This antenna looks like it would meet my needs - could someone here check it
out and tell this novice if it would work as a simple indoor antenna?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tegory=15 051

For $8.99, and no shipping charges, it seems very reasonable. Also, he says
that he will supply it with either an alligator clip or a 1/8" plug. Which is
the better choice for SW and for MW?

Thanks,
Linda

Love2camp5 wrote:

This antenna looks like it would meet my needs - could someone here check it
out and tell this novice if it would work as a simple indoor antenna?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tegory=15 051

For $8.99, and no shipping charges, it seems very reasonable. Also, he says
that he will supply it with either an alligator clip or a 1/8" plug. Which is
the better choice for SW and for MW?

Thanks,
Linda

I'm sure you could buy 20 feet of wire and an alligator clip at Home Depot for less than $9.

Odds are pretty good you could even find the parts in your local Radio Shack.

"Love2camp5" wrote in message
...
This antenna looks like it would meet my needs - could someone here check
it
out and tell this novice if it would work as a simple indoor antenna?


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tegory=15 051

For $8.99, and no shipping charges, it seems very reasonable. Also, he
says
that he will supply it with either an alligator clip or a 1/8" plug.
Which is
the better choice for SW and for MW?

$8.99 seems a bit steep for 20 ft. of wire with an alligator clip on one
end. I have a better idea if you're up to building something easy:

http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/portablewire.html

You can put an alligator clip on one end and wrap the other end around the
telescopic whip. You should be able to find 20 ft. of wire for cheaper than
9 bucks. A roll of magnet wire would work great since you can wrap it
around the whip and it will stay in place.


--
Tom Sevart N2UHC
Frontenac, KS
http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc

Tom Sevart wrote:

"Love2camp5" wrote in message
...
This antenna looks like it would meet my needs - could someone here check
it
out and tell this novice if it would work as a simple indoor antenna?


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tegory=15 051

For $8.99, and no shipping charges, it seems very reasonable. Also, he
says
that he will supply it with either an alligator clip or a 1/8" plug.
Which is
the better choice for SW and for MW?

$8.99 seems a bit steep for 20 ft. of wire with an alligator clip on one
end. I have a better idea if you're up to building something easy:

http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/portablewire.html

You can put an alligator clip on one end and wrap the other end around the
telescopic whip. You should be able to find 20 ft. of wire for cheaper than
9 bucks. A roll of magnet wire would work great since you can wrap it
around the whip and it will stay in place.

--
Tom Sevart N2UHC
Frontenac, KS
http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc

I'd use an alligator clip on the end that attaches to the whip antenna too - if you just wrap it around you may not get a reliable connection.

Now guys, remember you are talking to a lady here - so if I want to make my own
indoor wire antenna, I have to sound intelligent enough that the creeps at our
Radio Shack don't mock me!

Okay, I do know what an alligator clip is - so I should get two of those that I
can just wrap the wire onto, and not have to solder anything.

Then I just need the wire - specifically what wire do I ask the RS guy for?

Then I would just clip one end onto the whip antenna and the other end up onto
a curtain edge or something?

If I've got it right, it sounds pretty easy.

Thanks,
Linda

Love2camp5 wrote:

Now guys, remember you are talking to a lady here - so if I want to make my own
indoor wire antenna, I have to sound intelligent enough that the creeps at our
Radio Shack don't mock me!

Okay, I do know what an alligator clip is - so I should get two of those that I
can just wrap the wire onto, and not have to solder anything.

Then I just need the wire - specifically what wire do I ask the RS guy for?

Then I would just clip one end onto the whip antenna and the other end up onto
a curtain edge or something?

If I've got it right, it sounds pretty easy.

Thanks,
Linda

If you go to Radio Shack you want "hook up wire" - "anything around 20
gauge".

You want a pack of alligator clips that have screw on terminals so you
don't need to solder them onto the wire.

You'll strip half an inch of insulation off each end of the wire, loosen
the screw on the alligator clips, bend the stripped wire into a hook,
put it under the screw, tighten the screw, and you're done.

Just buy a pack of 'clip leads' or 'test leads'.

They have many uses !

jw
wb9uai

On 12 Mar 2004 20:54:58 GMT, (Love2camp5) wrote:

Now guys, remember you are talking to a lady here - so if I want to make my own
indoor wire antenna, I have to sound intelligent enough that the creeps at our
Radio Shack don't mock me!

Okay, I do know what an alligator clip is - so I should get two of those that I
can just wrap the wire onto, and not have to solder anything.

Then I just need the wire - specifically what wire do I ask the RS guy for?

Then I would just clip one end onto the whip antenna and the other end up onto
a curtain edge or something?

If I've got it right, it sounds pretty easy.

Thanks,
Linda
Actually, the creeps at RatShack aren't mocking you for lack of
intelligence, it's because you're not going to buy a high-profit
product. That said, go in and get the following items:

278-1225 3 @ 60 foot spools stranded #20 hookup wire $4.99
270-375 4 @ screw terminal alligator clips
$3.29
total $8.28
+ tax

You now can make 3 antennas for less than the 1 you were going to
spend more $$ to get. Mark Holden gave a good explanation for
installing the alligator clip, it's so simple you'll finish in a
minute or two. Don't forget, when at RatShack don't tell them what
you're using the parts for as that's the opportunity for them to
dissuade you from your choice - just go in with the part numbers
written down and hold firm that "this is what I need." I assure you
that in the long run you'll be happier than spending a bit more money
for 1 @ 20 foot wire antenna. Besides, if you want to experiment with
location, you don't need to remove what you've already put up, just
grab one of the extras and have at it!

Good Luck,
Howard

That said, go in and get the following items:

278-1225 3 @ 60 foot spools stranded #20 hookup wire $4.99
270-375 4 @ screw terminal alligator clips
$3.29
total $8.28
+ tax

You now can make 3 antennas for less than the 1 you were going to
spend more $$ to get. Mark Holden gave a good explanation for
installing the alligator clip, it's so simple you'll finish in a
minute or two. Don't forget, when at RatShack don't tell them what
you're using the parts for as that's the opportunity for them to
dissuade you from your choice - just go in with the part numbers
written down and hold firm that "this is what I need." I assure you
that in the long run you'll be happier than spending a bit more money
for 1 @ 20 foot wire antenna. Besides, if you want to experiment with
location, you don't need to remove what you've already put up, just
grab one of the extras and have at it!


There you go Howard. *THAT* is how you answer a question in a post. Good job,
seriously. :-)

Love2camp5 wrote:

Now guys, remember you are talking to a lady here - so if I want to make my own
indoor wire antenna, I have to sound intelligent enough that the creeps at our
Radio Shack don't mock me!

Okay, I do know what an alligator clip is - so I should get two of those that I
can just wrap the wire onto, and not have to solder anything.

Then I just need the wire - specifically what wire do I ask the RS guy for?

Then I would just clip one end onto the whip antenna and the other end up onto
a curtain edge or something?

If I've got it right, it sounds pretty easy.

Thanks,
Linda

If your using a receiver with a whip antenna, get about 20-ft of
*insulated* wire (size range 16 to 22 gauge) and wrap about ten turns of
the wire around the whip. The whip doesn't have to be fully extended,
just enough to wrap the wire around it. Run the wire around the room,
over the tops of the window frames. Use thumb tacks to hold it in place.
Wrapping the wire around the whip, instead of using an alligator clip
for a direct connection, will help to prevent signal overloading. The
symptom of overloading is hearing many spurious signals from strong
stations, repeated all over the bands where they don't belong. It
doesn't damage the radio but it's really annoying.


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