JHR,

HOW TO - REMOVE THE TIP OF THE 1/8" MONO-PLUG :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/9133
Use two Pairs of Pliers to carefully remove the End-Tip of the body
of the 1/8" Mono Plug.
Oops - Some people just use a Pair-of-Diks and snip-it-off :-(
Next - Ever-so-Gently -squeeze- the Barrel and deform it 'just enough'
(into an Oval) to make it a "Pinch-Fit" for the 1/8" Jack.

FWIW - If you only have a SO-239 Jack on the back of your Radio
or other equipment; and want to connect a simple Insulated Wire
feed-in-line form a classic LongWire {Random Wire} Antenna.
Then a {1/8"?} Banana Plug will 'fit into' the Center Female Pin of
the SO-239 Jack. -Note- Sometimes you have to gently spread the
four sections of the Banana Plug Tip to get a Snug-Fit with the
Center Female Pin of the SO-239 Jack.


Back in the Good Old Days on the Farm the Answer . . .
would be Baling Wire )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baling_wire

The Modern Day Urban Answers are now things like :
a Paper Clip, a Rubber Band and some Duck Tape )
http://tinyurl.com/mlpty
http://www.texasescapes.com/DelbertT...s-Caulking.htm



yes it is that simple - iane ~ RHF

David - That is True ~ RHF

On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 19:43:18 -0500, clifto wrote:

David wrote:
On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:09:23 -0500, clifto wrote:
You know, I've wondered about that, too. The closest to explaining
that I've conjured is that the electromagnetic field works up
there, but I can't imagine how the electrostatic field from the
transmitting antenna could work on a space antenna. But antenna
design has always been black magic to me.

Basic Nicola Tesla. Resonance. Has nothing to do with ground or
waves travelling through space. An antenna sets up a field by
resonating at the frequency of a connected generator. An antenna
samples energy from the field in a similar manner and this can be
detected.

But nonresonant antennas work quite well, probably even in space.
Resonant antennas work better, but your explanation doesn't account
for the long-wire antenna that works on 19M and 49M too.
It's in the field and absorbing energy. The lack of resonance
requires more amplification.

Telamon wrote:
We have drifted a long way from the topic.

Yes, but it's still about radio and you're still complaining ...and who
appointed you as a "Net Policeman" anyway? You gonna show us your
"steenking bodge"?

BM,

Like most suggestions - This is not a perfect suggestion
that works for everyone all the time.

This is simply one of those suggestions that if you try it;
it just may work for you; this time and the next time it
may not do anything or even make things worse.

The main idea is to see 'if' by adding a Ground to the
un-grounded Radio {Grounding the RF Signal Ground
Side of the Radio's internal circuitry}

So starting with a low cost 'portable' AM / FM Shortwave
Radio with a Plastic Case that does not have an External
Antenna Input or an Exposed Ground Connection.

FOUR TRICKS TO TRY FOR BETTER
AM {MEDIUM WAVE} RECEPTION :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/9137

1. Touch a Finger Tip to the Tip of the Whip Antenna
- - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?
Try this on the AM, FM and Shortwave Bands

2. Touch a Finger Tip to Exposed Ring of Earphone Jack.
- - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?
Try this on the AM, FM and Shortwave Bands

3. Take a 15-20 Foot piece of Insulated Wire and strip-off
an Inch of Insulation from one end and attach the Wire to the
Collapsed Whip Antenna. Route the Wire around the Room.
- - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?
Try this on the AM, FM and Shortwave Bands

Finally we get to the root of this suggestion . . . # 4

4. Take a 3-6 Foot piece of Insulated Wire and strip-off
an Inch of Insulation from both ends and attach one end
to a ground within the room (Cold Water Pipe?). Make
sure that the Radio's Whip Antenna is fully extended.
Next "Touch" this Wire to the Exposed Ring of the
Radio's Earphone Jack.
- - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?
Try this on the AM, FM and Shortwave Bands
HEY - Even try Touching this Ground Wire to the
Radio's Collapsed Whip Antenna )
- - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?

"IF" - When you "Touch" the Wire to the Exposed Ring
of the Earphone Jack the Radio's Reception Improves.
Then Modify an 1/8" Mono-Plug to put into the Earphone
Jack to connect a Ground to the Radio for Improved
Reception all the time {most of the time}.

READ - Antenna's for AM/MW Reception:
http://www.marcspages.co.uk/tech/antmwrec.htm
Marc's Technical Pages - by Marc Dekenah
Choosing the AM/MW Antenna:
- The Short-Low Capacitance;
- The Medium Impedance -
- Low Impedance Antennas.

