Shortwave spark rekindled
 

For the past year. Since I bought my Drake R8-B I had to listen to it
from my residence which is a townhouse condo. We aren't allowed outdoor
antennas so I have to run a thermostat wire along the ceiling in my
room.This is ok if you want to listen to the BBC or other powerful
broadcasters, but you have a hard time listening to the hams or air traffic
crossing the Atlantic. Yesterday I went to my dad's cottage and brought the
radio. I set up a good longwire antenna outdoors and hooked it up to the
radio. OMG I was in SWL heaven. I had forgotten how shortwave should sound.
I listened all day. I can't wait to buy my house and get set up properly. Oh
well, It's the price you pay for renting I guess. At least I got to find out
that the radio works perfectly before the warranty ran out.

Just thought I would share this with you

Pierre

Slip a little loaded antenna out the window, take it in and
out as you use it.

Burr

Peter wrote:

For the past year. Since I bought my Drake R8-B I had to listen to it
from my residence which is a townhouse condo. We aren't allowed outdoor
antennas so I have to run a thermostat wire along the ceiling in my
room.This is ok if you want to listen to the BBC or other powerful
broadcasters, but you have a hard time listening to the hams or air traffic
crossing the Atlantic. Yesterday I went to my dad's cottage and brought the
radio. I set up a good longwire antenna outdoors and hooked it up to the
radio. OMG I was in SWL heaven. I had forgotten how shortwave should sound.
I listened all day. I can't wait to buy my house and get set up properly. Oh
well, It's the price you pay for renting I guess. At least I got to find out
that the radio works perfectly before the warranty ran out.

Just thought I would share this with you

Pierre

I may try that actually :)

"Burr" wrote in message
...
Slip a little loaded antenna out the window, take it in and
out as you use it.

Burr

Peter wrote:

For the past year. Since I bought my Drake R8-B I had to listen to
it
from my residence which is a townhouse condo. We aren't allowed outdoor
antennas so I have to run a thermostat wire along the ceiling in my
room.This is ok if you want to listen to the BBC or other powerful
broadcasters, but you have a hard time listening to the hams or air
traffic
crossing the Atlantic. Yesterday I went to my dad's cottage and brought
the
radio. I set up a good longwire antenna outdoors and hooked it up to the
radio. OMG I was in SWL heaven. I had forgotten how shortwave should
sound.
I listened all day. I can't wait to buy my house and get set up
properly. Oh
well, It's the price you pay for renting I guess. At least I got to find
out
that the radio works perfectly before the warranty ran out.

Just thought I would share this with you

Pierre

In article
le.rogers.com,
"Peter" wrote:

For the past year. Since I bought my Drake R8-B I had to listen to it
from my residence which is a townhouse condo. We aren't allowed outdoor
antennas so I have to run a thermostat wire along the ceiling in my
room.This is ok if you want to listen to the BBC or other powerful
broadcasters, but you have a hard time listening to the hams or air traffic
crossing the Atlantic. Yesterday I went to my dad's cottage and brought the
radio. I set up a good longwire antenna outdoors and hooked it up to the
radio. OMG I was in SWL heaven. I had forgotten how shortwave should sound.
I listened all day. I can't wait to buy my house and get set up properly. Oh
well, It's the price you pay for renting I guess. At least I got to find out
that the radio works perfectly before the warranty ran out.

Just thought I would share this with you

When you find a property you want to buy take along a SW portable to
survey for noise and watch out for deed antenna restrictions or you will
have to answer to the Midwest Kid.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

If you have attic access in your condo, put up as much wire as you can, as
high as you can, and feed it to your R8.

You'll be surprised at how well a bigger pile of wire does for signal
reception.

73


"Peter" wrote in message
.cable.rogers.com...
For the past year. Since I bought my Drake R8-B I had to listen to it
from my residence which is a townhouse condo. We aren't allowed outdoor
antennas so I have to run a thermostat wire along the ceiling in my
room.This is ok if you want to listen to the BBC or other powerful
broadcasters, but you have a hard time listening to the hams or air
traffic
crossing the Atlantic. Yesterday I went to my dad's cottage and brought
the
radio. I set up a good longwire antenna outdoors and hooked it up to the
radio. OMG I was in SWL heaven. I had forgotten how shortwave should
sound.
I listened all day. I can't wait to buy my house and get set up properly.
Oh
well, It's the price you pay for renting I guess. At least I got to find
out
that the radio works perfectly before the warranty ran out.

Just thought I would share this with you

Pierre

In article , Burr
writes:


Slip a little loaded antenna out the window, take it in and
out as you use it.

