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What kind(s) of antenna(s) do you use?
I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go
unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve |
On Fri, 10 Sep 2004 11:16 am, Steve posted to
rec.radio.shortwave: %MM I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve 100 metres/110 yards of wire is on the house on the eves, held up by Xmas light holders. It's just speaker wire (what was available) and has been there for about 4 years now. Connected to a balan and grounded. Works very well. Listening with an Icom R75, ATS404, YB400, but mostly the Icom with this antenna. |
"Steve" wrote in message om... I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve I made one of those "broomstick" antennas and have it in the attic. So-so results. In process of setting up 100' longwire in back yard. |
Steve schrieb: I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve antennas: Magnetic loop 18-31Mhz with remote tuning Discone 25-1300Mhz FD-antenna 40.5mtr/ 135ft FD-antenna 13.8mtr/ 44ft /bozh feeding the same balun/coax rain gutter areal app. 150 mtr/ 495ft Yaesu FRT7700 preselector Yaesu FRA7700 selective active antenna/ modified for preamp all antennas in attic 6th floor RX: NRD-525 with serial interface PCR-1000 (no UT-106 DSP unit) Yaesu FT50-R Sony ICF-2001D (2010) Albrecht AE300 100Khz-2.060Ghz AM NFM WFM SSB -no gaps- Loewe Opta LO50 stereo radio with valves FM AM LW SW Trio 9R-59DS audio: Datong FL2 analog audio filter in series with Dierking GD 82NF analog audio filter in series with Kenwood HiFI-amp with integrated equalizer feeding AKG K-240Monitor headphones and/or hifi-speakers misc: a bunch of computers location: Berlin/ Germany |
Steve wrote: I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? One 70' wire running N-S, and one 200' wire running W-E. Both are transformer matched, with the co-ax feed buried running to the house. dxAce Steve |
http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/pics.htm
dxAce wrote: Steve wrote: I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? One 70' wire running N-S, and one 200' wire running W-E. Both are transformer matched, with the co-ax feed buried running to the house. dxAce Steve |
On 10 Sep 2004 10:16:06 -0700, Steve wrote:
I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? For receiving, an active loop on a rotator - it has a very deep null which is useful. Mounted in the attic atm for testing, but due to be moved to the bottom of the garden further away from all the tv/computer etc interference. It feeds the receivers via a 4-way multi-coupler. I can also use the ham antennas if I want to. -- Cheers, Stan Barr stanb .at. dial .dot. pipex .dot. com (Remove any digits from the addresses when mailing me.) The future was never like this! |
"dxAce" wrote in message ... http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/pics.htm Hey Steve, how tall are your supports off the ground? |
MnMikew wrote: "dxAce" wrote in message ... http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/pics.htm Hey Steve, how tall are your supports off the ground? They are 9' off the ground, the actual wood is 12' long. Steve dxAce |
MnMikew wrote: "dxAce" wrote in message ... http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/pics.htm Hey Steve, how tall are your supports off the ground? That pic was taken in 2001 when I first installed the system here, and the shot is from the end of the 100' W-E wire, looking west. That wire has now been extended another 100'. I need to take another pic which I'll do this Fall. dxAce |
"dxAce" wrote in message ... MnMikew wrote: "dxAce" wrote in message ... http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/pics.htm Hey Steve, how tall are your supports off the ground? That pic was taken in 2001 when I first installed the system here, and the shot is from the end of the 100' W-E wire, looking west. That wire has now been extended another 100'. I need to take another pic which I'll do this Fall. dxAce How much lead-in coax you using? My backyard is quite similar to yours. I was going to put my wire on the neighbors chainlink fence which runs the length of the yard, but the posts may work better. |
MnMikew wrote: "dxAce" wrote in message ... MnMikew wrote: "dxAce" wrote in message ... http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/pics.htm Hey Steve, how tall are your supports off the ground? That pic was taken in 2001 when I first installed the system here, and the shot is from the end of the 100' W-E wire, looking west. That wire has now been extended another 100'. I need to take another pic which I'll do this Fall. dxAce How much lead-in coax you using? My backyard is quite similar to yours. I was going to put my wire on the neighbors chainlink fence which runs the length of the yard, but the posts may work better. I think my longest run of co-ax is about 85' or so. dxAce |