READ - AM Radio Reception - Tips and Links
-by- Rich Lee Bruce
http://www.geocities.com/richleebruce/amradio.html

READ - How to Get Better AM Radio Reception
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip...2/amradio.html
-by- The Pilot of the Airwaves
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip...332/index.html


hope clarifies a few things and helps - iane ~ RHF

In article .com,
"RHF" wrote:

BM,

Like most suggestions - This is not a perfect suggestion that works
for everyone all the time.

This is simply one of those suggestions that if you try it; it just
may work for you; this time and the next time it may not do anything
or even make things worse.

The main idea is to see 'if' by adding a Ground to the un-grounded
Radio {Grounding the RF Signal Ground Side of the Radio's internal
circuitry}

So starting with a low cost 'portable' AM / FM Shortwave Radio with a
Plastic Case that does not have an External Antenna Input or an
Exposed Ground Connection.

FOUR TRICKS TO TRY FOR BETTER AM {MEDIUM WAVE} RECEPTION :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/9137

1. Touch a Finger Tip to the Tip of the Whip Antenna - - - Does the
Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ? Try this on the AM, FM and
Shortwave Bands

2. Touch a Finger Tip to Exposed Ring of Earphone Jack. - - - Does
the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ? Try this on the AM, FM
and Shortwave Bands

3. Take a 15-20 Foot piece of Insulated Wire and strip-off an Inch
of Insulation from one end and attach the Wire to the Collapsed Whip
Antenna. Route the Wire around the Room. - - - Does the Radio's
Reception Improve or get Noiser ? Try this on the AM, FM and
Shortwave Bands

Finally we get to the root of this suggestion . . . # 4

4. Take a 3-6 Foot piece of Insulated Wire and strip-off an Inch of
Insulation from both ends and attach one end to a ground within the
room (Cold Water Pipe?). Make sure that the Radio's Whip Antenna is
fully extended. Next "Touch" this Wire to the Exposed Ring of the
Radio's Earphone Jack. - - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or
get Noiser ? Try this on the AM, FM and Shortwave Bands HEY - Even
try Touching this Ground Wire to the Radio's Collapsed Whip Antenna
) - - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?

"IF" - When you "Touch" the Wire to the Exposed Ring of the Earphone
Jack the Radio's Reception Improves. Then Modify an 1/8" Mono-Plug to
put into the Earphone Jack to connect a Ground to the Radio for
Improved Reception all the time {most of the time}.

READ - Antenna's for AM/MW Reception:
http://www.marcspages.co.uk/tech/antmwrec.htm Marc's Technical Pages
- by Marc Dekenah Choosing the AM/MW Antenna: - The Short-Low
Capacitance; - The Medium Impedance - - Low Impedance Antennas.

READ - AM Radio Reception - Tips and Links -by- Rich Lee Bruce
http://www.geocities.com/richleebruce/amradio.html

READ - How to Get Better AM Radio Reception
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip...2/amradio.html -by-
The Pilot of the Airwaves
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip...332/index.html


hope clarifies a few things and helps - iane ~ RHF

All righty then, I ask why should you care about picking up the ground
side? Will this make the reception less noisy? Is it worth the trouble?

Theoretically it should help but like all things pertaining to antennas
it will depend on the situation at hand.

If you connect the radio ground to the other half of a dipole or other
Hertzian type antenna it should reduce common mode pickup, which is the
main mode of local noise pickup.

I'll explain why this is if anyone cares to know.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

In article .com,
"RHF" wrote:

In article
,
Telamon wrote:

If you connect the radio ground to the other half of a dipole or other
Hertzian type antenna it should reduce common mode pickup, which is the
main mode of local noise pickup.

I'll explain why this is if anyone cares to know.


I will take you up on your offer, please enlighten
and educate me ~ RHF

Snip

A portable using a whip antenna or using a single wire extension is a
Marconi type, which is a common mode voltage antenna. Locally generated
noise is picked up best by this type of antenna.

The whip or extension wire picks up common mode energy, generated nearby
or from a distance, which travels across the radio input impedance into
the radio chassis return. If you hold the radio or if it is plugged into
an AC converter supply then you and the mains become part of the RF
return. The radio chassis return, you or the mains look like a low
impedance path for the RF to go into so the circuit is the one element
generating a voltage with the RF current across the radios input
impedance into a low impedance ground or return.

