Folks,

I have purchased a Sangean ATS-909 World Receiver. It is equipped with
an internal ferrite antenna för MW and LW, and a telescope antenna for
SW and FM. It also comes with a portable SW antenna (ANT-60), seven
meters long. Is this external antenna generally sufficient for SW
reception, or should I get a different antenna? If yes, is there a
solution that doesn't cost all that much money? I have a copy of the
2009 World Radio TV Handbook, and they are talking about a Wellbrook
ALA-1530+ loop antenna, and let me tell you, that one is well past my
budget, because it costs $466... I am looking for something a lot
cheaper... :-) If it is recommended to replace the ANT-60, that is.

PJ

PJ,

I've discovered there is no best antenna for everyone for shortwave
listening. Ignore the trolls here, start off with your wire antenna,
then experiment if you wish. I've tried a few things over the past few
weeks and for me, just running a wire along the ground about 60 feet
works best for me. I guess the only certain thing is that an antenna
that runs outside will work better than an inside antenna. If you
can't run one outside, try to put it by a window or up high in your
house/apartment. Experimenting is part of the fun, just google around,
play around, and have hours of fun on your new radio. I only in the
last few weeks have rediscovered listening to SW radio.

Happy listening.

In article
,
SC Dxing wrote:

PJ,

I've discovered there is no best antenna for everyone for shortwave
listening. Ignore the trolls here, start off with your wire antenna,
then experiment if you wish. I've tried a few things over the past few
weeks and for me, just running a wire along the ground about 60 feet
works best for me. I guess the only certain thing is that an antenna
that runs outside will work better than an inside antenna. If you
can't run one outside, try to put it by a window or up high in your
house/apartment. Experimenting is part of the fun, just google around,
play around, and have hours of fun on your new radio. I only in the
last few weeks have rediscovered listening to SW radio.

Again I edited the news group header.

By all means experiment with antennas. You can learn a lot this way but
what you find that "works" for you is dependent on your local noise
environment.

The antenna jack has two contacts that work with the plug barrel and
tip. The barrel is the radio ground. You can use these two contacts with
a complete antenna like a dipole or loop antenna or you can connect a
single wire antenna to the tip and the barrel to a ground rod or wire on
the ground under the single wire. If your noise environment is fairly
low then this could work well. If not then you can try other antenna
types.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

On Dec 23, 8:06*pm, SC Dxing wrote:
PJ,

I've discovered there is no best antenna for everyone for shortwave
listening. Ignore the trolls here, start off with your wire antenna,
then experiment if you wish. I've tried a few things over the past few
weeks and for me, just running a wire along the ground about 60 feet
works best for me. I guess the only certain thing is that an antenna
that runs outside will work better than an inside antenna. If you
can't run one outside, try to put it by a window or up high in your
house/apartment. Experimenting is part of the fun, just google around,
play around, and have hours of fun on your new radio. I only in the
last few weeks have rediscovered listening to SW radio.

Happy listening.

SC,
Did you inductively couple the antenna to your whip? If you didn't you
will notice a marked improvement if you do it that way. Just in case
you don't know (I think I posted this already) grab you some wire (I
use 11 or 12 gauge) and tightly wrap five-seven turns around your whip
and cut the rest off. Pull about an inch of the plastic off and clip
onto that. At one time I was doing the "exact" thing you are except I
think my stretch of wire was 70ft. But I picking up a lot rf here and
there, pretty high noise floor on some bands. When I coupled it that
way the noise floor dropped to nothing.

On Dec 23, 9:46*am, PJ wrote:
Folks,

I have purchased a Sangean ATS-909 World Receiver. It is equipped with
an internal ferrite antenna för MW and LW, and a telescope antenna for
SW and FM. It also comes with a portable SW antenna (ANT-60), seven
meters long. Is this external antenna generally sufficient for SW
reception, or should I get a different antenna? If yes, is there a
solution that doesn't cost all that much money? I have a copy of the
2009 World Radio TV Handbook, and they are talking about a Wellbrook
ALA-1530+ loop antenna, and let me tell you, that one is well past my
budget, because it costs $466... I am looking for something a lot
cheaper... :-) If it is recommended to replace the ANT-60, that is.

PJ

PJ,

So your objective is to 'buy' a relatively low cost
Antenna for Shortwave Radio Listening (SWL)
to use with your Sangean ATS-909 World Receiver.

