So, yep, I received a new shortwave radio over christmas. Always wanted
one, but had no clue as to what you could hear on them other than signals
from far off places. I've always been fascinated with searching the
airwaves though, and, so far have found this little gadget to be very
interesting.

I've been quite surprised at the type of content that I've heard. I think
I've been saved ...... twelve times.

Anyway, while searching I've run across a lot of weird noises. Lots of
warbles, and oscillating ticks and hums. Some of them are confined to a
specific frequency, but some bleed across several. Defiantly not a random
event. I know what code sounds like, but a lot of these aren't code. They
seem to occur around the naval maritime bands. I know that the navy has
huge land based antenna that I've heard they use in a network to transmit
the time so ocean going vessels to tell their longitude, but it seems like
they could just tune into "the tick". Anyway, I'm just interested in what
these could be, not exactly what they are. Could they be 'jamming',
machine's talking to machine's (like a modem) or other?

Also, my radio is a Grundig YB400PE. Is there something that I could rig
up with speaker wire or something that would give better reception than the
whip that came with it? I've read that outdoors is always better, but I
really don't have that option. I've also read that you have to be careful
not to overload the little radios by hooking a huge antenna up to them. If
I strung a few loops around a room, would that be too much. Would looping
it around a room 3 times give me an antenna of length 3 times the rooms
perimeter, or would it be equivalent to just one time the rooms perimeter
with a lot of wasted wire? How should the antenna be terminated? Just
leave the end up on the wall, or run it back to the radio? And lastly,
would something as I've described really make a difference in reception, or
should I just stick to the factory whip?

Thanks




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Lots of digital transmissions on the air -- for a sample of how they
sound -- see URL:
http://www.wunclub.com/sounds/

Also see (and hear) at URL:
http://rover.wiesbaden.netsurf.de/~s.../DIG_intro.htm

--
73 From The Wilderness Keyboard
------------------------------------------------
"JSmith" wrote in message
...
Anyway, while searching I've run across a lot of weird noises. Lots of
warbles, and oscillating ticks and hums. Some of them are confined to a
specific frequency, but some bleed across several. Defiantly not a random
event. I know what code sounds like, but a lot of these aren't code.
They
seem to occur around the naval maritime bands. I know that the navy has
huge land based antenna that I've heard they use in a network to transmit
the time so ocean going vessels to tell their longitude, but it seems like
they could just tune into "the tick". Anyway, I'm just interested in what
these could be, not exactly what they are. Could they be 'jamming',
machine's talking to machine's (like a modem) or other?
News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

In article , "JSmith"
writes:

Also, my radio is a Grundig YB400PE. Is there something that I could rig
up with speaker wire or something that would give better reception than the
whip that came with it? I've read that outdoors is always better, but I
really don't have that option. I've also read that you have to be careful
not to overload the little radios by hooking a huge antenna up to them.

Overload is , IMHO, a much overstated problem. So the sdame frequency pops up
at two different places on the dial; So what !!

& If you hear some murmering in the background, doesn't that sort of Add to the
experience ?

LOTS of antenna will help you pick up fainter signals; start with 30 feet & go
on from there..
Cheap hobby !

JS,

Here is somethings to Read on the basic Random Wire Antenna
that can be used with the Grundig Yacht Boy 400 PE Radio.

* The Classic simple "Random" Wire Antenna
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWL-AM...na/message/465

* IMPROVING on the Classic simple "Random" Wire Antenna
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWL-AM...na/message/466

* 9:1 Matching Transformer for the Improved
Classic simple "Random" Wire Antenna
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWL-AM...na/message/467

* The UN-Ground when your Receiver is NOT Ground Zero !
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWL-AM...na/message/471


PLUS; Since you have a Grundig Yacht Boy 400 PE Radio. You may
be interested in the "Grundig Yacht Boy Radios" eGroup at YAHOO !

GoTo= http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Grundig-Yacht-Boy-Radios/

YES - The TOPIC is your Grundig Yacht Boy "YB" Radio !


wmcis ~ RHF
..
..
= = = "JSmith"
= = = wrote in message ...
So, yep, I received a new shortwave radio over christmas. Always wanted
one, but had no clue as to what you could hear on them other than signals
from far off places. I've always been fascinated with searching the
airwaves though, and, so far have found this little gadget to be very
interesting.

