Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Ship without a sail
Since October last year I have been without my top end antenna, the RF
Systems DX1 Pro. After six years of superlative performance it gave up the ghost and had to be returned to mommy in Holland for repairs. It was returned in December, but after only nine days, failed again, and again it had to go back to Holland at great expense in shipping. So far it hasn't returned and I am using my standby antenna, the PAORDT mini-whip. Alas!, the PAORDT is not a great performer at all = very weak signal pickup and attracts all the neighbourhood suburban noise, so the upshot is that my Redsun RP2100 on it's internal antenna's nearly outperforms it, and certainly does as far as noise is concerned. I can't use my Datong as that has no pickup on LW and MW. Hence the "ship without a mast", as my lovely Icom is near useless without a decent antenna. It's just a lesson to all that a great receiver is worth nothing without a decent antenna. You should not bother buying a tabletop like the Icom R75 or anything upwards if you can't get a decent antenna system up and going. You are just wasting your money and going to frustrate yourself. If you can't get a good antenna then rather spend your money on a decent portable like an Eton E1 or a Sony 7600GR and forget about a top line tabletop. After the DX1 packed up again, I had entertained the thought of ditching it in favour of a Wellbrook ALA1530+plus, but several DX friends have them and warned me the performance was likely to be not as good as my DX1, which is superlative when it works = great signal pickup and extremely quiet. This performance is in my area's of interest: longwave beacons, mediumwave and tropical bands. So in the meantime I wait with foetid breath and my finger up my............... waiting for the DX1 to return. -- John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods Drake SW8 & ERGO software Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100 BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A. GE circa 50's radiogram Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro, Datong AD-270 Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof mini-whip http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Ship without a sail
I'm afraid I agree with your assessment of the PAORDT mini-whip. I
found it very disappointing. A suggestion: Take advantage of this downtime by doing a little sleuthing on the web and elsewhere about potential DX targets. This is always time well spent, and when you get your antenna back you'll be ready to go hunting! Steve |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Ship without a sail
Well Steve, my main interest is MW DXing and I am always up to date with the
possibilities there. But my home town of Montagu, whilst being a little bit of paradise, is not a good DX location at all, due to the high mountains that surround it cutting off the low angle distant DX. So for decent DX I go to the seaside twice a year with a couple of serious DX buddies. Mid April we will be going to our Jongensgat DX site. For more info on that see our past DXpeditions there at http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/ At Jongensgat I use my Kiwa MW Loop which is an amazing performer -- John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods Drake SW8 & ERGO software Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100 BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A. GE circa 50's radiogram Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro, Datong AD-270 Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof mini-whip http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx "Steve" wrote in message oups.com... I'm afraid I agree with your assessment of the PAORDT mini-whip. I found it very disappointing. A suggestion: Take advantage of this downtime by doing a little sleuthing on the web and elsewhere about potential DX targets. This is always time well spent, and when you get your antenna back you'll be ready to go hunting! Steve |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Ship without a sail
Steve schreef:
I'm afraid I agree with your assessment of the PAORDT mini-whip. I found it very disappointing. I'm happy with mine. Did you put it up high enough, and far enough away from the house and/or other sources of interference? This antenna has a few special ways it must be setup, if not followed well, it will greatly influence its performance. The creator Roelof uses this antenna exclusively for his LW beacon hunting, and he has an impressive list. -- JeroenK |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Ship without a sail
Green Acres is on tb now.