Check-Out the / Sangean ATS-909 Users Group
-aka- RadioShack DX-398 Users Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DX398/

Consider using a "Portable Wire Antenna" with your
Sangean ATS-909 AM/FM Shortwave Radio :
http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/portablewire.html
* WebPage presented by Tom Sevart, N2UHC
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...c73c4c94625fc7
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...89c8fd6fcb38f2

First "About" the Antenna Input of the Sangean
ATS-909 AM/FM Shortwave Radio :
The Sangean ATS-909 uses a 1/8" Stereo Jack
for the External Antenna Input.
Barrel = Circuit-Board-Ground (RF Signal Ground)
Tip = Shortwave Antenna RF Signal Input
Middle-Ring = AM/MW Antenna RF Signal Input

READY-MADE - Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna
that fits into the 45 Foot Long Range is the Par
Electronics EF-SWL Antenna. [~$75US]
It come with the Matching Transformer and 45 Feet
of Flex-Weave Wire Antenna Element; and all you
need to do is Install your Ground Rod; Rig the Wire
Antenna Element; and Attach your Coax Cable.
http://www.parelectronics.com/swl_end.htm
http://www.grove-ent.com/ANT8.html
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/2205.html

The Par EF-SWL is a moderate size Inverted "L"
Antenna with 'low noise' characteristics : The PAR
is the simplest Antenna for most of these 'portable'
AM/FM Shortwave Radios and lends itself to the
Inverted "L" Antenna configuration of about 45 Feet
long with a 15 Foot Vertical-Up-Leg and a 30 Foot
Horizontal-Out-Arm. With an Eight Ground Rod
at the base and a Coax Cable feed-in-line.

NOTE - Your biggest problem with using a Coax
Cable with your Shortwave Antenna is coming up
with an "Adapter" or Jumper Cable from the Coax
Connector to the Radio's 1/8" Stereo Jack.

Here is another 'low cost' SWL Antenna listed on eBay
"Super Longwire All Band SW. Antenna and 9:1 Balun"
http://cgi.ebay.com/_W0QQitemZ180315835723
* Has 80 Feet of Antenna Wire with a 9:1 Matching
Transformer; plus 50 Feet of Coax Cable.
* Rig as much of the 80 Feet of Antenna Wire in the
Inverted "L" Configuration
* Add an 8-foot Ground Rod
* Run the Coax Cable to you Radio

hope this helps - iane ~ RHF

On Dec 24, 3:36*am, RHF wrote:
On Dec 23, 9:46*am, PJ wrote:

Folks,

I have purchased a Sangean ATS-909 World Receiver. It is equipped with
an internal ferrite antenna för MW and LW, and a telescope antenna for
SW and FM. It also comes with a portable SW antenna (ANT-60), seven
meters long. Is this external antenna generally sufficient for SW
reception, or should I get a different antenna? If yes, is there a
solution that doesn't cost all that much money? I have a copy of the
2009 World Radio TV Handbook, and they are talking about a Wellbrook
ALA-1530+ loop antenna, and let me tell you, that one is well past my
budget, because it costs $466... I am looking for something a lot
cheaper... :-) If it is recommended to replace the ANT-60, that is.

PJ

PJ,

So your objective is to 'buy' a relatively low cost
Antenna for Shortwave Radio Listening (SWL)
to use with your Sangean ATS-909 World Receiver.

Check-Out the / Sangean ATS-909 Users Group
-aka- RadioShack DX-398 Users Grouphttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/DX398/

Consider using a "Portable Wire Antenna" with your
Sangean ATS-909 AM/FM Shortwave Radio :http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/portablewire.html
* WebPage presented by Tom Sevart, N2UHChttp://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/09c73c4c94625fc7http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/a789c8fd6fcb38f2

First "About" the Antenna Input of the Sangean
ATS-909 AM/FM Shortwave Radio :
The Sangean ATS-909 uses a 1/8" Stereo Jack
for the External Antenna Input.
Barrel = Circuit-Board-Ground (RF Signal Ground)
Tip = Shortwave Antenna RF Signal Input
Middle-Ring = AM/MW Antenna RF Signal Input

READY-MADE - Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna
that fits into the 45 Foot Long Range is the Par
Electronics EF-SWL Antenna. [~$75US]
It come with the Matching Transformer and 45 Feet
of Flex-Weave Wire Antenna Element; and all you
need to do is Install your Ground Rod; Rig the Wire
Antenna Element; and Attach your Coax Cable.http://www.parelectronics.com/swl_en..._ant/2205.html

The Par EF-SWL is a moderate size Inverted "L"
Antenna with 'low noise' characteristics : The PAR
is the simplest Antenna for most of these 'portable'
AM/FM Shortwave Radios and lends itself to the
Inverted "L" Antenna configuration of about 45 Feet
long with a 15 Foot Vertical-Up-Leg and a 30 Foot
Horizontal-Out-Arm. *With an Eight Ground Rod
at the base and a Coax Cable feed-in-line.

