On Feb 16, 4:50*pm, Mike wrote:
On Feb 16, 7:02 am, BCBlazysusan wrote:



I'm almost embarrased to ask this question but I want to hear what
some of you all have to say.

I know the importance of grounding, I'm a grounding freak (when it
comes to the antennas), be it here at my QTH or in the vehicle. But I
have never actually grounded any of my receivers itself. By that I
mean I have never actually grounded the radio before at my home.

I did over the weekend and I am curious - - does this make a
noticeable difference on the receiving end? I don't know if it's just
been a good listening environment over the weekend or did my grounding
of the radio make the difference.

I have noticed a 'very' low noise floor (almost to nothing) on both
the shortwave bands, especially 60 meters and also on the BCB bands.
Luckily I live out in the country away from a lot of the rf problems
people have in the city and I can't believe that I could get the noise
floor even lower than it usually is. Just good conditions this weekend
or did the grounding of the radios actually help in this?

I've tried some experiments with grounding. The only receivers I own
where it seems to make a difference are the Icom R75 and the Ten tec
RX320. It doesn't seem to make much of a difference with most portable
receivers.

Mike

MWB,

Take a Grounded Metal Plate {Aluminum Cookie Sheet} :
Place it under a 'portable' AM/FM Shortwave Radio that
is running on Batteries using only the Whip Antenna.
Sometimes the 'coupling' between the Radio and the
Ground will help to improve the reception of a
Free-Standing {In-Space} Un-Grounded Radio.

~ RHF

On Feb 16, 4:02*am, BCBlazysusan wrote:
I'm almost embarrased to ask this question but I want to hear what
some of you all have to say.

I know the importance of grounding, I'm a grounding freak (when it
comes to the antennas), be it here at my QTH or in the vehicle. But I
have never actually grounded any of my receivers itself. By that I
mean I have never actually grounded the radio before at my home.

I did over the weekend and I am curious - - does this make a
noticeable difference on the receiving end? I don't know if it's just
been a good listening environment over the weekend or did my grounding
of the radio make the difference.

I have noticed a 'very' low noise floor (almost to nothing) on both
the shortwave bands, especially 60 meters and also on the BCB bands.
Luckily I live out in the country away from a lot of the rf problems
people have in the city and I can't believe that I could get the noise
floor even lower than it usually is. Just good conditions this weekend
or did the grounding of the radios actually help in this?


BCB LZS,

What you are looking for is better Signal-to-Noise
[S/N] Ratio from your Antenna & Ground System :
1 - Good * Sometimes the Signal Level will Improve
and the Noise Level may go down a little.
2 - Not-So-Good * Often the Signal Level will improve
and the Noise Level will also go up.
3 - Better * Then Again Sometimes the Signal Level
will be reduced some what and the Noise Level
will go down a lot.
4 - No Change * Nothing Changed {Oh Well}

BCBlazysusan wrote:
Something I read on one of those links in reference to antenna height,
it says the optimal height in 25ft. That was the first height I put it
at. But I noticed a real difference at 40 ft...it was quieter. I then
upped it to 45 ft. with no difference and finally to the 55ft. All I
know is something made the noise floor go even lower. It may have been
the height and the ground or a combination of the two. Kind of hard
for me to believe that an antenna at 25 ft. would receive as well as
one at 55 ft. but who knows.


It really depends on the frequency you're trying to receive. In
general, an antenna height of 1/2 wavelength above ground is something
to aim for. At 14 MHz that's about 33 feet; at 7 MHz it's about 66
feet.

At vhf/uhf, height is everything due to the line-of-sight nature of
those signals. At hf, not so much so (although it never hurts).

Art Harris N2AH

In article
,
Art Harris wrote:

BCBlazysusan wrote:
Something I read on one of those links in reference to antenna height,
it says the optimal height in 25ft. That was the first height I put it
at. But I noticed a real difference at 40 ft...it was quieter. I then
upped it to 45 ft. with no difference and finally to the 55ft. All I
know is something made the noise floor go even lower. It may have been
the height and the ground or a combination of the two. Kind of hard
for me to believe that an antenna at 25 ft. would receive as well as
one at 55 ft. but who knows.


