VOA via Madagascar on 9680 @ 2105 UTC

[Mike]

VOA via Madagascar on 9680 @ 2105 UTC in French, sio-444. M w/ news,
several items about Israel and Hamas, correspondent IDs. Good, a
little stronger than // 9780 via Sao Tome. (Redsun RP2100 w/ 50' ext,
Bryant - KY, Dec. 30)

[RHF]

MWB - "(Redsun RP2100 w/ 50' ext,"

-meaning-
The Radio is 'connected' to an External 50 Foot Wire Antenna.

=Q#1= Are you using the PAL (o) Connector for the FM
and Shortwave External Antenna ? [FM SW EXT ANT]

-or- Have you attached the External External 50 Foot Wire
Antenna 'directly' to the Radio's Whip Antenna ?

-or- Are you using the Twin [Black & Red] Terminals [GND
MW EXT ANT] for the External 50 Foot Wire Antenna ?

=Q#2= Are you using a "Ground" with the External 50
Foot Wire Antenna ?

=Q#3= Are you using a AC 'Mains' Power or DC Battery
Power with/for the Radio ?

what works - iane ~ RHF
.

[Mike]

On Dec 30, 9:29�pm, RHF <rhf-newsgro...@pacbell.net> wrote:

>
> =Q#1= Are you using the PAL (o) Connector for the FM
> and Shortwave External Antenna ? [FM SW EXT ANT]
>
> -or- Have you attached the External External 50 Foot Wire
> Antenna 'directly' to the Radio's Whip Antenna ?
>
> -or- Are you using the Twin [Black & Red] Terminals [GND
> MW EXT ANT] for the External 50 Foot Wire Antenna ?

PAL Connector borrowed from my Eton E1XM...

>
> =Q#2= Are you using a "Ground" with the External 50
> Foot Wire Antenna ?
>

Nope.

> =Q#3= Are you using a AC 'Mains' Power or DC Battery
> Power with/for the Radio ?
>

I operate everything, except my R75, SAT800, RX320, and Sony 6800W,
off of alkaline batteries.

I live in a community which enforces anti-antenna regulations by
having the maintenance team report violations. My external antenna are
different length reels of wire stealth-deployed for limited periods
consisting of weekends, after 4pm daily and holidays.

I would be grateful for any ideas you might have on what I can do to
improve my antenna capabilities.

Q1: What about the plans that are periodically posted on how to use
telephone wiring as an antenna?

Q2: Any suggestions on baluns? Sources of Info?

Thanks,

Mike

[Dave]

You are allowed to put up a TV antenna. Use your imagination.

[Billy Burpelson]

Mike wrote:
>
> Q2: Any suggestions on baluns? Sources of Info?

Curious as what you want to do with a balun and what you believe it will
accomplish for you...

[RHF]

On Dec 30, 9:32 pm, Mike <mwbry...@aol.com> wrote:
> VOA via Madagascar on 9680 @ 2105 UTC

PONG MWB : Improving Your Radio Shack One-Step-At-A-Time
-was- VOA via Madagascar on 9680 @ 2105 UTC

MWB,

First -if-possible- Make yourself a Grounding Point
'connection' for your Radio Shack. In a multi-dwelling
building complex a good earthen ground may not be
possible so simply try for a fair RF Signal Ground.
* Cold Water Pipes
* Metal Window Frame
* Center Screw on and Electrical Outlet's Cover Plate
* Bottom-Center Round Hole on a Three Prong Electrical
Outlet
Take a 'portable' AM/FM Shortwave Radio with the Whip
Antenna Collapsed and a short piece of Wire attached
[12 Inch Wire Jumper with Alligator Clips on both ends]
Turn the Radio 'On' and Turn to a non-station Noisy SW
Radio Frequency : Test for RF Noise Grounding by
touching the Alligator Clip to several Cold Water Pipes
and/or Metal Window Frames. When the Radio goes
quite/silent you have a fair RF Signal Ground. Attach
the Alligator Chip and turn around the Bands to see if
it is a good RF Signal Ground across the Bands.
"IF" and only 'if' the none of the Cold Water Pipes and/or
Metal Window Frames do not test-out to be RF Noise
Grounds : Then try the Electrical Outlets for Grounds.
-note- don't be surprised if some of the metal pipes and
window actually increase the Noise Levels.

FWIW -imho- Most modern Telephone Wiring Systems
with the Internet and DSL etc streaming on them are
Sources of Noise and very poor sources of good radio
signals now a days.

Do You {Can You} have a Dish-TV Satellite Dish ?
-IF- "Yes" then buy a 'used' Dish at a Flea Market
Mount the Dish as far-away and as far-up as possible.
Run a Coax Cable or better two Coaxes to the Dish.

