On Dec 12, 12:45*pm, (Mark Zenier) wrote:
In article ,
SC Dxing wrote:

After a week of owning the Grundig G6, so far the best antenna
arrangement for me is simply running a speaker wire along the ground
about 70 feet in my backyard. The Slinky antenna didn't work out well,
running a wire on the top of my house gave me more inference (plus
overloading), and the whip antenna isn't good on weaker signals. I've
heard that a CB antenna does well on the higher freqs on SW (15mhz and
above), if I can get one cheap, I'll try to hook that up on my roof.

My question is, what do you use for an antenna to listen to shortwave?

It depends on what sort of antenna the radio is designed for.

My Grundig FR-200 (the $40-$50 crank powered) shortwave is designed for
high impedance with the short whip. *You can tell if the signal gets
weaker if you touch the antenna. *No external antenna input.

You can really boost performance (when running on batteries) with a
couple of 10-15 feet lengths of wire with alligator clips. *Clip one
onto the antenna, and clip the other onto the radio's circuit ground.
That's the negative side of the battery string, or the outside of the
headphone jack, or the negative side of the dc-power jack. *Run them in
a straight line with the radio in the middle, broadside to the direction
to the station. *(Not for the AM band, that uses the internal loopstick,
for most portables).

Buzzword: counterpoise. *

Using headphones may have a similar effect, as the headphone cable and
your bod take the place of the wire. *Likewise, running on the AC adapter,
but that may add more noise.

Mark Zenier *
Googleproofaddress(account:mzenier provider:eskimo domain:com)

Two Simple 'portable' AM/FM Shortwave Radio Reception Tricks

Aluminum Foil Counterpoise :
Note - First Fully Extend the Radio's Whip Antenna
Yeah sometimes taking a piece of Aluminum Foil
12" by 18"~24" and simply placing the Foil under
the Radio will improve the 'reception'
-tip- Some people will use a Metal Cookie Sheet
instead of the Aluminum Foil

"Grounding" The Radio :
Note - First Fully Extend the Radio's Whip Antenna
Sometimes connecting a Ground Wire to the Radio
will reduce the noise pick-up and improve the signal.
Try touching a Ground Wire to the Outer Ring of the
Headphone Jack and any Body Screws.

Try Both In-Combination
Note - First Fully Extend the Radio's Whip Antenna
Place the Aluminum Foil under the Radio
Attach a Ground Wire to the Foil

Remember that these Tricks usually work best with
the Radio running on Batteries Only; and with the
Radio's Whip Antenna fully extended.

what works works - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}