On 11 Dec 2004 14:48:08 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini" wrote:

Hi Joe,

When I bought the Roberts I did check it had SSB and you can switch
it too USB or LSB instead of AM - is that what you meant? Anyway
I had quite an exciting reception the other day because I was scanning
around 41m on LSB and found some local radio hams having a good chitty-chat.
I know they were local because they mentionned some places around town
where people in their group came from. One day I wanna get a transmitter
too... :-) Also since I last posted I have received Iran (Voice of the
Islamic Republic of Iran), Vietnam, China (China radio international), Albania,
the U.S , Voice of Russia (World service), Brussels. I'm going to send
off for my first QSL card from Brussels (Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal - www.rvi.be).

I still haven't heard anything of V.O.K and I've tried every different
frequency I have and at different times. I think there is a lot of
interference around here (it sounds like electrical noise). I tried
turning off everything I have electrical in my flat (and also the
fluorescent light in the hall outside my apartment) but to no avail
it doesn't seem the noise is coming from here. My friend told me
to try connecting an aerial we already have on the roof to the radio
which I wouldn't have tried usually because it is a satellite dish
(and I thought they were for receiving microwaves) but anyway we tried
taking the thick middle cable of the lead (the aerial rather than the
earth shielding around it) and wrapping it around the FM aerial of
the radio. That seemed to increase the signal coming in which is odd
but it also gives something if I put it into the TV so I gather sometimes
the wrong aerial type can be bette than none at all. Anyhow I suppose
it would be even better to make up a jack and plugh it into the AM aerial
socket but rather than waste time messing around with that I think building
a real aerial is my next move.

The way I understand it I need to get a length of normal insulated
wire, single core (does the gauge matter or will any do?) lay it on
the roof in more or less a straight line (I am thinking to put
weights at certain intervals to stop it blowing around) then connect
that to some radio co-ax at one end and trail that down the side of
the house and into the window to plug in the radio? The questions
I have is (i) where should I plug the earth of the radio co-ax?
(the outer layer shielding thingie) (ii) are these "ceramic stand-off
insulators" capacitors or what ? if they are what values should I
use ? I can understand the risks during a storm but people never
unplug a TV aerial when they finished using it - why is that?
Is it because there is some protection or is it because the risk
is very low?

I will take a look at prime-time shortwave when I get time. Can
you recommend me any good URLs for reading and learning about things?
A lot of it seems to assume you already know all the basic stuff
which I don't (I know more than average but I'm regularly left
misty-eyed reading radio-ham pages after a couple of KOVAs, QOLs
and DXes ;-)

bestwishesfrom
laura



Dear Ms. Laura,

Contrary to a post above, the Roberts R861 is equivalent to the Sangean
ATS 909, a radio which is superior to the '505. It is a good (not
great) short wave portable radio. However, it does not feaure the
synchronous selectable sideband circuitry which the Sony features and
which, in my opinion, makes all the difference in pleasant listening.

I habe never owned a Sangean ATS 909 nor do I know anyone who does.
According to PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND RADIO, the Sangean/Roberts works
BEST off its AC adapter as it "eats" batteries. An external antenna is
necessary also, as it lacks sensitivity with its whip (according to
them).

A long wire, or loop antenna, mounted on your roof would be ideal. Try
buying a length of insulated wire, two ceramic or equivalent stand-off
insulators (to isolate the antenna from whatever support you use) and
some lead-in wire; attach the appropriate plug to the lead-in to attach
to the radio and you're in business. No separate ground is necessary,
but make sure you DISCONNECT the antenna whenever the radio is not in
use and, especially, during local thunderstorms. (NEVER use ANY
electronic appliance during a thunderstorm; storms only last a
half-hour or so.)

Do NOT let your antenna proper or the lead-in touch anything metallic;
that will degrade the signal.

Tall buildings don't impact short wave signals; electrical "noise" from
computers, fluorescent lights, light dimmers, and other such modern
accoutrements do, however, and it is best to turn these off if
possible. Especially turn off such items one by one to see if the
particular item is causing interference. (Of course, you can do nothing
about your neighbors.) I have a very bad situation at my location with
local electrical noise and I have been able to find a solution, but it
would not be appropriate for you as it cost a great deal of money.

I received VOK several weeks ago at about 0130 on 15180 kHz (actually a
"hair" off that frequency). I haven't heard it since, but, frankly,
have not tried either. Perhaps in the next couple of days I'll listen
for it again.

Do you know about Prime Time Shortwave? Just enter that in Google and
it will take you to one of the best short wave schedule programs on the
web (it's free!). There you can find the latest information on any
station you might desire - its time and frequency and the "target area"
to which it is transmitting. This often lets you have a "fighting
chance" of picking up the signal.

All the best, and the best of luck with your new radio,

Joe

laura fairhead wrote:
fOn 10 Dec 2004 06:40:32 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote:


Hi Joe,

I was an impatient child in the end and went and bought a Roberts
R861.
They actually retail for quite a bit more than the Sony but I'm not
sure I did the right thing :O Its difficult for me because I can't
get deliveries where I live so I checked the local stores and to my
surprise the local electronics shop he had a Roberts R861 (2nd hand
but
VGC) and was only asking =A3120 for everything including mains
adapter.
I'm happy because the Sony was going to cost more than that and
the Xmas squeeze is on - I think I'm going to get so much into this
I will end up getting the Sony soon AS WELL anyway First thing we
realised
is reception is rubbish here (right next door to a huge apartment
block
and lots of buildings on all sides we think are blocking the signals)

The funny thing is that having the mains adapter plugged in seesm to
improve the signal rather than degrade it (maybe it uses it as an
aerial?)
I understand that the telescopic aerial is for FM ? I plugged in the
'whip'
(long wire thing) and put it as high as I could (not very much!) but
we think it will be much better if we put an aerial up on the roof.
Should I just put a long length of wire up there ? Is it alright to
just dangle that down the side of the house to connect it or do we
need to use a special shielded cable to do that? I want to have the
computer running at the same time and it seems to interfer, maybe
it would interfer with the aerial lead coming in ? (I don't know
being inexperienced but that is what my hunch is...)

Anyway I have been glued to the thing all night and wonder if I'll
ever
get to bed :-)) My first exciting discovery (I have been scanning and
writing down the channels or a description) was "All Indian Radio"
on 7.409Mhz. Also I think I got something from Nigeria on 7.382Mhz.
I couldn't get Voice of Korea at all, not one iota. Do you think the
Sony would fend better at that? Or is it just my aerial I need to
set-up?
What frequency did you get VOK on?

Thanxs again, your post was very informative

bestwishes
laura


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