Oops but they are not just simply Coax Cables :
They are "Snake" Antennas made from Coax :o)
Start with 50, 75, 100 Feet* of Coax Cable :
R<E========[C]|-|=========S
R = Radio
<E = External Antenna Connector
'=' Coax as feed-in-line
[C] = Clamp-On Ferrite Choke
|-| = Gap One Inch Coax Shield Removed
'=' Coax as Wire Antenna Element
S = Short the Inner Conductor to Coax Shield
* Most of the time making the Coax feed-in-line
part of the Snake Antenna 'equal' to the Wire
Antenna Element of the Coax Cable yields
the best results in an End-Fed 'Linear' Dipole.
-or- Try the 3/8 feed-in-line by 5/8 Antenna
Element arrangement as an End-Fed 'Linear'
Windom.

Second Coax Cable Wire to a H-800 SkyMatch
LF/MF/HF Active Antenna mounted in the Center
of the Dish (---:

hope this helps - iane ~ RHF
.
.

[dxAce]

Michael "I'm a college professor with a PhD" Bryant wrote:

> On Dec 30, 9:29�pm, RHF <rhf-newsgro...@pacbell.net> wrote:
>
> >
> > =Q#1= Are you using the PAL (o) Connector for the FM
> > and Shortwave External Antenna ? [FM SW EXT ANT]
> >
> > -or- Have you attached the External External 50 Foot Wire
> > Antenna 'directly' to the Radio's Whip Antenna ?
> >
> > -or- Are you using the Twin [Black & Red] Terminals [GND
> > MW EXT ANT] for the External 50 Foot Wire Antenna ?
>
> PAL Connector borrowed from my Eton E1XM...
>
> >
> > =Q#2= Are you using a "Ground" with the External 50
> > Foot Wire Antenna ?
> >
>
> Nope.
>
> > =Q#3= Are you using a AC 'Mains' Power or DC Battery
> > Power with/for the Radio ?
> >
>
> I operate everything, except my R75, SAT800, RX320, and Sony 6800W,
> off of alkaline batteries.
>
> I live in a community which enforces anti-antenna regulations by
> having the maintenance team report violations. My external antenna are
> different length reels of wire stealth-deployed for limited periods
> consisting of weekends, after 4pm daily and holidays.
>
> I would be grateful for any ideas you might have on what I can do to
> improve my antenna capabilities.

Move out of your trailer park. After all, a high fallutin fella such as yourself
who once claimed to have a PhD certainly should be able to do better!

[RHF]

- Second Coax Cable Wire to a H-800 SkyMatch
- LF/MF/HF Active Antenna mounted in the Center
- of the Dish (---:

---alternative---
North County Radio's Low Noise Active Antenna
for 10 kHz to 30 MHz AM/MW and Shortwave
http://www.northcountryradio.com/index.htm#anc506
http://www.northcountryradio.com/Kitpages/actant.htm
See if a Student at your Tech School needs a Class
or Special Project; an alternative is a High School
Electronics Class Student who may need a Work
Project.

IF - You can not put it outside : You can put it on a
Window with a small modification to the Single Wire
Antenna Element for better pick. Take a 36" to 72"
piece of 300 Ohm TV type Twin Lead depending on
the size of your window. Sizing the Twin Lead should
be about Six-Inches from the all sides of the Frame
of the Window. Trim-Off an Inch from one Wire from
one-end and then Trim-Off an Inch from the other Wire
from the other-end.
X1---------------------------------------------------------__
__----------------------------------------------------------X2

X1 and X2 are Antenna Connection Points
---- is the Wire Antenna Elements
__ Trimmed-Off 'Gap'

From a Loop in the shape of a Square/Rectangle,
Triangle/Delta, or Circle and secure it to the Window
Frame with Tape of Strings or PVC Frame - what
ever works for you.

Electrically at the single feed-point IT is still a single
Wire Antenna Element -but- Effectively in Space IT
is a Cross-Coupled Twin Opposing Open Loops.
Note - Others have tried attaching only one of the
Twin Lead Wires as the Antenna Element and the
other opposing Twin Lead Wire to the Ground of the
Active Antenna making it a Circular Dipole.
* Both Quasi-Loop Shaped Hook-Ups provide a
Greater Signal Capture Area then the single Wire
Antenna Element and pick-up both Vertical and
Horizontal Polarized Signals.

WHY - The 'effort' here is to increase the Size of the
Signal Capture Area by increasing the Size of the
Antenna Element of the Active Antenna and Off-Setting
the Noise Pick-Up by using the opposing Loops Shapes
Balancing {Canceling-Out} Properties.
.