"Steve" wrote in message om... I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve A G5RV and a 200ft 'Frankenstein" Roof Wire. There is more information, photos and diagrams of them on my web page. See my signalture for the link..... -- Respectfully, Michael Location: New Jersey Primary Receiver: R-75 with full Kiwa mods Antennas: G5RV, 200ft "Frankenstein" roof wire Additional Radios: KA-1101,KA-1102,PL-550, KA-989, Info-Mate 837, GE-SR III Westinghouse H-104 (seven tube) Web Site: http://md_dxing.tripod.com |
"MnMikew" wrote in message ... "dxAce" wrote in message ... MnMikew wrote: "dxAce" wrote in message ... http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/pics.htm Hey Steve, how tall are your supports off the ground? That pic was taken in 2001 when I first installed the system here, and the shot is from the end of the 100' W-E wire, looking west. That wire has now been extended another 100'. I need to take another pic which I'll do this Fall. dxAce How much lead-in coax you using? My backyard is quite similar to yours. I was going to put my wire on the neighbors chainlink fence which runs the length of the yard, but the posts may work better. At the risk of sounding -really- stupid, I just have to ask this. I've read about using your window screen for an antenna; what about hooking directly up to the chain link fence itself? Would it work? It's grounded, so maybe not. I don't know, so I'm asking! |
In article , sdaniel13
@nyc.rr.com says... I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve I have a sloping dipole from the tower to the fence corner, cut for about 15MHZ. There's a Alpha Delta Sloper, the shorter one, off the tower to a roof vent. It needs to be replaced. It's in bad shape, almost 20 years old. I have a short dipole in the attic as a back up. A discone in the attic for one scanner, and two Scantennas for the others. A ringo ranger on top of the tower for railband and the occasional 2M use. Scanners: Base: RS PRO 2004, 2005, 2006 BC 9000XLT Handhelds: RS Pro 93 RS Pro 43 RS Pro 42 RS Pro 37 Yaesu VR500 Icom R2 Yupi 9000 Icom R10 (dead) but should soon be back up and running. BDK |
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-=jd=- wrote: On Fri 10 Sep 2004 01:16:06p, (Steve) wrote in message om: I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve Mine defines "homemade", but worked out well for me: I found a spool of 14 gauge stranded with insulation that precisely matches the color of the ceilings in our home. Using white electrical staples, I mounted it at the wall-to ceiling point, and ran it straight through the family room, down a long hallway, and into my shack, across the ceiling there, and terminating about 3' above my receiver, where I joined it to coax and the coax to an antenna connector for input. It is 55' long, and mounted 7.5 feet above grade. I used this alone for about a month, and was very pleased with the results. In an effort to "notch it up a bit" (don't all antenna experimenters?) I ran an additional 55' of the wire around the ceiling/wall juncture of my shack. It goes around exactly 1 and 1/4 times, (also 7.5 feet up) and again drops to 3' above the receiver, where it joins the coax at the same point as the original wire. I now had a 110' longwire antenna, center-tapped. I read here a few months back where a poster remarked that doubling a 50' random wire to 100' would increase signal strength by only 3dB. That's basically what I found, too. There is a slight edge to signal strength since I went to 110', but only slight. The 55' alone gave me good results. Receiver is an Icom R-75, by the way. I like the relative "invisibility" of teh way I did it. 110' of antenna, and no one even notices it unless it's pointed out to them. Even my wife didn't notice it for more than 6 weeks after I installed it, and had no problem with it when she did notice it ("Gee,you can barely see it.") Comments/suggestions welcome - I'm always trying to learn more. Tony |
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Honus wrote:
At the risk of sounding -really- stupid, I just have to ask this. I've read about using your window screen for an antenna Tried it. Not good. LOTS of buzzing sounds picked up, but strangely enough, never in the winter. mike |
KK4TL wrote:
Feeding a Sears-branded Frog-7, a Frog-A-Hundred, and a Drake R4c. How would you compare the 100 to the frg-7? (other than the display, of course..) I can pick up new one for a bit under 800 $CAN. Is it worth it? mike |