It really depends on the frequency you're trying to receive. In
general, an antenna height of 1/2 wavelength above ground is something
to aim for. At 14 MHz that's about 33 feet; at 7 MHz it's about 66
feet.

At vhf/uhf, height is everything due to the line-of-sight nature of
those signals. At hf, not so much so (although it never hurts).

Because the OP is using a single wire antenna the signal to local noise
will improve with the single wire height at any frequency since the
distant signal volts per meter differential increases between the wire
and counter poise at the ground level with height.

The counter poise is grounded so local common mode noise has a place to
go other than the receiver input and with increasing height the single
wire is farther from local noise fields, which curve back to the earth.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

In article
,
BCBlazysusan wrote:

On Feb 18, 1:35*am, RHF wrote:
On Feb 16, 4:02*am, BCBlazysusan wrote:





I'm almost embarrased to ask this question but I want to hear what
some of you all have to say.

I know the importance of grounding, I'm a grounding freak (when it
comes to the antennas), be it here at my QTH or in the vehicle. But I
have never actually grounded any of my receivers itself. By that I
mean I have never actually grounded the radio before at my home.

I did over the weekend and I am curious - - does this make a
noticeable difference on the receiving end? I don't know if it's just
been a good listening environment over the weekend or did my grounding
of the radio make the difference.

I have noticed a 'very' low noise floor (almost to nothing) on both
the shortwave bands, especially 60 meters and also on the BCB bands.
Luckily I live out in the country away from a lot of the rf problems
people have in the city and I can't believe that I could get the noise
floor even lower than it usually is. Just good conditions this weekend
or did the grounding of the radios actually help in this?

BCB LZS,

What you are looking for is better Signal-to-Noise
[S/N] Ratio from your Antenna & Ground System :
1 - Good * Sometimes the Signal Level will Improve
and the Noise Level may go down a little.
2 - Not-So-Good * Often the Signal Level will improve
and the Noise Level will also go up.
3 - Better * Then Again Sometimes the Signal Level
will be reduced some what and the Noise Level
will go down a lot.
4 - No Change * Nothing Changed {Oh Well}
*.
If between your Antennas and your Radio Shack you
are running Coax Cable and your Coax is Grounded :
Then 'effectively' the Radios connected to your
Antennas via the Coax are already Grounded TOO.
*.
The First Reason for a Radio Shack Ground and
Having Your Radios and Equipment Grounded IS
Electrical "Safety".
*.
Someone will most likely suggest that you use
a Ground Window or Single-Point-Ground for
your Radio Shack's Radios and
Equipmenthttp://www.comm-omni.com/edcoweb/grndw.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w
iki/Ground_(electricity)http://www.ese.upenn.edu/rca/instruments/misctutoria
ls/Ground/grd.html
*.
Other will recommend that you "Bond" All
Your Grounds per the
NEC.http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarch...ounding-Part-1...
*.
-imho- An 8-Foot Ground Rod in the Earth as
close to your Radio Shack as possible and
"Bonded" to your House's Electrical System
is a good beginning for having a 'Safe' Radio
Shack. ~ RHF
*.
Alpha Delta DX-SWL Shortwave Sloper
Antennahttp://www.alphadeltacom.com/pg7.htmlhttp://www.universal-radio.com/C
ATALOG/sw_ant/0799.htmlhttp://www.alphadeltacom.com/dxswlii.htmhttp://www.al
phadeltacom.com/dxswl_ii.htmhttp://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/sw_ant/07
99om.html
-iirc- the DX-SWL Shortwave Sloper Antenna
does not use a Matching
Transformer.http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r.../msg/ea0bc3252
8e305echttp://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/42fe06bca65bed
3c

