In: om, "jon" wrote:
Greetings Jamie! I love shortwave and listen to nothing via the
internet. There is something that has always been magical about radio
to me.

I would agree on that front, although the practical value (Gaining perspective from
abroad) seems better served via the internet. (Clearer, more "stations", easier for
average person to broadcast, etc..)

Having said that... I have vivid, happy memories of listening to "CBS Radio
Mystery Theatre" on a crystal set kit. :-) I'm hoping some place on the dial,
someone is broadcasting that type of programming.

To try to get dx the computer and monitor go off. Too much
interference.

Yep, thats the first thing I switch off. Any CRT has high voltage, monitors are
the worst! (fortunately easy to turn off) however, there is still quite a bit
of noise from the other equipment. (3-4 computers, hub, network cable, VOIP
modulating device, wireless network device, SCSI cables, cable modem and
probably stuff I'm not mentioning) From what I gather, things like hubs and
routers are actually computers designed with specific purpose. (in this age,
it is cost effective to give pretty much all electronic devices a CPU, which
has a clock running at a certain frequency, one would imagine these devices
with cheap plastic cases are natural noise producers.)

I can't shut the computers off, they're designed to run 24/7. :-(

Floresent lights.. I've got one but it doesn't seem to matter very much. One
source that took awhile to "root out" was one of those anti-rodent devices.

The big thing is the computers, I simply can't switch them off. (Right now
they aren't present, so I've been able to enjoy some shortwave again when
I'm there) So.. if I listen to SW, I have to work around that some how.

For casualy listening if it is a few feet away it is not
much of a problem.

Things I'm considering, (hopefully I'll get some feedback on this):

I could use an outdoor clothesline. It's a metal cable (steel I think) it's
outdoors and would be ideal, BUT it's only about 5-6 feet off the ground.
Would be perfect because I already have a ground for it, the phone co's spark
arrester ground. (Phone is not used) This would be the longest option, snow
would not be a problem either.

However, in my experience, stations come in better if I go upstairs which is
about 20-25 feet off the ground. (but ONLY when the computers aren't running :-( )

So, I was thinking about maybe running a copper wire in the attic. This would
be right above the computers though.. :-( Also, I can't see how to get to
a decent ground and it would be quite difficult to do. (there really isn't
an "attic" just a crawl space, I've never actually been "in" there)

Also, both antenna "plans" would run horizontal, east to west rather than north
to south, so, the "broad side" would have southern/northern exposure. Is this
significant? (I'm thinking horizon?) going the other way in the same part
of the house, the antenna would be a fair bit shorter.

The north-south plan:

Could take another chunk of the house (an addition) and go south-north (giving
broad side exposure to east/west) the antenna would be lower though. That
portion of the house tends to have a lot of snow on the roof in winter. (it is
slightly further from the computers, although it would be about the same
height) It is above a television set, I kinda doubt my girlfriend and her
daughter could refrain from using it. :-/

The money trap, keep dreaming plan:

Get a high-buck table top, with an RS-232 interface. Route RS-232 cable to the
garage, (with amplification to overcome 50 ft. limit) run SW in the garage and
run the audio back. Downside, ca$h and anyhow, there is a 220-voltage power
line over the garage. If BPL is ever deployed... forget it. Would be kind
of neat though. :-)

Spendy.. and.. well, spendy! Package everything up with fancy buzzers
and things so as to convince my girlfriend it's really a fancy burglar
alarm. :-) (heck, with those expenses a burglar alarm would be smart..)


I have the DX-390, same as yours except without the tape and a better
speaker. I find it a very exceptable portable radio. It however will
overload with most antennas.

I kind of noticed, (I've got a fishing line reel type) didn't know it
was called "overloading" though, just seems like the antenna only gives
a slight improvement. (It does help with SSB listening, although I generally
don't listen to those, ever hear SSB that isn't a conversation between
2 hams?)

Some of the guys in here can tell you
where to find info on how to run a good outdoor antenna for not much
money and cut back on the adjacent freq overload problem.

Yea, I'm interested in that. :-)

I have never had a remote for a table top. I am generally up in the
radio anyway when I am listening so why bother with a remote unless you
are listening to a strong broadcast in a casual manner.

Trouble is, spend so much time monkeying with the radio that it's hard
to pay attention to whatever it is they are saying.

My DX-390 is not very good at Medium Wave either. I have a much less
expensive DX- 396 which beats the pants off of the 390, and pulls in
stations a little better than my GE Super Radio II.

Hmm... DX-396 eh? I'll keep my eyes open for a cheap one. One thing
about the DX-392 (with cassette) is that it's too big to fit in a suitcase
really, yet it doesn't "feel" like a table-top. (Anyhow, end up rotating
it for MW)

Ever try a loop antenna with yours for MW? (I haven't tried that yet)

I can remember thinking that "grundig" was supposed to be the best, but
from what I've read so far, it *sounds like* grundig have the best
advertising. Is this a common perception?

I don't think that shortwave is going anywhere soon. As with all
technologies there will be change and some inevitalbly fall by the
wayside. Time will tell, but IMHO not for the next few decades for
shortwave.

Hope not, but, BPL has me a bit concerned about this. From a practical
standpoint, there are better (clearer) options available. (satelite,
and internet, satelite is something I wish I could get into.. :-) )

Makes me think that soon the only people listening to shortwave are people who
listen just because they like the technology.

Any kind of radio placed beside a running computer is not a good thing.
Just too much RF. The monitor is usually the worst offender. Also
watch for floresent tube lights. Took me awhile to figure that one
out.
Hope that helps. Have a great week!

Thanks!

Jamie
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