NOTE - Your biggest problem with using a Coax
Cable with your Shortwave Antenna is coming up
with an "Adapter" or Jumper Cable from the Coax
Connector to the Radio's 1/8" Stereo Jack.

Here is another 'low cost' SWL Antenna listed on eBay
"Super Longwire All Band SW. Antenna and 9:1 Balun"http://cgi.ebay.com/_W0QQitemZ180315835723
* Has 80 Feet of Antenna Wire with a 9:1 Matching
Transformer; plus 50 Feet of Coax Cable.
* Rig as much of the 80 Feet of Antenna Wire in the
Inverted "L" Configuration
* Add an 8-foot Ground Rod
* Run the Coax Cable to you Radio

hope this helps - iane ~ RHF
*.

SWL -Newbies- Installing an Inverted "L" Antenna : The Right-Way !
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...ca62e0c0e838ea
Wellbrook "Low Noise Antenna" 'design concept' using two
components they manufactu the Universal Magnetic Balun
(UMB) and the Antenna Feed Isolator (Feed-Line-Isolator).

ALA-1530+ loop antenna, and let me tell you, that one is well past my
budget, because it costs $466... I am looking for something a lot
cheaper... :-) If it is recommended to replace the ANT-60, that is.

This is my favorite:
http://www.antenna.it/military/log-periodic.htm

But seriously folks, the cheapest for me was busting open a junk TV for the
deflection coils. A qrp type ham antenna tuner will certainly help. Easy
to build L type by using an AM tuning cap and hind wound coil on toilet
paper roll. Use a piece of scrap brass for a slider. Put the whole thing
on a block of wood and use clip leads to change it around for the best
signal.

The earphone jack can often be used for a ground point.

On Dec 23, 9:46*am, PJ wrote:
Folks,

I have purchased a Sangean ATS-909 World Receiver. It is equipped with
an internal ferrite antenna för MW and LW, and a telescope antenna for
SW and FM. It also comes with a portable SW antenna (ANT-60), seven
meters long. Is this external antenna generally sufficient for SW
reception, or should I get a different antenna? If yes, is there a
solution that doesn't cost all that much money? I have a copy of the
2009 World Radio TV Handbook, and they are talking about a Wellbrook
ALA-1530+ loop antenna, and let me tell you, that one is well past my
budget, because it costs $466... I am looking for something a lot
cheaper... :-) If it is recommended to replace the ANT-60, that is.

PJ

http://www.wellbrook.uk.com/ALA100b.html
With a bit of hacking, the Wellbrook ALA 100 is as good as any of the
shortwave antennas they sell. It is just the amplifier. You have to
roll your own loop. The ALA100 is the lowest cost welbrook. At the
current exchange rate, the ala100 is a over $200.

I have made a few loops with this amp. I have a 2ftx2ft out of copper
pipe for direction finding. I have 4ft x 6ft copper pipe for regular
use. It's really stupid big and will eventually be reduced to the
original 4ftx4ft. I have a few portable designs that are around 40ft
worth of wire.

The wellbrook loops are just amazing. All that said, the ATS909
probably can't handle that much signal. It would make sense to use
one with a portable shortwave radio.

wrote:

http://www.wellbrook.uk.com/ALA100b.html
With a bit of hacking, the Wellbrook ALA 100 is as good as any of the
shortwave antennas they sell. It is just the amplifier. You have to
roll your own loop. The ALA100 is the lowest cost welbrook. At the
current exchange rate, the ala100 is a over $200.

I have made a few loops with this amp. I have a 2ftx2ft out of copper
pipe for direction finding. I have 4ft x 6ft copper pipe for regular
use. It's really stupid big and will eventually be reduced to the
original 4ftx4ft. I have a few portable designs that are around 40ft
worth of wire.

The wellbrook loops are just amazing. All that said, the ATS909
probably can't handle that much signal. It would make sense to use
one with a portable shortwave radio.

Has anyone ever successfully reverse engineered the pre-amp of a
Wellbrook loop? It might be possible to dissolve the encapsulating
material (epoxy?) to reveal the PCB and componants. Otherwise a medical
scanner (seriously) might reveal some useful information.

flashdrive wrote:

...
Has anyone ever successfully reverse engineered the pre-amp of a
Wellbrook loop? It might be possible to dissolve the encapsulating
material (epoxy?) to reveal the PCB and componants. Otherwise a medical
scanner (seriously) might reveal some useful information.

My question would be, "Why go to the trouble?"

Indeed, grab a DC - 1Ghz MMIC device (make sure you don't get an SMC
component, unless you like soldering under a microscope), stick a proper
filter for the freqs/bands in front of it, and feed its' input with a
well designed loop ... if you need EXTREME gain, you can cascade a
couple of MMICs.

Regards,
JS