DIY antenna- which?
 

Hi,

I've finally purchased a fine desktop SW receiver, and I'd like to
have a nice antenna to use with it as well. I've made a number of
antennas for mediumwave, and I'd like to do the same for SW. I've read
several descriptions found online and think I've settled on Arnie
Coro's broomstick antenna or the 7m sloper just for a starter. Has
anyone tried either of these? Or would you recommend something else
for a good starter DIY antenna? My primary listening interests are
Africa and the Pacific and I live in the midwestern US.

Thanks,

Michael Salmons
salmonsm @ missouri . edu

On 23 Jun 2004 14:22:15 -0700, (Michael Salmons)
wrote:

Hi,

I've finally purchased a fine desktop SW receiver, and I'd like to
have a nice antenna to use with it as well. I've made a number of
antennas for mediumwave, and I'd like to do the same for SW. I've read
several descriptions found online and think I've settled on Arnie
Coro's broomstick antenna or the 7m sloper just for a starter. Has
anyone tried either of these? Or would you recommend something else
for a good starter DIY antenna? My primary listening interests are
Africa and the Pacific and I live in the midwestern US.

Thanks,

Michael Salmons
salmonsm @ missouri . edu

My recommendation is to forget the broomstick. Not familiar with a
"7m sloper" but suspect it's roughly 21 feet of wire installed in a
sloper configuration (hey, my brain's working overtime today!) which
equates to 'outdoor antenna.' Any given amount of wire outdoors can
be expected to perform better than that amount indoors and it's common
for less wire outdoor to better than more indoors as well. I'll
presume that in your reading you've learned about grounding, keeping
things away from power lines and the benefits of coax feedline. Your
time will be better spent stringing the most wire you can outdoors and
grounding the best you can than it would winding wire on a broom
handle or section of pvc tubing.

Good luck,
Howard

http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx...eed/feed1.html

http://www.kc7nod.20m.com/new_page_1.htm

http://dxing.info/equipment/impedanc...ing_bryant.doc

Hope this helps.

Brian

Michael Salmons wrote:

Hi,

I've finally purchased a fine desktop SW receiver, and I'd like to
have a nice antenna to use with it as well. I've made a number of
antennas for mediumwave, and I'd like to do the same for SW. I've read
several descriptions found online and think I've settled on Arnie
Coro's broomstick antenna or the 7m sloper just for a starter. Has
anyone tried either of these? Or would you recommend something else
for a good starter DIY antenna? My primary listening interests are
Africa and the Pacific and I live in the midwestern US.

Thanks,

Michael Salmons
salmonsm @ missouri . edu


I've read the other responses to this post, and you've gotten good
advice.
If you want to start simple, spend .89¢ at any discount store for a hank
of bell wire. One end to your antenna input, about 40' of it elevated
as high as practical in your situation. If you have to go "around the
room", that's OK too.
You might be amazed how well you can do with just that (and note I am
NOT saying that is a "great antenna" - it's rudimentary - but it is a
very quick and inexpensive way to experiment with the concept). Also,
try another 10' of the wire hooked to your ground terminal, and just
trailing across the floor as a counterpoise. May help, may not. Later,
read up n the suggested articles, and decide on a more sophisticated
approach that appeals to you or would work well in your situation.
Above all, have fun and keep logs! The logs will tell you (over time)
how much improvement your "new and improved" antenna(s) are giving you -
and you'll be constantly working to improve it, if you're like most of
us.

Tony


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you guys have given me a lot of material to work with and,
consequently, a lot to think about. Thanks very much for the
information and links you've provided. I'm going to go make a plan
now!

I agree ... cool advices.

and you can also try these links ....

http://www.astrosurf.com/lombry/qsl-longwire.htm
http://www.astrosurf.com/lombry/qsl-longwire2.htm

http://www.tpub.com/neets/book10/42n.htm

HTH

Raqueeb Hassan
Congo (DRC)

MS,

Since you are not limited to an InDoor Antenna forget the
BroomStick Antenna.
READ: Short STACKED Vertical {Tri-Band} BroomStick Antenna
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...na/message/755

The 7M (21Ft) Sloper 'outside' Antenna would be the better
choice of the two.

FWIW: If you have 'space' for the 7M (21 Ft) Sloper; then
consider trying an Inverted "L" Antenna instead. In the same
space as a 7M (21 Ft) Sloper you could build an Inverted "L"
Antenna 4-5M (13-16 Ft) High (Vertical); and 5-6M (16-20 Ft)
Across (Horizontal). About 9-11M (29-36 Ft) Long and generally
a more Omni-Directional and Lower Noise Antenna for SWLing.

READ: Improving the 'basic' Long Wire Antenna with a Coax Lead-in-Line
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/1024

iane ~ RHF
..
Some Say: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...na/message/502
I BELIEVE: On A Clear Night...
You Can Hear Forever and Beyond - The Beyond !
..
..
= = = (Michael Salmons) wrote in message
= = = . com...
Hi,

I've finally purchased a fine desktop SW receiver, and I'd like to
have a nice antenna to use with it as well. I've made a number of
antennas for mediumwave, and I'd like to do the same for SW. I've read
several descriptions found online and think I've settled on Arnie
Coro's broomstick antenna or the 7m sloper just for a starter. Has
anyone tried either of these? Or would you recommend something else
for a good starter DIY antenna? My primary listening interests are
Africa and the Pacific and I live in the midwestern US.

Thanks,

Michael Salmons
salmonsm @ missouri . edu
..

If you have room outside, don't waste your time with the broomstick. It is a
comprimise antenna and shows it.
"Michael Salmons" wrote in message
om...
Hi,

I've finally purchased a fine desktop SW receiver, and I'd like to
have a nice antenna to use with it as well. I've made a number of
antennas for mediumwave, and I'd like to do the same for SW. I've read
several descriptions found online and think I've settled on Arnie
Coro's broomstick antenna or the 7m sloper just for a starter. Has
anyone tried either of these? Or would you recommend something else
for a good starter DIY antenna? My primary listening interests are
Africa and the Pacific and I live in the midwestern US.

Thanks,

Michael Salmons
salmonsm @ missouri . edu

I have to agree with CW's assessment of the broomstick antenna. I've attempted
the broomstick antenna a thousand ways from Sunday (with capacitance hat,
without, tuner, no tuner, larger stick, spaced windings, on and on) and it just
doesn't perform as well as almost any decent length of wire you can get
outside. My last attempt was a 6' long stick, tightly wound, with a 40' sloper
atop it, and the sloper by itself was better than the entire configuration.
Try the sloper idea first, assuming you have the room for it.
Or, a simple random-length wire. Tree to tree, house to tree, house to ground,
whatever you can manage. Use any kind of strong wire you have around, and if
it's insulated, remove a bit of the sleeve at the end nearest your listening
position. Attach another wire to the bared end of the aerial wire, wrap for
strength, solder well for electrical contact, and bring the other end of this
wire in to your receiver (with banana plug, alligator clip, or matching plug
for your radio's external antenna jack). You can get a whole lot more
complicated than that, but even this much will work better than the broomstick.
Good luck-
Linus