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#1
April 1st 04, 08:22 PM
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Satellit 800 + Antenna w/ Preselector - Request for comments
Hi Group,
I'm an "apartment dweller" in the crowded Dallas metroplex, with a Grundig Satellit 800. Setting up an outside antenna in the patio isn't an option. U see, the "fine", anally retentive apartment complex managment folks would crossify me for having the thought crossing my mind  After reading pretty much all reviews in "Passport to World .." and reading this group's posts, I've decided to try a (#1) slinky dipole antenna (found on eBay from 3 or 4 basement-based manufacturers) along with a (#2) Vectronics AT-100 preselector (to filter and boost). I'm to extend the slinky antenna inside the apartment along the longest straight ceiling stretch which is about 25 or 26 feet (The overall wire length used in making the two slinkies is 150 ft) to come down via a coaxial and into the AT-100 and from there into the Satellit 800. My question is, is this type of antenna directional? I'm primarly interested in weaker West Europe stations, should I point it to the east? or should I just stretch it along the longest clear path?? Also, what do you think of my overall thinking/approach, and do you think this approx $110 spent on the antenna and preselector better be spent elsewhere? I'm VERY new to this and will benefit from any constructive advise/comment. Thanks in advance, Moe |
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#2
April 1st 04, 08:30 PM
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Moe wrote: Hi Group, I'm an "apartment dweller" in the crowded Dallas metroplex, with a Grundig Satellit 800. Setting up an outside antenna in the patio isn't an option. U see, the "fine", anally retentive apartment complex managment folks would crossify me for having the thought crossing my mind After reading pretty much all reviews in "Passport to World .." and reading this group's posts, I've decided to try a (#1) slinky dipole antenna (found on eBay from 3 or 4 basement-based manufacturers) along with a (#2) Vectronics AT-100 preselector (to filter and boost). I'm to extend the slinky antenna inside the apartment along the longest straight ceiling stretch which is about 25 or 26 feet (The overall wire length used in making the two slinkies is 150 ft) to come down via a coaxial and into the AT-100 and from there into the Satellit 800. My question is, is this type of antenna directional? I'm primarly interested in weaker West Europe stations, should I point it to the east? or should I just stretch it along the longest clear path?? Also, what do you think of my overall thinking/approach, and do you think this approx $110 spent on the antenna and preselector better be spent elsewhere? I'm VERY new to this and will benefit from any constructive advise/comment. Thanks in advance, Moe Rather than spend the $110 in your situation it may be better to simply add some wire along the ceiling and alligator clip it to the whip antenna or plug it into the antenna jack of the receiver if it has one. Later on you might wish to get a preselector, but even in this case it may simply be overkill. You are in a bad receiving situation, and tossing a bunch of money at it may not solve it. Start off simple first! Steve Holland, MI Drake R7, R8 and R8B http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm |
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#3
April 1st 04, 08:50 PM
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"N8KDV" wrote in message ... Moe wrote: Hi Group, I'm an "apartment dweller" in the crowded Dallas metroplex, with a Grundig Satellit 800. Setting up an outside antenna in the patio isn't an option. U see, the "fine", anally retentive apartment complex managment folks would crossify me for having the thought crossing my mind After reading pretty much all reviews in "Passport to World .." and reading this group's posts, I've decided to try a (#1) slinky dipole antenna (found on eBay from 3 or 4 basement-based manufacturers) along with a (#2) Vectronics AT-100 preselector (to filter and boost). I'm to extend the slinky antenna inside the apartment along the longest straight ceiling stretch which is about 25 or 26 feet (The overall wire length used in making the two slinkies is 150 ft) to come down via a coaxial and into the AT-100 and from there into the Satellit 800. My question is, is this type of antenna directional? I'm primarly interested in weaker West Europe stations, should I point it to the east? or should I just stretch it along the longest clear path?? Also, what do you think of my overall thinking/approach, and do you think this approx $110 spent on the antenna and preselector better be spent elsewhere? I'm VERY new to this and will benefit from any constructive advise/comment. Thanks in advance, Moe Rather than spend the $110 in your situation it may be better to simply add some wire along the ceiling and alligator clip it to the whip