Burr

- Or you can try the following:
MATERIALS

Some Stranded, Insulated copper wire from Radio shack
Colors so it matches the bricks / outside of your building

Some stick-on Cord holders
One tube clear Silicone sealer glue
One black magic marker
One Rusty red magic marker
A roll of Duct tape color of outside of apt.

One Mop
One piece of twine or string.

PROCEDU

See how far it is in between two windows of your Apt..

Measure out a piece of string this distance + ~ 6 - 8 feet.
Attach a small soft edged weight to it.

( Look Outside to see no one is looking !! )

Secure curious household pets

Open Both Windows.
Insert mop part way out one]
Close that window to secure mop handle

Run over to the other window QUICK!
Take the twine with the weight on it & (without risking life & limb)
Toss the string over the mop.
Secure the end of that end of the string with a bit of slack
Close that window
Run over to the other window with the mop that has the twine handing down off
it

Pull the mop in
Close the window.
NOW
Attach stranded wire to the end of the string.
Slightly open window
Run over to other window.
Open it & pull in string until wire / string connection is through..

Pull in enough so that wire will reach SWR
Attach wire to SWR.
Close window.

- That's basically it. Modify as needed.

You can take Square stick -on cord holders
Camouflage them with magic Markers, &
Silicone glue them to the outside corners of the window,

Then loop more wire

( DONT FALL OUT WHEN DOING THIS !!)

around the cord holders. This makes the antenna longer.
repeat for other windows..This should help lots..

( Works for me !!)



Peter wrote:

For the past year. Since I bought my Drake R8-B I had to listen to it
from my residence which is a townhouse condo. We aren't allowed outdoor
antennas so I have to run a thermostat wire along the ceiling in my
room.This is ok if you want to listen to the BBC or other powerful
broadcasters, but you have a hard time listening to the hams or air traffic
crossing the Atlantic. Yesterday I went to my dad's cottage and brought the
radio. I set up a good longwire antenna outdoors and hooked it up to the
radio. OMG I was in SWL heaven. I had forgotten how shortwave should sound.
I listened all day. I can't wait to buy my house and get set up properly.
Oh
well, It's the price you pay for renting I guess. At least I got to find
out
that the radio works perfectly before the warranty ran out.

Just thought I would share this with you

Pierre

Peter;

When looking for a house go to the building Dept. in town/city to inquire if
they
have any building codes restricting antennas and check your deed, in some
housing sub divisions or developments, deed covenants much like those at
a condo association may restrict out side structures like an antenna and or
tower.
Keep away from aluminum siding. You can still put a great SW long wire at the
peak of the home's roof INSIDE if its a wood frame house. Also do not locate
any where near High Voltage transmission lines! You know ho they wipe out
reception as driving under them!
Use magnet wire to string a almost invisible antenna!
Jim



Peter wrote:

For the past year. Since I bought my Drake R8-B I had to listen to it
from my residence which is a townhouse condo. We aren't allowed outdoor
antennas so I have to run a thermostat wire along the ceiling in my
room.This is ok if you want to listen to the BBC or other powerful
broadcasters, but you have a hard time listening to the hams or air traffic
crossing the Atlantic. Yesterday I went to my dad's cottage and brought the
radio. I set up a good longwire antenna outdoors and hooked it up to the
radio. OMG I was in SWL heaven. I had forgotten how shortwave should sound.
I listened all day. I can't wait to buy my house and get set up properly. Oh
well, It's the price you pay for renting I guess. At least I got to find out
that the radio works perfectly before the warranty ran out.

Just thought I would share this with you

Pierre

Jim Mac Donald wrote:

Keep away from aluminum siding.


What about aluminum downspouts? Will installing a longwire antenna near
a downspout cause any reception problems? I'm going to be installing a
longwire antenna, and I need to determine where to mount it.
Unfortunately, There's a downspout on each back corner of my house. I
may just attach it near the chimney, which is in the middle of the back
wall.

Thanks,

Glenn Ward
Cincinnati, Ohio

Question for original poster, or whomever: What freq. is air traffic
crossing the Atlantic, and/or Pacific. You can monitor this on
Shortwave??

Vic Martinez wrote:

Question for original poster, or whomever: What freq. is air traffic
crossing the Atlantic, and/or Pacific. You can monitor this on
Shortwave??


Well, I'm not the original poster, but I can frequently get ATC from
Gander, Newfoundland easily on 5616 (main) and 4675. They may use other
frequencies, too.

Tony


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