"m II" wrote in message news:gZw0d.90904$S55.31574@clgrps12... Honus wrote: At the risk of sounding -really- stupid, I just have to ask this. I've read about using your window screen for an antenna Tried it. Not good. LOTS of buzzing sounds picked up, but strangely enough, never in the winter. mike I am using a window screen made of Hardware Cloth 3/8" mesh, 2'x4' hidden from outside by the curtain. An S3 sig with my rod antenna becomes an S9 on the screen. k35454. p.s. hi mike II still on rec.psychic from England ? |
k35454 wrote:
"m II" wrote in message news:gZw0d.90904$S55.31574@clgrps12... Honus wrote: At the risk of sounding -really- stupid, I just have to ask this. I've read about using your window screen for an antenna Tried it. Not good. LOTS of buzzing sounds picked up, but strangely enough, never in the winter. mike I am using a window screen made of Hardware Cloth 3/8" mesh, 2'x4' hidden from outside by the curtain. An S3 sig with my rod antenna becomes an S9 on the screen. k35454. A 3/8" mesh won't keep the smaller specimens out..then the buzzing gets really loud! p.s. hi mike II still on rec.psychic from England ? Sure. I drop in on uk.rec.psychic at times. Some nice people visit there...must be nice, they tolerate me. A completely different mindset compared to alt.paranormal I've met a few radio types who are interested in the possiblity of non magnetic/electric wave communication. J.S. Bell comes to mind as a source for further reasearch. I don't claim any paranormal powers, other than a modest, self effacing, Ghandiesque and virtually unnerring insight into the human condition g mike |
Good question Steve.
Currently I am using a 2 loop Wellbrook K9AY & Wellbrook ALA1530. I have a very small yard...29' x 58'....I don't think any other antennas would do better on Tropical bands & MW in that space? Suggestions ? I also use a Quantum Phaser with this pair sometimes on MW. The K9AY is used with a MFJ fiberglass push up mast 26 ft tall. the ALA1530 is mounted to my wooden fence 5ft high . I also have a Quantum QX Loop I use from time to time on MW. 73, Ken Steve wrote in message om... I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve |
"Steve" wrote in message om... I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? 55 ft. random wire coax-fed via balun Eavesdropper dipole Slinky dipole (currently unused) Radio Shack discone antenna (for scanner) All in attic of my house |
Drake R8B
50' Random Wire--Palomar MLB-100' RG-58-Radio Drake SW2 MFJ-1024 Active-100' RG-58-Radio ICOM R-75 ca. 125' Random Wire (along property line and through garage to radio in the kitchen) On 10 Sep 2004 10:16:06 -0700, (Steve) wrote: I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve |
"m II" wrote in message news:m9y0d.92232$S55.2174@clgrps12... I don't claim any paranormal powers, other than a modest, self effacing, Ghandiesque and virtually unnerring insight into the human condition Ever try aiming that into a mirror? g |
I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve 250 feet multi strand appliance cord connect together at the far end - into house with 100' rg 8. Not high tech, but free. I should get some more wire, I could go another 750' before I hit the lake, but I think I need better radios to make use of it. Norm |
Honus wrote:
"m II" wrote in message news:m9y0d.92232$S55.2174@clgrps12... I don't claim any paranormal powers, other than a modest, self effacing, Ghandiesque and virtually unnerring insight into the human condition Ever try aiming that into a mirror? g I'm not familiar with those, although I believe I once saw a glint of perfection reflected from a very shiny coaxial cable connector..a sense of wonder and tranquility permeated my very core. michael munificent II |
after the tornado came by and took all of my wire off to never-never
land, i was left with only my snake antenna that lays right on the ground. its been two years and i dont miss the overhead wires a bit. with my conditions that i have here the low noise pickup of the snake works great. |
"m II" wrote in message news:MAI0d.96262$S55.21286@clgrps12... Honus wrote: "m II" wrote in message news:m9y0d.92232$S55.2174@clgrps12... I don't claim any paranormal powers, other than a modest, self effacing, Ghandiesque and virtually unnerring insight into the human condition Ever try aiming that into a mirror? g I'm not familiar with those, although I believe I once saw a glint of perfection reflected from a very shiny coaxial cable connector..a sense of wonder and tranquility permeated my very core. If you saw a reflection in a curved surface that appeared to be perfect, I hate to think what you really look like. But then, talk about getting your money's worth in a carnival's Fun House, what with all of those weird mirrors and all! |
