overload problems?

On Wed, 16 Aug 2006 17:28:59 -0500, "DJ"
wrote:



Thanks, overload is an issue. The 398 has a limited gain control. Is there
a receiver that can handle 200+ feet of wire without overload problems?


http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/commrxvr.html

Any of these.

In article ,
"DJ" wrote:

If I use a Budwig Dipole Center Insulator
(http://www.k1cra.com/images/products/original/299.jpg) for my random
length long wire antenna, should the length of the wire coming off each side
of the center insulator be equal?

My yard will allow me to have one side of the insulator about 200 feet long
and the other side only about 50 feet. Should I even mess with the center
insulator and just go with a random length of wire?

I am just running this into a DX398 for occasional shortwave listening.
Thanks.

For the antenna to fit the definition of a dipole the two sides need to
be equal but for receiving they don't have to be equal. One side can be
longer than the other and work well. A small portable radio is not
designed to handle that large an antenna the size of 50 / 200 feet long
so you might try 25 / 50 foot long antenna.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

"dxAce" wrote in message
...
For your purposes you'd be better off just running a random length of
wire. And
since you're running a portable you probably won't want to make that wire
to
terribly long as you might overload the radio.


overload

My longwire currently goes into a modified DX398 through an input that is
1000 ohm, high impedance. Will overload still be an issue?

DJ wrote:
"dxAce" wrote in message
...
For your purposes you'd be better off just running a random length of
wire. And
since you're running a portable you probably won't want to make that wire
to
terribly long as you might overload the radio.


overload

My longwire currently goes into a modified DX398 through an input that is
1000 ohm, high impedance. Will overload still be an issue?

DJ,

When you are hearing the same local AM Radio Stations
-or- sometimes FM Radio or TV Stations all across your
Radio Dial and on several Bands then you usually have
External Shortwave Antenna OverLoad; and need to Trim
(cut-back) the size of the Antenna Wire -or- Attenuate
the Antenna Signal coming into the Radio.

The classic sign of OverLoad is hearing local AM Radio
Stations at several spots in the Shortwave Bands.

Then again sometimes it ain't the External Shortwave Antenna :
It is the AM/FM Shortwave Radio that needs fixing or replacing.


DJ - More information is required.
How is the 1000 Ohm Input configured ?


READ - Portable AM/FM Shortwave Radio-to-Antenna
"GIZMOE" Connector Box
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...1903626f5e6d70
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/2070
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/1489
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...na/message/957
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...enna/message/7

NOTE - Improved Circuit and Description :
+ Continuous "Ground Rail" 'tie-in' for All Components
+ Jack-Connector to 'match' the Antenna Lead-in.
+ High Voltage Discharge protection using Gas Discharge Tube
+ Low Voltage Surge protection using Front-to-Back Dual Diodes
+ Static Discharge protection using 10K Ohm Potentiometer
+ + RF Signal Attenuation using the same 10K Ohm Potentiometer
+ Not-in-Use protection using an Circuit "Open" Switch
+ Plug-Connector to 'match' the Radio's External Antenna Input.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...bfe14ab2ec6900

NOTE - If you use the NE-2 Lite-Bulb and on a 'normal day'
the Bulb is always Glowing or Blinking; then Trim your
Antenna by 25 Feet and check it again - repeat as needed.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...6995600a6e2edd


PROTECTING THE "PORTABLE" AM/FM SHORTWAVE RADIO
FROM THE ANTENNA :
If the Radio Listener has their 'portable' AM/FM Shortwave Radio
permanently connected to an Out-Side External Shortwave Antenna.
I recommend that they consider building and using a "GIZMO"
Connector Box between the Antenna and the Radio.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...a9bb618defeca2


READ - "Portable Wire Antenna" (PWA) for your 'portable'
AM/FM/Shortwave Radio
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/1728
"Portable Wire Antenna" (PWA) by Tom Sevart [N2UHC]


hope this helps - iane ~ RHF

"RHF" wrote in message
ups.com...
overload

My longwire currently goes into a modified DX398 through an input that is
1000 ohm, high impedance. Will overload still be an issue?

DJ,


DJ - More information is required.
How is the 1000 Ohm Input configured ?


Thanks for all the great links, and reading material.

I have no idea how it is configured. Its the Radio Labs 909 modification,
even though mine is technically a 398.
http://www.radiolabs.com/products/re...s/super909.php

DJ

On Fri, 18 Aug 2006 05:12:37 GMT, Telamon
wrote:


It's not that the radio input won't be damaged by the excessive signal
levels but the term "overload" means the hight levels will cause the
radio to reproduce signals where they do not belong on the dial.

Not operating in the linear portion of its curve...