antenna or plug it into the antenna jack of the receiver if it has one. Later on you might wish to get a preselector, but even in this case it may simply be overkill. You are in a bad receiving situation, and tossing a bunch of money at it may not solve it. Start off simple first! Steve Holland, MI Drake R7, R8 and R8B http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm I don't know much, being fairly new to all this myself, but would agree with what Steve says. Buy 20 or 30 feet of small guage wire and a small fishing weight to hang out the window and wrap the end around your whip antenna. I am in Houston, near the ship channel, and finally got around to adding something vaguely external to my DX-402 (same as Sangean ATS 505). I tossed a wire up onto the roof of my house and then ran it in the bedroom window to clip to my whip. Can hardly believe the difference it makes. And just bringing the wire near my whip does the job with inductive coupling. I really don't need the alligator clip I soldered on. Now I pick up BBC on 5975 kHz like it's next door. Actually have to set the DX/Local switch to local because otherwise my radio is *too* sensitive, resulting in a somewhat trashy sound from all the extra noise in the background. Other side of the coin is that some broadcasts, like the 1300 UTC Voice of Korea, now come in loud and clear where they used to be barelly audible and totally unintelligable. About 30 feet of wire and I'm like a kid with a new toy. I was thinking about paying for a filter/booster like you, and now don't think I need it. Try adding a few feet of wire, and let us know what you come up with. Dave |
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#4
April 1st 04, 09:05 PM
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I use/used the Sony AN-1 and it works fine, it's small, you could set
outside or mount it and it's just a little antenna pole. Don't hang yourself on all that wire. Burr #6 N8KDV wrote: Moe wrote: Hi Group, I'm an "apartment dweller" in the crowded Dallas metroplex, with a Grundig Satellit 800. Setting up an outside antenna in the patio isn't an option. U see, the "fine", anally retentive apartment complex managment folks would crossify me for having the thought crossing my mind After reading pretty much all reviews in "Passport to World .." and reading this group's posts, I've decided to try a (#1) slinky dipole antenna (found on eBay from 3 or 4 basement-based manufacturers) along with a (#2) Vectronics AT-100 preselector (to filter and boost). I'm to extend the slinky antenna inside the apartment along the longest straight ceiling stretch which is about 25 or 26 feet (The overall wire length used in making the two slinkies is 150 ft) to come down via a coaxial and into the AT-100 and from there into the Satellit 800. My question is, is this type of antenna directional? I'm primarly interested in weaker West Europe stations, should I point it to the east? or should I just stretch it along the longest clear path?? Also, what do you think of my overall thinking/approach, and do you think this approx $110 spent on the antenna and preselector better be spent elsewhere? I'm VERY new to this and will benefit from any constructive advise/comment. Thanks in advance, Moe Rather than spend the $110 in your situation it may be better to simply add some wire along the ceiling and alligator clip it to the whip antenna or plug it into the antenna jack of the receiver if it has one. Later on you might wish to get a preselector, but even in this case it may simply be overkill. You are in a bad receiving situation, and tossing a bunch of money at it may not solve it. Start off simple first! Steve Holland, MI Drake R7, R8 and R8B http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm |
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#5
April 1st 04, 09:13 PM
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Buy 20 or 30 feet of small guage wire and a small fishing
weight to hang out the window and wrap the end around your whip antenna. It might be better to use a small plastic ball, or piece of fabric, something heavy enough to give 'some' weight (you don't need much, the antenna doesn't have to be straight as an arrow to receive) but something which also, in case the antenna breaks or falls, won't cause any real harm to any people, cars or windows below. Years ago a friend and I discovered that even a small weight can, when buffeted by winds, pendulum itself into enough velocity to crack a lower story window, then the antenna wire snapped, and the little 2 oz. weight tumbled another two stories to the concrete, and if anyone had been under it, it could have given them a nasty knock. Just something to consider. But heck yes, getting ANY kind of extra wire outside or strung around the ceiling will improve reception over what he's using now, and one doesn't need to spend real money to get as good an improvement as that $100 experiment would give. Linus |
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