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looking for antenna
Hello everyone and happy New Year! This is my first post here, and I'm
quite sure it wont be my last. I am very green to this hobby. I have always been fascinated with DX radio and finally have the time and money to get involved in it. I started BIG. I just bought an R8B for my first receiver. I live in a small condo in Northern Arizona (Flagstaff) I am surrounded by tall mountains and the elevation at my house is 8,200 Feet. I am looking for the best antenna for my buck at around $200.00. My main listening interests are utility stations. This antenna must be able to withstand winds of 60 mph +, and not be too much of an eyesore. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Chad |
looking for antenna
chad556 wrote: Hello everyone and happy New Year! This is my first post here, and I'm quite sure it wont be my last. I am very green to this hobby. I have always been fascinated with DX radio and finally have the time and money to get involved in it. I started BIG. I just bought an R8B for my first receiver. I live in a small condo in Northern Arizona (Flagstaff) I am surrounded by tall mountains and the elevation at my house is 8,200 Feet. I am looking for the best antenna for my buck at around $200.00. My main listening interests are utility stations. This antenna must be able to withstand winds of 60 mph +, and not be too much of an eyesore. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Chad Sounds like you're looking for an outdoor antenna, which is good. How much space do you have to work with? Are you looking for something that would go on your roof or on a balcony or do you have some real estate to play with? |
looking for antenna
chad556 wrote:
I am looking for the best antenna for my buck at around $200.00. My main listening interests are utility stations. This antenna must be able to withstand winds of 60 mph +, and not be too much of an eyesore. The simplest and the best are wire antennas outside of your building for this frequency range. Home brew isn't a problem with a minimum of fees. Hang a wire between to points with a maximum length. You will find some suggestions in the net. Regards, Ralf |
looking for antenna
chad556 wrote:
Hello everyone and happy New Year! This is my first post here, and I'm quite sure it wont be my last. I am very green to this hobby. I have always been fascinated with DX radio and finally have the time and money to get involved in it. I started BIG. I just bought an R8B for my first receiver. I live in a small condo in Northern Arizona (Flagstaff) I am surrounded by tall mountains and the elevation at my house is 8,200 Feet. I am looking for the best antenna for my buck at around $200.00. My main listening interests are utility stations. This antenna must be able to withstand winds of 60 mph +, and not be too much of an eyesore. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Chad Several questions come to mind. What are you interested in? I am mainly into utility and pirate(6.925) Are there any local, within 5 miles, MW, AM BCB, stations? What is your technical skill? Can you build equipment from a diagram? Terry |
looking for antenna
try the Eavesdropper . . .
"chad556" wrote in message ups.com... Hello everyone and happy New Year! This is my first post here, and I'm quite sure it wont be my last. I am very green to this hobby. I have always been fascinated with DX radio and finally have the time and money to get involved in it. I started BIG. I just bought an R8B for my first receiver. I live in a small condo in Northern Arizona (Flagstaff) I am surrounded by tall mountains and the elevation at my house is 8,200 Feet. I am looking for the best antenna for my buck at around $200.00. My main listening interests are utility stations. This antenna must be able to withstand winds of 60 mph +, and not be too much of an eyesore. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Chad |
looking for antenna
In article . com,
"chad556" wrote: Hello everyone and happy New Year! This is my first post here, and I'm quite sure it wont be my last. I am very green to this hobby. I have always been fascinated with DX radio and finally have the time and money to get involved in it. I started BIG. I just bought an R8B for my first receiver. I live in a small condo in Northern Arizona (Flagstaff) I am surrounded by tall mountains and the elevation at my house is 8,200 Feet. I am looking for the best antenna for my buck at around $200.00. My main listening interests are utility stations. This antenna must be able to withstand winds of 60 mph +, and not be too much of an eyesore. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. You can buy most of the antennas on this page. http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant.html You bought a good radio, have fun. -- Telamon Ventura, California |
looking for antenna
John Plimmer (in Africa) once posted something about a tall antenna he
uses.(I forget the brand name of his antenna) Since you have mountains around you and so does he,perhaps he will post something (again) about his tall antenna. cuhulin |
looking for antenna
Some radio stations are miles and miles (I saw miles and miles of
TEXAS,,,,,,,, all the STARS up in the SKYYYYYYY,,,,,,,,,) from where their actual transmitter towers are. cuhulin |
looking for antenna
All the reviews I have read before in this news group about Wellbrook
Antennas are pretty good. cuhulin |
looking for antenna
A few people have suggested the Wellborn 1530, but it looks a bit
cumbersome. I have 2 other options with a wire antenna. Check out the diagrams I made and let me know if any of these are feasible and if so, what my best bet would be for this type of application. I sincerely appreciate all feedback. The 1530 is definitely still an option that is available to me still... would it still be better than one of the below setups? Diagram 1: http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1...ngwire17ex.png Diagram 2: http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/5...ngwire25hd.png Chad |
looking for antenna
In article . com,