cuhulin |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Ship without a sail
"JeroenK" wrote in message ... Steve schreef: I'm afraid I agree with your assessment of the PAORDT mini-whip. I found it very disappointing. I'm happy with mine. Did you put it up high enough, and far enough away from the house and/or other sources of interference? This antenna has a few special ways it must be setup, if not followed well, it will greatly influence its performance. The creator Roelof uses this antenna exclusively for his LW beacon hunting, and he has an impressive list. -- JeroenK Raising it would not be affective I think where Johns QTH is, he needs the capabilities of the DX1. Aren't you surrounded by a band of hills John? -- Regards B.H. Brian's Radio Universe http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/500.htm Hill Amplification http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/7.htm Remove your HAT to reply directly |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Ship without a sail
John,
Too bad the PA0RDT antenna performs so poorly for you, as it might be a good backup antenna otherwise. I think you know of my experiences with the PAORDT on DXpeditions to RF-quiet, rural areas. When mounted up high (10-15 meters) this antenna performed surprisingly well. Guy Atkins Puyallup, WA USA "John Plimmer" wrote in message ... Since October last year I have been without my top end antenna, the RF Systems DX1 Pro. After six years of superlative performance it gave up the ghost and had to be returned to mommy in Holland for repairs. It was returned in December, but after only nine days, failed again, and again it had to go back to Holland at great expense in shipping. So far it hasn't returned and I am using my standby antenna, the PAORDT mini-whip. Alas!, the PAORDT is not a great performer at all = very weak signal pickup and attracts all the neighbourhood suburban noise, so the upshot is that my Redsun RP2100 on it's internal antenna's nearly outperforms it, and certainly does as far as noise is concerned. I can't use my Datong as that has no pickup on LW and MW. Hence the "ship without a mast", as my lovely Icom is near useless without a decent antenna. It's just a lesson to all that a great receiver is worth nothing without a decent antenna. You should not bother buying a tabletop like the Icom R75 or anything upwards if you can't get a decent antenna system up and going. You are just wasting your money and going to frustrate yourself. If you can't get a good antenna then rather spend your money on a decent portable like an Eton E1 or a Sony 7600GR and forget about a top line tabletop. After the DX1 packed up again, I had entertained the thought of ditching it in favour of a Wellbrook ALA1530+plus, but several DX friends have them and warned me the performance was likely to be not as good as my DX1, which is superlative when it works = great signal pickup and extremely quiet. This performance is in my area's of interest: longwave beacons, mediumwave and tropical bands. So in the meantime I wait with foetid breath and my finger up my............... waiting for the DX1 to return. -- John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods Drake SW8 & ERGO software Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100 BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A. GE circa 50's radiogram Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro, Datong AD-270 Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof mini-whip http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Ship without a sail
In article ,
John Plimmer wrote: Well Steve, my main interest is MW DXing and I am always up to date with the possibilities there. But my home town of Montagu, whilst being a little bit of paradise, is not a good DX location at all, due to the high mountains that surround it cutting off the low angle distant DX. What's reception like on top of the mountains? Mark Zenier Googleproofaddress(account:mzenier provider:eskimo domain:com) |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Ship without a sail
"Mark Zenier" wrote in message
... In article , John Plimmer wrote: Well Steve, my main interest is MW DXing and I am always up to date with the possibilities there. But my home town of Montagu, whilst being a little bit of paradise, is not a good DX location at all, due to the high mountains that surround it cutting off the low angle distant DX. What's reception like on top of the mountains? Mark Zenier Googleproofaddress(account:mzenier provider:eskimo domain:com) -- It's easier to drive down to the coast one and a half hours away - the DX there is fantastic. I'm going again with a couple of DX pals on April 14th to a DX site right on the beach near Stilbaai. The little town of Montagu is at an elevation of 770 ft, whilst the tops of the surrounding mountains are 4,600 feet. Getting to the top is only for serious experienced climbers, certainly not for an aged septuagenarian. I guess if some young climbers carted the radio gear to the top of the mountain it would give good reception, but not as good as the seaside. The seaside experiences a phenomena known as "sea gain" which gives an enormous boost to signals John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods Drake SW8 & ERGO software Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100 BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A. GE circa 50's radiogram Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro, Datong AD-270 Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof mini-whip http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Crystal Ship is on! | Shortwave | |||
Ship To UK? | Swap | |||
For sail.......Partial ownership in new L:PTV by speling eggsspurt! | Broadcasting | |||
For Sail | Shortwave | |||
Boat anchors fer sail? | Boatanchors |