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Hi Steve,
I have a 450 ft. Beverage antenna at 270 degrees (West) and a 700 ft. Beverage antenna oriented at 320 degrees (Northwest). They are relay-switched with a single run of double-shielded Belden coax, and matched with a homebrew impedance matcher. The coax shield is grounded in the middle of the run with a Bentonite-enhanced ground system. The antennas are about 8 feet high on average, running through a very dense greenbelt behind my home. The AC power mains are all underground for more than a half mile radius around the neighborhood. The downside of these quiet and directional antennas is all the Seattle/Tacoma area mediumwave stations nearby! LOTS of RF in the air, many MW signals running S9+50db to S9+65db. A Kiwa BCB filter + extension filter is very helpful when DXing on shortwave, as the filters reduce RF blocking effects. Unfortunately the antennas are pointing more or less in the direction of my locals as I'm to the SE of Seattle and West of Tacoma. For trans-Pacific MW DXing from home, nothing helps them get past the strong domestic stations except good propagation, perseverance and luck! The splatter and RF blocking/desensing can be really tough in the vicinity of the strongest locals (ie, +/- 40 or 50 kHz). Guy Atkins Puyallup, WA USA mod. Racal RA6790GM / mod. ICOM R-75 Kiwa MAP / ERGO / Timewave DSP-59+ "Steve" wrote in message om... I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? Steve |
I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go
unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? I have really enjoyed this dicussion. I don't have a high end radio. The best I have is a Rat Shack 390. Currently I am using a 40' 14ga long wire connected to the radio with just regular "hook up wire." I tend to have problems with overload from big signal stations with this radio. I would love to get a better quality radio, but that is not in the cards right now. I have about 1000' feet of 14ga wire here available and could run 100" plus runs and almost any direction. What could I do to cut back on the strong signal overload with my current radio? I have RG-8, and RG-174 coax available. Would a balun help? Thanks for the post and any replies! |
In article ,
ojunk (Jon Lippert) wrote: I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? I have really enjoyed this dicussion. I don't have a high end radio. The best I have is a Rat Shack 390. Currently I am using a 40' 14ga long wire connected to the radio with just regular "hook up wire." I tend to have problems with overload from big signal stations with this radio. I would love to get a better quality radio, but that is not in the cards right now. I have about 1000' feet of 14ga wire here available and could run 100" plus runs and almost any direction. What could I do to cut back on the strong signal overload with my current radio? I have RG-8, and RG-174 coax available. Would a balun help? Thanks for the post and any replies! Use a antenna tuner that acts like a band pass filter called a pre-selector like this one: http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...amps/2964.html -- Telamon Ventura, California |
I've been listening to shortwave radio since the mid-1970s, and so
I've done a fair amount of tinkering with antennas. Like everyone else, I've been on that quest for the best all-around antenna that really doesn't exist. Right now I use a 42-ft, longwire, attic antenna that's feed with 450-Ohm feedline that terminates in a tuner (T-network) in a closet near the receiver. I use 50-Ohm coax between the tuner and receiver, which is also my amateur transceiver. I "tune" the antenna using an MFJ-259 analyzer. Why did I settle for this system: - It fits in my attic. - It's radiation patterns are dipole-like on the bands I listen to (and operate on as an amateur). - I don't fear lightning strikes. - It isn't in the weather, so it isn't a maintenance problem. - I don't run high power as an amateur, and operate mostly CW, so efficiency isn't a big issue for me. - It's stealthy. -Dave, K3WQ |
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"Jon Lippert" wrote in message ... I don't have a high end radio. The best I have is a Rat Shack 390. Don't get down too much about not having a high-end radio. A high-end radio won't invent signals, merely resolve them somewhat better and make them listenable and identifiable. There's still lots you can listen to with your radio. Mark. |
"DesignGuy" wrote in message news:2ND0d.173828$mD.134815@attbi_s02...