"chad556" wrote: A few people have suggested the Wellborn 1530, but it looks a bit cumbersome. I have 2 other options with a wire antenna. Check out the diagrams I made and let me know if any of these are feasible and if so, what my best bet would be for this type of application. I sincerely appreciate all feedback. The 1530 is definitely still an option that is available to me still... would it still be better than one of the below setups? Diagram 1: http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1...ngwire17ex.png Diagram 2: http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/5...ngwire25hd.png The 100 foot would be "better" from the more antenna standpoint but it could pick up noise from all your neighbors on the top floor so the shorter one on one end of the building may work better for you. There are to many variables in a situation like this to know for sure which will work better so you will just have try them. -- Telamon Ventura, California |
looking for antenna
chad556 wrote:
A few people have suggested the Wellborn 1530, but it looks a bit cumbersome. I have 2 other options with a wire antenna. Check out the diagrams I made and let me know if any of these are feasible and if so, what my best bet would be for this type of application. I sincerely appreciate all feedback. The 1530 is definitely still an option that is available to me still... would it still be better than one of the below setups? Diagram 1: http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1...ngwire17ex.png Diagram 2: http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/5...ngwire25hd.png Chad Chad, If those are the two options and you can't go out from the building then I would go for the 100ft along the ridge depending on how that relates to your mountains. In the main you will be picking up signals broadside to the wire and not off the ends. Which ever you go for your main problem will be electrical noise and harmonic hash from the equipment in the building (TV, computers, modems, etc.), if it has a metal roof all the better! Get or make a decent ATU - cheap on eBay - and get the wire as high above the ridge as you can. Use a balun designed for a wire antenna and feed from one end with co-ax Create a decent RF ground. (There's plenty of info around if you use Google.) I live in a first floor flat in the south of England and using a wire antenna and ATU I have heard amateur stations from Central & N. America, Australia, N Africa, Asiatic Russia & Mauritius in recent months. Charlie -- www.wymsey.co.uk |
looking for antenna
chad556 wrote: My main interests are same as yours... utility, maritime, aeronautical HF, and pirate. There is an AM radio station 3 miles away. On their site it says it transmits 5,000 watts on 930 khz, but I see no towers at the radio station. I also live a few miles from some microwave towers, and (assuming) cell phone, VHF/UHF TV towers. I am not very technically savy, and would prefer to buy an antenna that is already built. I can assemble it fine and put it up. IN am however very good with diagrams. Size is not much of an issue as long as its not a tower or 10 foot or higher vertical antenna. I'm the manager of the apartment community I live in, so I can bend the rules a bit in terms of roof installation antennae. I'm hearing rave reviews and numerous suggestions about the Wellbrook ALA-1530, but the cost is a big downfall. I tried to post this earlier but google ate it. I had a chance to test a ALA-1530 for over a month. I was very unimpressed. The WL1030 worked at least as well and can be built for much less green stuff. www.wl1030.com The only hard part to find is the Litz wire. And in truth I couldn't tell any difference between solid, stranded and litz wire in this application. I am not a fan of loops and continue to be impressed by the loyalty of true believers. If, as the manager, you could cheat a bit more, there is a 15' relay switched antenna that works very well. http://www.kongsfjord.no/ Look in "The Dallas Files"; "LW-MW-SW Relay Tuned 15' Noise Reducing Vertical Antenna", It does require at least a 4' ground rod 6 to 8 work much better. While I have always been a fan of coax feedlines, I have to admit that for this antenna balanced feedline, either Radio Shack speaker wire or AC zip cord, worked slightly better then coax. Other good antennas could be any of Dallas Lankford's active antennas. The new comp pair is very very good but rather difficult to setup. The next best is "Some of My Favorite Small Antennas for MW and LW", set up is straight forward, but the Crystalonics FET is pricey. The much less expensive antenna in "Low Noise Active Antenna AC/DC Power Supplies" is a very good active antenna. When configured as a active dipole it is a very good performer and only usuitable (IMHO) in very strong MW signal locations. To the best of me knowledge there are no commercial versions of any if these antennas. A friend built the 15' relay switched and used very inexpensive radio shack 12V relays that he sealed with GE "silicon seal". And if none of these look interesting be inventive. Do you have a wood fence? Run wire that blends in as high on the fence as possible. Do you have access to the attic, if there is one, you might try to run wire along the peak, or form a quasi dipole. Are there "tall" trees close to the building? If so then run some wire up the side of the tree. Works best where there aren't kids, they tend to find and pull stray wire off. Terry |
looking for antenna
chad556 wrote:
A few people have suggested the Wellborn 1530, but it looks a bit cumbersome. I have 2 other options with a wire antenna. Check out the diagrams I made and let me know if any of these are feasible and if so, what my best bet would be for this type of application. I sincerely appreciate all feedback. The 1530 is definitely still an option that is available to me still... would it still be better than one of the below setups? Diagram 1: http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1...ngwire17ex.png Diagram 2: http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/5...ngwire25hd.png Chad Put this up there on your roof as diagram 1 suggets (Cost $35 http://www.bwantennas.com/ama/specials.ama.htm yodar |
Question - Rigging the Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna On-or-Under 'The Roof' - When Par may be the Answer !
