On 12/20/2010 8:32 AM, wrote:
Have you tried a World famous,,, Tiny Tenna?
cuhulin


When traveling, and listening from a cruise ship, hotel room, beach,
etc., I sometimes use an active antenna.

At home, I never use one. Any amplified antenna also introduces a noise
figure in addition to atmospheric and manmade noise. Examining the spec
sheet on the devices used in the active antennas construction will tell
you the amount of noise you are introducing into the antenna system.

So, of course, at home, I use the best/highest/length possible.

It is relatively easy to find that an active antenna is NOT even in the
same league as a 120 FT antenna mounted 30 FT or more in the air.
Simple tune a weak station on the 120 FT antenna and then disconnect and
find that you can't even receive the same signal of the active antenna
(probably is there, but below the noise floor and unusable.) Again,
just a simple law of physics ... you can read any book on the subject
and find it plainly stated ... however, like everyone else, I first had
to find it out for myself, before I accepted it ... I'd just love to
toss 30 FT of wire out a second story window and get every station on
the other side of globe ... wouldn't we all?

Regards,
JS

On Dec 20, 12:22*pm, John Smith wrote:
On 12/20/2010 8:32 AM, wrote:

Have you tried a World famous,,, Tiny Tenna?
cuhulin

When traveling, and listening from a cruise ship, hotel room, beach,
etc., I sometimes use an active antenna.

At home, I never use one. *Any amplified antenna also introduces a noise
figure in addition to atmospheric and manmade noise. *Examining the spec
sheet on the devices used in the active antennas construction will tell
you the amount of noise you are introducing into the antenna system.

So, of course, at home, I use the best/highest/length possible.

It is relatively easy to find that an active antenna is NOT even in the
same league as a 120 FT antenna mounted 30 FT or more in the air.
Simple tune a weak station on the 120 FT antenna and then disconnect and
find that you can't even receive the same signal of the active antenna
(probably is there, but below the noise floor and unusable.) *Again,
just a simple law of physics ... you can read any book on the subject
and find it plainly stated ... however, like everyone else, I first had
to find it out for myself, before I accepted it ... I'd just love to
toss 30 FT of wire out a second story window and get every station on
the other side of globe ... wouldn't we all?

Regards,
JS

....if I threw a 30ft wire out my second floor window the result will
be a lousy ground connection...

On 12/20/2010 7:41 PM, wrote:

...
...if I threw a 30ft wire out my second floor window the result will
be a lousy ground connection...

LOL! Well, yeah!

Dude! You toss it OVER, or ONTO the roof! lol

Regards,
JS

http://www.devilfinder.com
Barb Wire Fence Antenna

You have an old Barb Wire Fence handy?

Lunar Eclipse tonight at about 12:36 AM.I reckon doggy and I might check
it out.
cuhulin

On 12/20/2010 8:18 PM, wrote:
http://www.devilfinder.com
Barb Wire Fence Antenna

You have an old Barb Wire Fence handy?

Lunar Eclipse tonight at about 12:36 AM.I reckon doggy and I might check
it out.
cuhulin


Old phone line? Old twin lead? Old coax? Old extension cord you can
strip the wiring out of? Does the local hard ware store sell cheap
aluminum or copper coated steel electric fence wire? Is there a local
demolition company, to you, where you can buy some old house wiring
which has been ripped out? Etc., etc.

You can make cheap insulators out of PVC pipe, just cut into a couple 6
inch sections, drill a hole though the ends and use as insulators for
you antenna ...

Yep, I am with you, cheap is good! :-)

Regards,
JS

That was an old unsafe to use anymore 100 feet long extension cord.The
insulation was cracked and peeling off in a bunch of places.

I have a book here about barb wire collecting.Some of that old antique
barb wire is worth a lot of money.
cuhulin

On 12/20/2010 10:36 PM, Bob Dobbs wrote:
John Smith wrote:

Yep, I am with you, cheap is good! :-)

A real cheapie here,
since COX communications insists on running a drop to my house
even though I don't subscribe to any of their services,
was to use a split bolt splicer to connect the shield braid to one side of a 4:1
balun and the other side to a ground rod (freebie six foot rebar).

And, noise pickup is acceptable? You have underground power?

The were supposed to drop the powerlines in my neighborhood underground,
then the economic collapse hit ... there is a transformer, somewhere
around here, which causes noise, especially when raining. Power company
came out and I pointed out the transformer to them. They said they
would have it fixed ... but then, that also was before the economic
collapse worsened/lengthened ... I am going to have the wife call 'em
and complain, again ... and, probably again ...

Regards,
JS

wrote:

JS

...if I threw a 30ft wire out my second floor window the result will
be a lousy ground connection...

You'd be amazed. On many antennas + and - are pretty arbitrarily
assigned. I can reverse my tuner and make my radials plus and my
vertical wire minus, and the antenna gets out almost as well. (None of
the antenna is at RF ground-the whole mess floats on the roof).

Cebek says all antennas are dipoles (excepting true long wires I presume).

Antennas are a great subject.

Bob Dobbs wrote:
John Smith wrote:

Yep, I am with you, cheap is good! :-)

A real cheapie here,
since COX communications insists on running a drop to my house
even though I don't subscribe to any of their services,
was to use a split bolt splicer to connect the shield braid to one side of a 4:1
balun and the other side to a ground rod (freebie six foot rebar).

They need connectivity for their surveillance equipment.