Antenna Question: Need advice
 

I want to run an antenna in my attic to pick up SW signals. I plan on
running speaker wire, possibly in an up down zig zag pattern on the rafters.
I checked out the web pages regarding antennas but being technically
illiterate, gleaned little from them.

Here are the questions that I have:

1. Is speaker wire okay? Should I use a different type?

2. What's the minimum distance the antenna should be away from far away from
electrical wiring?

3. If I don't have one strand which will reach, is it okay to splice the
wire on another strand? What would be the best way to do this?

4. Is a zig zag pattern a good way to lay out the antenna or should I make a
big straight loop with it? A bunch of loops? Would a horizontal zig zag be
better? Would it matter?

5. Should I have anything on the ends of the wire or leave them bare?

Any help you can give me will be greatly apprechiated.

In article .net,
says...
I want to run an antenna in my attic to pick up SW signals. I plan on
running speaker wire, possibly in an up down zig zag pattern on the rafters.
I checked out the web pages regarding antennas but being technically
illiterate, gleaned little from them.

Here are the questions that I have:

1. Is speaker wire okay? Should I use a different type?

2. What's the minimum distance the antenna should be away from far away from
electrical wiring?

3. If I don't have one strand which will reach, is it okay to splice the
wire on another strand? What would be the best way to do this?

4. Is a zig zag pattern a good way to lay out the antenna or should I make a
big straight loop with it? A bunch of loops? Would a horizontal zig zag be
better? Would it matter?

5. Should I have anything on the ends of the wire or leave them bare?

Any help you can give me will be greatly apprechiated.



1. Yes speaker wire will work.
2. I would recommend 12"
3. Yes, and you may want to solder.
4. Zig zag will work fine.
5. Bare is fine

Hope this helps
--
**********************************************
* Check out www.activesignals.com *
* It has LIVE CHAT and a forum board for *
* shortwave, amateur, and scanner radios *
**********************************************

Activesignals.com wrote:
In article .net,
says...

I want to run an antenna in my attic to pick up SW signals. I plan on
running speaker wire, possibly in an up down zig zag pattern on the rafters.
I checked out the web pages regarding antennas but being technically
illiterate, gleaned little from them.

Here are the questions that I have:

1. Is speaker wire okay? Should I use a different type?

2. What's the minimum distance the antenna should be away from far away from
electrical wiring?

3. If I don't have one strand which will reach, is it okay to splice the
wire on another strand? What would be the best way to do this?

4. Is a zig zag pattern a good way to lay out the antenna or should I make a
big straight loop with it? A bunch of loops? Would a horizontal zig zag be
better? Would it matter?

5. Should I have anything on the ends of the wire or leave them bare?

Any help you can give me will be greatly apprechiated.




1. Yes speaker wire will work.
2. I would recommend 12"
3. Yes, and you may want to solder.
4. Zig zag will work fine.
5. Bare is fine

Hope this helps

Whats the best way to connect this type of antenna to a portable
receiver like the Sony 7600GR? It has a headphone jack type antenna
input. Can I just wire one up and plug it in to the receiver or do I
need something in between. I'm pretty new at this.