= = = On Jan 21, 8:14*pm, "chad556" wrote:
A few people have suggested the Wellborn 1530, but it looks a bit cumbersome. I have 2 other options with a wire antenna. Check out the diagrams I made and let me know if any of these are feasible and if so, what my best bet would be for this type of application. I sincerely appreciate all feedback. The 1530 is definitely still an option that is available to me still... would it still be better than one of the below setups? - Diagram 1:http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1...ngwire17ex.png - - Diagram 2:http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/5...ngwire25hd.png - - Chad - Chad, Question - Rigging the Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna On-or-Under 'The Roof' - When Par may be the Answer ! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw.../message/12080 IMHO - Better a simple Horizontal [Flat] Loop Antenna that is Rigged around the perimeter of 'The Roof' : * More Wire-in-the-Air * Larger signal capture area * Lower Noise * More Omni-Directional signal pick-up Consider putting your Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna Up-There On-the-Roof for Everyone-to-See READ - The Shortwave Listener's (SWL) "Random" Horizontal [Flat] Loop Antenna http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...73213a11be0b83 Consider putting your Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna Under-the-Roof {In-the-Attic} and Out-of-Sight ! READ - The In-the-Attic Horizontal [Flat] Loop Antenna http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...f4e10e7df8249c Just may be the better choice to fill the available space. One-More-Option might be . . . READ - Consider the In-the-Attic Shortwave Listeners (SWL) Loop Antenna -over- Snake-in-the-Attic type of Shortwave Listeners (SWL) Antenna http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...b5d43ef142d0e8 Then again for about $100 you could have a very acceptable and good performing Shortwave Listeners (SWL) Antenna. READ - About using the Par Electronics End-Fed Shortwave Listener EF-SWL Antenna : In-the-Attic ? http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...f41e85486b0ed9 Reveals - The Three "Must" Links to Read -wrt- Low Noise SWL Antenna when it comes to antennas - i am wired - iane ~ RHF {pomkia} .. Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antennas Group = http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf GoTo = http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/ The SWL Antenna Discussion Group = http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna HELP = http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna NEWS = http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna INFO = http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf * * * All Are Welcome : Including ELMERS and 'Want-to-be-Elmers' plus plain old "Mister-Know-It-Alls"; and even those Newbees with "I Know This Is A Really Dumb Question - But _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ " . The Shortwave Listener's Blessing : SWL BLESSING = http://tinyurl.com/s2bjm May You Never Tire of Listening to the Radio and Always have Strong Signals and Noise Free Reception ~ RHF {ibid} http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/9233 . Tous Sont Bienvenus ! - - - Groupe par Radio d'auditeur d'onde courte pour des Antennes de SWL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/ . Alle Sind Willkommen ! - - - Shortwave Radiozuhörer Gruppe für SWL Antennen http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/ . Tutti Sono Benvenuti ! - - - Gruppo Radiofonico dell'ascoltatore di onda corta per le Antenne di SWL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/ . Todos São Bem-vindos ! - - - Grupo de Rádio do ouvinte do Shortwave para Antenas de SWL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/ . Все *адушны ! - - - Группа оператора на приеме коротковолнового диапазона Radio для Aнтенн SWL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/ . ¡Todos Son Agradables! - - - Grupo de Radio del oyente de la onda corta para las Antenas de SWL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/ . = = = = Plain Old American-English Translation = = = = All are Welcome - - - To Join the Shortwave Listeners (SWL) Antenna Group on YAHOO ! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/ . | | | / \ ........!....... |
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