Shortwave Antenna Safety
Tipshttp://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/sw_ant/safeswl.html
*.
hope this antenna & grounding info helps
- - - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}
Twain Harte, CA -USA-
*.
Are You Interested in building a better Shortwave Listening
(SWL) Antenna ? {SWL Group} =http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
GoTo =http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
*.
RHF's Standard "Shortwave Radio Listener (SWL) Antennas Group"
Reference Message Signature-Line
=http://tinyurl.com/25zbrghttp://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave
/msg/411dac3b4a1798e0
*.
* Remember 55.5% of Shortwave Radio Listening (SWL)
is the Shortwave Antenna =http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
*.
RHF's Radio Shack in Twain Harte, California -USA-
SHACK INFO =http://tinyurl.com/2skmxm
Shortwave Radio / Receiver and SWL Antenna Info
*.
Shortwave Listener QSL Reports Newsgroup : SWL :
INFOhttp://groups.google.com/group/shortwave-listener-qsl-reports/
*.
-= 6GZ4GB + 32UCPM + OGVCF + 25ZBRG + 2SKMXM =-
*.
*.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks for the links. I was just grounding them.....because. ;-) You
know what I mean? I wasn't doing it to try an improve anything. I have
everything outside grounded as well as one can do IMO. I was just
surprised that I could tell a difference, like I said, I actually
thought the antenna wasn't connected. That is a pretty low noise floor
IMO. ;-)

RHF posts are as retarded as ever.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

On Feb 18, 1:09*am, BCBlazysusan wrote:
On Feb 18, 1:35*am, RHF wrote:



On Feb 16, 4:02*am, BCBlazysusan wrote:

I'm almost embarrased to ask this question but I want to hear what
some of you all have to say.

I know the importance of grounding, I'm a grounding freak (when it
comes to the antennas), be it here at my QTH or in the vehicle. But I
have never actually grounded any of my receivers itself. By that I
mean I have never actually grounded the radio before at my home.

I did over the weekend and I am curious - - does this make a
noticeable difference on the receiving end? I don't know if it's just
been a good listening environment over the weekend or did my grounding
of the radio make the difference.

I have noticed a 'very' low noise floor (almost to nothing) on both
the shortwave bands, especially 60 meters and also on the BCB bands.
Luckily I live out in the country away from a lot of the rf problems
people have in the city and I can't believe that I could get the noise
floor even lower than it usually is. Just good conditions this weekend
or did the grounding of the radios actually help in this?

BCB LZS,

What you are looking for is better Signal-to-Noise
[S/N] Ratio from your Antenna & Ground System :
1 - Good * Sometimes the Signal Level will Improve
and the Noise Level may go down a little.
2 - Not-So-Good * Often the Signal Level will improve
and the Noise Level will also go up.
3 - Better * Then Again Sometimes the Signal Level
will be reduced some what and the Noise Level
will go down a lot.
4 - No Change * Nothing Changed {Oh Well}
*.
If between your Antennas and your Radio Shack you
are running Coax Cable and your Coax is Grounded :
Then 'effectively' the Radios connected to your
Antennas via the Coax are already Grounded TOO.
*.
The First Reason for a Radio Shack Ground and
Having Your Radios and Equipment Grounded IS
Electrical "Safety".
*.
Someone will most likely suggest that you use
a Ground Window or Single-Point-Ground for
your Radio Shack's Radios and Equipmenthttp://www.comm-omni.com/edcoweb/grndw.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wik...
*.
Other will recommend that you "Bond" All
Your Grounds per the NEC.http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarch...ounding-Part-1...
*.
-imho- An 8-Foot Ground Rod in the Earth as
close to your Radio Shack as possible and
"Bonded" to your House's Electrical System
is a good beginning for having a 'Safe' Radio
Shack. ~ RHF
*.
Alpha Delta DX-SWL Shortwave Sloper Antennahttp://www.alphadeltacom.com/pg7.htmlhttp://www.universal-radio.com/C...
-iirc- the DX-SWL Shortwave Sloper Antenna
does not use a Matching Transformer.http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...ea0bc32528e305...

