GB,

Confused & Annoyed - My new Antenna does not work - What To Do Next ?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/6628

1. The Bare Wire Antenna Element.
- Are you using Insulators and Nylon-Poly Rope to Rig the Wire ?
- Does the Bare Wire resting on Tree Limbs : This can be
an RF Signal Short.
- It is good practice to have the Bare Wire Antenna Element
at least 3-5 Feet away from everything.

2. The Balun
- What Type of Balun Ready-Made or Home-Made ?
- Besides the Coax Cable Connector on the Balun
how many other connectors are on the Balun ?
- Are these other Connectors Labeled ? Antenna and Ground ?
- Did you connect the Balun the Right way or did you
Reverse it by Accident ?
- Make sure that you did not connect the Coax Cable's
Inner Conductor to the Ground Connector of the Balun.
- Test the Balun for simple Shorts and Continuity with
an Ohm Meter.

3. The Coax Cable
- What Type of Coax Cable and Connectors ?
- Check the Coax Cable Connectors for Defects and Shorting.
- Inspect the Coax Cable along it's full length for
Damage and Defects.
- Test the Coax Cable for simple Shorts and Continuity
with an Ohm Meter.

4. Temporary {External} Wire Whip Antenna - Test One
- Disconnect the Coax Cable from the Balun.
- The use a 5-15 Foot piece of Insulated Wire with a
small Clip or Pin on one end to connect to the Center
Pin of the Coax Cable Connector.
- Rig the piece of Wire Straight-Up or at a 45* Angle
like a Whip Antenna.
- Connect the Coax Cable to the Radio.
- Re-Test the Radio's reception with this Temporary
Wire Whip Antenna.

5. Temporary {External} Wire Whip Antenna - Test Two
- Re-Connect the Coax Cable to the Balun.
- Disconnect your Wire Antenna Element and Connect
the 5-15 Foot piece of Insulated Wire to the Balun.
- Rig the piece of Wire Straight-Up or at a 45* Angle
like a Whip Antenna.
- Connect the Coax Cable to the Radio.
- Re-Test the Radio's reception with this Temporary
Wire Whip Antenna and Balun.

"IF" All of the Above Work and Test OK - Then Take Down
and Re-Rig your Wire Antenna Element using :
- An Insulator at the Balun and Ground Stating Point.
- An Insulator at the Top-Corner-Point.
- An Insulator at the Top-Far-EndCorner-Point.
- Use Nylon-Poly Rope with the Insulators and have
a 3-5 Feet piece of Rope between the Insulators and
the Mounting-Point Structures.
- Rig the Bare Copper Wire so that it is at least
3-5 Feet away from all Buildings, Structures, Tree
Limbs and other Wires.

Finally - If all else Fails replace the Bare Copper Wire
with Insulated Copper Wire an and Re-Rig the Wire
Antenna Element Again.

APIWATW - A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words :

Picture of an Inverted "L" Antenna Set-Up and Rigging
http://www.geocities.com/qrp_baluns/app-swlz.html
http://www.kc7nod.20m.com/improved_rw.htm
http://www.radiohc.org/Distributions...s/lantenna.gif
http://www.part15.us/encyclopedia/images/ant1.gif
http://www.bloomington.in.us/~wh2t/i...dl_files/L.jpg

Picture of a Random Wire Antenna Set-Up and Rigging
http://www.geocities.com/qrp_baluns/app-lmz-75.html
http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/files/wire.jpg
http://members.aol.com/djadamson7/ar.../antenna1.html


hope this helps ~ RHF
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= = = In ,
= = = "solarwavecdn" grahameb@t... wrote:

Well I have to admit I am ticked off. I spent the weekend
stringing an inverted L longwire between the house and a
couple of trees. Antenna is 30' up, 75' long, bare stranded
copper, is grounded to the outside copper water pipe, has
a 4:1 balun then 75ohm coax to the receiver.

Receiver is ICOM PCR 1000 and is itself grounded to inside
copper water pipe.

I start to do some SWL'ing and the recpetion of the
"easiest" SW stations is crap!!. Signal strength=1.

I put up my telescoping antenna and attach 20' of
insulated stranded copper wire, run in diagonally
across the living room, no ground and the signal
strength=3-5!!

Go figure???

Ask away whatever questions you feel prudent because
I am at a complete loss.

An annoyed Grahame Booth
Calgary, Aberta, Canada
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
.
Tous Sont Bienvenus ! - - - Groupe par Radio
d'auditeur d'onde courte pour des Antennes de SWL
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
.
Alle Sind Willkommen ! - - - Shortwave Radiozuhörer
Gruppe für SWL Antennen
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
.
Tutti Sono Benvenuti ! - - - Gruppo Radiofonico
dell'ascoltatore di onda corta per le Antenne di SWL
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
.
Todos São Bem-vindos ! - - - Grupo de Rádio
do ouvinte do Shortwave para Antenas de SWL
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
.
Ð’Ñ�е Ð*адушны ! - - - Группа оператора
на приеме коротковолнового диапазона
Radio дл� Aнтенн SWL
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
.
¡Todos Son Agradables! - - - Grupo de Radio del oyente
de la onda corta para las Antenas de SWL
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
.
= = = = = Translation = = = = =
All are Welcome - - - To Join the Shortwave Listeners
(SWL) Antenna Group on YAHOO !
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
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