This is contrasted with a Hertzian balanced antenna where the RF current
travels from one element to the other through the radios input impedance.

Here locally generated noise tends to couple to both elements more or
less equally so a potential voltage difference does not appear across
the radios input impedance for the local noise source energy. However, a
distant EM waves at 1/2 wavelength of the dipole or smaller will
generate a potential voltage between the two elements, which causes RF
current to flow through the radios input impedance.

This action between local and distant energy on a Hertzian type antenna
is situationally dependent but should show a marked improvement over a
Marconi type antenna for distant signal to local noise. This improvement
is best shown with the portable on batteries so the antenna arrangement
is best balanced. Using a AC supply will have a tendency to unbalance
the Hertzian antenna.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 02:13:35 GMT, Carter-K8VT
wrote:

Telamon wrote:
We have drifted a long way from the topic.

Yes, but it's still about radio and you're still complaining ...and who
appointed you as a "Net Policeman" anyway? You gonna show us your
"steenking bodge"?

The topic is why should you ground a radio that doesn't want to be
grounded. Telemon is uptight.

In article .com,
RHF wrote:
MZ - Right on both points. ~ RHF

Which is why the battery eliminator jack (coaxial power socket) may be
a better bet. If it's hooked up so that the center pin is ground,
you may be able to get a crimp on terminal (as used in a Molex connector
or RS-232 plug) that fits on the center pin without activating the
disconnect switch (that's pushed by the outer barrel). A bit of shrink
tubing is recommended to keep from shorting the two contacts. (There's
no disconnect switch on an FR-200, so I just use a (size N?) plug from
Radio Shack).

Mark Zenier
Googleproofaddress(account:mzenier provider:eskimo domain:com)

Do these four tricks apply to a communications-grade receiver on house
mains, such as, say, an older FRG-7?


On 4/20/06 7:48 PM, in article
, "RHF"
wrote:

BM,

Like most suggestions - This is not a perfect suggestion
that works for everyone all the time.

This is simply one of those suggestions that if you try it;
it just may work for you; this time and the next time it
may not do anything or even make things worse.

The main idea is to see 'if' by adding a Ground to the
un-grounded Radio {Grounding the RF Signal Ground
Side of the Radio's internal circuitry}

So starting with a low cost 'portable' AM / FM Shortwave
Radio with a Plastic Case that does not have an External
Antenna Input or an Exposed Ground Connection.

FOUR TRICKS TO TRY FOR BETTER
AM {MEDIUM WAVE} RECEPTION :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/9137

1. Touch a Finger Tip to the Tip of the Whip Antenna
- - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?
Try this on the AM, FM and Shortwave Bands

2. Touch a Finger Tip to Exposed Ring of Earphone Jack.
- - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?
Try this on the AM, FM and Shortwave Bands

3. Take a 15-20 Foot piece of Insulated Wire and strip-off
an Inch of Insulation from one end and attach the Wire to the
Collapsed Whip Antenna. Route the Wire around the Room.
- - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?
Try this on the AM, FM and Shortwave Bands

Finally we get to the root of this suggestion . . . # 4

4. Take a 3-6 Foot piece of Insulated Wire and strip-off
an Inch of Insulation from both ends and attach one end
to a ground within the room (Cold Water Pipe?). Make
sure that the Radio's Whip Antenna is fully extended.
Next "Touch" this Wire to the Exposed Ring of the
Radio's Earphone Jack.
- - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?
Try this on the AM, FM and Shortwave Bands
HEY - Even try Touching this Ground Wire to the
Radio's Collapsed Whip Antenna )
- - - Does the Radio's Reception Improve or get Noiser ?

"IF" - When you "Touch" the Wire to the Exposed Ring
of the Earphone Jack the Radio's Reception Improves.
Then Modify an 1/8" Mono-Plug to put into the Earphone
Jack to connect a Ground to the Radio for Improved
Reception all the time {most of the time}.

READ - Antenna's for AM/MW Reception:
http://www.marcspages.co.uk/tech/antmwrec.htm
Marc's Technical Pages - by Marc Dekenah
Choosing the AM/MW Antenna:
- The Short-Low Capacitance;
- The Medium Impedance -
- Low Impedance Antennas.

READ - AM Radio Reception - Tips and Links
-by- Rich Lee Bruce
http://www.geocities.com/richleebruce/amradio.html

READ - How to Get Better AM Radio Reception
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip...2/amradio.html
-by- The Pilot of the Airwaves
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip...332/index.html


hope clarifies a few things and helps - iane ~ RHF