Shortwave Antenna Safety Tipshttp://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/sw_ant/safeswl.html
*.
hope this antenna & grounding info helps
- - - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}
Twain Harte, CA -USA-
*.
Are You Interested in building a better Shortwave Listening
(SWL) Antenna ? {SWL Group} =http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
GoTo =http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
*.
RHF's Standard "Shortwave Radio Listener (SWL) Antennas Group"
Reference Message Signature-Line =http://tinyurl.com/25zbrghttp://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.sho...
*.
* Remember 55.5% of Shortwave Radio Listening (SWL)
is the Shortwave Antenna =http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
*.
RHF's Radio Shack in Twain Harte, California -USA-
SHACK INFO =http://tinyurl.com/2skmxm
Shortwave Radio / Receiver and SWL Antenna Info
*.
Shortwave Listener QSL Reports Newsgroup : SWL : INFOhttp://groups.google.com/group/shortwave-listener-qsl-reports/
*.
-= 6GZ4GB + 32UCPM + OGVCF + 25ZBRG + 2SKMXM =-
*.
*.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Something I read on one of those links in reference to antenna height,
it says the optimal height in 25ft. That was the first height I put it
at. But I noticed a real difference at 40 ft...it was quieter. I then
upped it to 45 ft. with no difference and finally to the 55ft. All I
know is something made the noise floor go even lower. It may have been
the height and the ground or a combination of the two. Kind of hard
for me to believe that an antenna at 25 ft. would receive as well as
one at 55 ft. but who knows.

WRT - DX-SWL Shortwave Sloper Antenna
? Is Your Antenna 'Sloping' ?
http://www.alphadeltacom.com/pg7.html
Top Starting Peak Height in Feet ___
and Bottom End Height in Feet ___

On Feb 18, 12:41*am, BCBlazysusan wrote:
On Feb 18, 1:35*am, RHF wrote:



On Feb 16, 4:02*am, BCBlazysusan wrote:

I'm almost embarrased to ask this question but I want to hear what
some of you all have to say.

I know the importance of grounding, I'm a grounding freak (when it
comes to the antennas), be it here at my QTH or in the vehicle. But I
have never actually grounded any of my receivers itself. By that I
mean I have never actually grounded the radio before at my home.

I did over the weekend and I am curious - - does this make a
noticeable difference on the receiving end? I don't know if it's just
been a good listening environment over the weekend or did my grounding
of the radio make the difference.

I have noticed a 'very' low noise floor (almost to nothing) on both
the shortwave bands, especially 60 meters and also on the BCB bands.
Luckily I live out in the country away from a lot of the rf problems
people have in the city and I can't believe that I could get the noise
floor even lower than it usually is. Just good conditions this weekend
or did the grounding of the radios actually help in this?

BCB LZS,

What you are looking for is better Signal-to-Noise
[S/N] Ratio from your Antenna & Ground System :
1 - Good * Sometimes the Signal Level will Improve
and the Noise Level may go down a little.
2 - Not-So-Good * Often the Signal Level will improve
and the Noise Level will also go up.
3 - Better * Then Again Sometimes the Signal Level
will be reduced some what and the Noise Level
will go down a lot.
4 - No Change * Nothing Changed {Oh Well}
*.
If between your Antennas and your Radio Shack you
are running Coax Cable and your Coax is Grounded :
Then 'effectively' the Radios connected to your
Antennas via the Coax are already Grounded TOO.
*.
The First Reason for a Radio Shack Ground and
Having Your Radios and Equipment Grounded IS
Electrical "Safety".
*.
Someone will most likely suggest that you use
a Ground Window or Single-Point-Ground for
your Radio Shack's Radios and Equipmenthttp://www.comm-omni.com/edcoweb/grndw.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wik...
*.
Other will recommend that you "Bond" All
Your Grounds per the NEC.http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarch...ounding-Part-1...
*.
-imho- An 8-Foot Ground Rod in the Earth as
close to your Radio Shack as possible and
"Bonded" to your House's Electrical System
is a good beginning for having a 'Safe' Radio
Shack. ~ RHF
*.
Alpha Delta DX-SWL Shortwave Sloper Antennahttp://www.alphadeltacom.com/pg7.htmlhttp://www.universal-radio.com/C...
-iirc- the DX-SWL Shortwave Sloper Antenna
does not use a Matching Transformer.http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...ea0bc32528e305...