"Steve" wrote in message om... I'm always curious about people's antennas, though they often go unmentioned here. So, what's in your back yard (or on your roof, or in your attic....)? 55 ft. random wire coax-fed via balun Eavesdropper dipole Hi, I'm very curious about the Eavesdropper-T and Eavesdropper-C dipoles (see Universal-Radio online catalog) for my attic. The Eavesdropper-T is a trapped dipole center-fed with 100' of 72 ohm balanced feedline. The Eavesdropper-C is identical except it includes a coax fitting and does not include a lead-in cable. Both models are 43' long (ideal for my attic space) and include static arrestors. For the first thirty feet of my attic, there is electrical wiring to the lights running 3'-4' from the peak of the roof, and for the last ten feet within a foot of the peak. My questions are will this antenna mounted at the very peak of the attic: 1. Be safe from lightning strikes? 2. Increase the chances of frying my radios even if electrocution is not an issue? 3. Suffer interference from the electrical wiring described above whether the lights are on or off? 4. Or interference from the utility lines outside the house which run both parallel and perpendicular to the proposed antenna 15' to the side and 10' below? 5. Need to be grounded? (I believe I have read somewhere that a balanced dipole does not need to be grounded in order to deliver an acceptable low-noise signal. Is this wrong?) What I have in mind, especially if I don't need to ground the antenna, is moving my shack up to the attic and listening to DX on long winter nights with a jug of corn liquor to keep me warm. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Regards, Grumpus Slinky dipole (currently unused) Radio Shack discone antenna (for scanner) All in attic of my house |
Telamon wrote in message ...
In article , (David Drumheller) wrote: I've been listening to shortwave radio since the mid-1970s, and so I've done a fair amount of tinkering with antennas. Like everyone else, I've been on that quest for the best all-around antenna that really doesn't exist. Right now I use a 42-ft, longwire, attic antenna that's feed with 450-Ohm feedline that terminates in a tuner (T-network) in a closet near the receiver. I use 50-Ohm coax between the tuner and receiver, which is also my amateur transceiver. I "tune" the antenna using an MFJ-259 analyzer. Why did I settle for this system: - It fits in my attic. - It's radiation patterns are dipole-like on the bands I listen to (and operate on as an amateur). - I don't fear lightning strikes. - It isn't in the weather, so it isn't a maintenance problem. - I don't run high power as an amateur, and operate mostly CW, so efficiency isn't a big issue for me. - It's stealthy. Giving up is pointless. Hmmm. I'm not sure what this remark is supposed to mean. But I suppose my original my original post was a little defeatist. What I should have also said is: - My attic antenna works quite well, as I have had no problems working anyone as an amateur. - I still fool around with outdoor antennas. These are mostly single-band systems, leaving my attic antenna to play the role of "Old Standby." I'm very happy with this arrangement. -Dave, K3WQ |
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