I've been quite surprised at the type of content that I've heard. I think
I've been saved ...... twelve times.

Anyway, while searching I've run across a lot of weird noises. Lots of
warbles, and oscillating ticks and hums. Some of them are confined to a
specific frequency, but some bleed across several. Defiantly not a random
event. I know what code sounds like, but a lot of these aren't code. They
seem to occur around the naval maritime bands. I know that the navy has
huge land based antenna that I've heard they use in a network to transmit
the time so ocean going vessels to tell their longitude, but it seems like
they could just tune into "the tick". Anyway, I'm just interested in what
these could be, not exactly what they are. Could they be 'jamming',
machine's talking to machine's (like a modem) or other?

Also, my radio is a Grundig YB400PE. Is there something that I could rig
up with speaker wire or something that would give better reception than the
whip that came with it? I've read that outdoors is always better, but I
really don't have that option. I've also read that you have to be careful
not to overload the little radios by hooking a huge antenna up to them. If
I strung a few loops around a room, would that be too much. Would looping
it around a room 3 times give me an antenna of length 3 times the rooms
perimeter, or would it be equivalent to just one time the rooms perimeter
with a lot of wasted wire? How should the antenna be terminated? Just
leave the end up on the wall, or run it back to the radio? And lastly,
would something as I've described really make a difference in reception, or
should I just stick to the factory whip?

Thanks




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

If you really dig the weird sounds, get some digital signal decoding
software and hook the radio to your PC and soundcard.

Lot's of RTTY, PSK31, etc etc out there to copy.

Even slow scan TV


"JSmith" wrote in message
...
So, yep, I received a new shortwave radio over christmas. Always wanted
one, but had no clue as to what you could hear on them other than signals
from far off places. I've always been fascinated with searching the
airwaves though, and, so far have found this little gadget to be very
interesting.

I've been quite surprised at the type of content that I've heard. I think
I've been saved ...... twelve times.

Anyway, while searching I've run across a lot of weird noises. Lots of
warbles, and oscillating ticks and hums. Some of them are confined to a
specific frequency, but some bleed across several. Defiantly not a random
event. I know what code sounds like, but a lot of these aren't code.
They
seem to occur around the naval maritime bands. I know that the navy has
huge land based antenna that I've heard they use in a network to transmit
the time so ocean going vessels to tell their longitude, but it seems like
they could just tune into "the tick". Anyway, I'm just interested in what
these could be, not exactly what they are. Could they be 'jamming',
machine's talking to machine's (like a modem) or other?

Also, my radio is a Grundig YB400PE. Is there something that I could rig
up with speaker wire or something that would give better reception than
the
whip that came with it? I've read that outdoors is always better, but I
really don't have that option. I've also read that you have to be careful
not to overload the little radios by hooking a huge antenna up to them.
If
I strung a few loops around a room, would that be too much. Would looping
it around a room 3 times give me an antenna of length 3 times the rooms
perimeter, or would it be equivalent to just one time the rooms perimeter
with a lot of wasted wire? How should the antenna be terminated? Just
leave the end up on the wall, or run it back to the radio? And lastly,
would something as I've described really make a difference in reception,
or
should I just stick to the factory whip?

Thanks




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Overload is , IMHO, a much overstated problem. So the sdame frequency pops up
at two different places on the dial; So what !!

& If you hear some murmering in the background, doesn't that sort of Add to
the
experience ?

LOTS of antenna will help you pick up fainter signals; start with 30 feet &
go
on from there..

HA HA HA Dan, that cracked me up. I don't know about the cheap thing though.
But I've always kind of felt the same way about the 'overloading and amount of
wire.'

I think it is wayyy overrated, I mean if you're getting absolutely slammed,
hit the daggone attenuator or go get an accessory to add to the arsenal. ;-)

My motto is if you're using wire, the more the better (depending on what
you're trying to do) pointing towards the direction/directions you want to
hear.....actually that can be fixed without even being pointed toward the
desired target DX.

The last one is IMO, the higher the better, maybe with me out in the country
and wayyyy up on a hill, has shown me how nice height is. :-) Especially if
you are running a tube rig, they love LOTS of wire and you can just forget
about overloading if your using a tube rig (at least that has been my story.)
Neither one of my Hammarlunds have ever flinched once when I switch over to
600ft. or more of wire.