Shortwave Antenna Safety Tipshttp://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/sw_ant/safeswl.html
*.
hope this antenna & grounding info helps
- - - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}
Twain Harte, CA -USA-
*.
Are You Interested in building a better Shortwave Listening
(SWL) Antenna ? {SWL Group} =http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
GoTo =http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
*.
RHF's Standard "Shortwave Radio Listener (SWL) Antennas Group"
Reference Message Signature-Line =http://tinyurl.com/25zbrghttp://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.sho...
*.
* Remember 55.5% of Shortwave Radio Listening (SWL)
is the Shortwave Antenna =http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
*.
RHF's Radio Shack in Twain Harte, California -USA-
SHACK INFO =http://tinyurl.com/2skmxm
Shortwave Radio / Receiver and SWL Antenna Info
*.
Shortwave Listener QSL Reports Newsgroup : SWL : INFOhttp://groups.google.com/group/shortwave-listener-qsl-reports/
*.
-= 6GZ4GB + 32UCPM + OGVCF + 25ZBRG + 2SKMXM =-
*.
*.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks for the links. I was just grounding them.....because. ;-) You
know what I mean? I wasn't doing it to try an improve anything. I have
everything outside grounded as well as one can do IMO. I was just
surprised that I could tell a difference, like I said, I actually
thought the antenna wasn't connected. That is a pretty low noise floor
IMO. ;-)

SWLs : ARE YOUR ANTENNA and GROUND . . .
REALLY WORKING TOGETHER ? ? ?

On Feb 19, 9:50*pm, Bushcraftgregg wrote:
On Feb 19, 7:54*am, Art Harris wrote:



BCBlazysusan wrote:
It really depends on the frequency you're trying to receive. In
general, an antenna height of 1/2 wavelength above ground is something
to aim for. At 14 MHz that's about 33 feet; at 7 MHz it's about 66
feet.

Then that may be the difference, the height. I very rarely, like maybe
not at all, venture even over 9MHz. The main band on shortwave I
listen to is the 60 and 40 meter band, so if I went another 10ft it
should be better, correct?

How high is it now? You mentioned various heights from 25 feet to 55
feet. Raising it from 25 feet to 35 feet might make a noticeable
difference. Going from 55 to 65 feet might not be worth the trouble
(except to get your ant further from man-made noise sources).

Art N2AH

- The sloper is now at 55ft.
- I thought that one post said that if it was at 65ft.
- that would be optimal for 7 MHz.
- All I basically monitor is from the 60 meter band
- to 7MHz. Not that I don't at times go outside those.
- I have another long length of wire for the lower bands
- if I want.

BCB LzS / BCG,

OK the 'peak' of the Alpha Delta DX-SWL
Shortwave Sloper Antenna is at 55-Feet.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...b87d294a8e9970

Question - What is the FAR-END [Bottom]
Height in Feet :

[ ] Basically "Flat" at 55-Feet too ?

[ ] Slightly Sloping at 40~45-Feet ?

[ ] Sloping at 33~38-Feet ?

[ ] Real Sloping at 25~30-Feet ? {Roughly 45*}

[ ] Getting Nearly Vertical at 15-Feet or less ?

NOTE that the Sloper {Sloping} Leg is only 60 Feet Long.