[dxAce]

Michael "I'm a college professor with a PhD" Bryant wrote:

> On Dec 30, 9:29�pm, RHF <rhf-newsgro...@pacbell.net> wrote:
>
> >
> > =Q#1= Are you using the PAL (o) Connector for the FM
> > and Shortwave External Antenna ? [FM SW EXT ANT]
> >
> > -or- Have you attached the External External 50 Foot Wire
> > Antenna 'directly' to the Radio's Whip Antenna ?
> >
> > -or- Are you using the Twin [Black & Red] Terminals [GND
> > MW EXT ANT] for the External 50 Foot Wire Antenna ?
>
> PAL Connector borrowed from my Eton E1XM...
>
> >
> > =Q#2= Are you using a "Ground" with the External 50
> > Foot Wire Antenna ?
> >
>
> Nope.
>
> > =Q#3= Are you using a AC 'Mains' Power or DC Battery
> > Power with/for the Radio ?
> >
>
> I operate everything, except my R75, SAT800, RX320, and Sony 6800W,
> off of alkaline batteries.

If you didn't waste so much money on alkaline batteries you might be able to
spend that money on classes which would enable you to obtain that PhD you once
lied about having.

[Mike]

> �.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks for all the info, RHF!

Mike

[Telamon]

In article
<c61287b0-d990-41b9...@w39g2000prb.googlegroups.com>,
Mike <mwbr...@aol.com> wrote:

> On Dec 30, 9:29?pm, RHF <rhf-newsgro...@pacbell.net> wrote:
>
> >
> > =Q#1= Are you using the PAL (o) Connector for the FM
> > and Shortwave External Antenna ? [FM SW EXT ANT]
> >
> > -or- Have you attached the External External 50 Foot Wire
> > Antenna 'directly' to the Radio's Whip Antenna ?
> >
> > -or- Are you using the Twin [Black & Red] Terminals [GND
> > MW EXT ANT] for the External 50 Foot Wire Antenna ?
>
> PAL Connector borrowed from my Eton E1XM...
>
> >
> > =Q#2= Are you using a "Ground" with the External 50
> > Foot Wire Antenna ?
> >
>
> Nope.
>
> > =Q#3= Are you using a AC 'Mains' Power or DC Battery
> > Power with/for the Radio ?
> >
>
> I operate everything, except my R75, SAT800, RX320, and Sony 6800W,
> off of alkaline batteries.
>
> I live in a community which enforces anti-antenna regulations by
> having the maintenance team report violations.

< SNIP >

Must really suck having the local Gestapo coming around checking up on
you. Any way you could disguise a clothes line or bird feeder? Maybe use
a metal gutter?

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

[Mike]

On Dec 31, 5:32�pm, Telamon
<telamon_spamshi...@pacbell.net.is.invalid> wrote:
> In article
> <c61287b0-d990-41b9-ba05-e228228d0...@w39g2000prb.googlegroups.com>,

> Ventura, California- Hide quoted text -

>
> - Show quoted text -

Telamon,

Limited personal mobility makes entending the antenna reels the most
convenient way to avoid problems, at least at the moment. I also use
a slinky dipole (sold by Lowbander on eBay) mounted in the attic, two
AN-LP1s (one mounted out a south-facing window and the other out a
West-facing window and connected to an A-B antenna switch), and
several internal wires of random links. I also own two of the old
Radio Shack MW loops. Not an ideal antenna farm, but one that suffices
for my limited needs for entertainment.

We do have overhead telephone lines, so I was wondering what folks
thought about the plans that seem to be posted periodically in this
newsgroup about using telephone lines as an antenna.

I'll examine your suggestion regarding gutters. Thanks.

Mike
Louisville, KY

[RHF]

MWB - Last but not least . . .

-Q2: Any suggestions on baluns? Sources of Info?
- Thanks,
- Mike

I am using a WinRadio WR-LWA-0130 Long Wire Adapter
Matching Transformer with an Inverted "L" Antenna
26 Foot VUL -by- 103 Foot HOA with Far-End 275 Degrees
http://www.winradio.com/home/lwa.htm
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/06e4bbcd5a6be516
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/9fd82cc68ca5dee4

-and- the RF Systems so-called Magnetic Longwire
Balun [MLB] with the a Multi-Element Horizontal Wire
Antenna amde up of Five 1/4 WL Element 5-Wire Flat
TV Rotor Cable 100 Foot long.
http://www.rf-systems.nl/MLB.html
http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/sw_ant/1484.html
http://groups.google.com/group/shortwave-listener-qsl-reports/msg/c2301463e7f3816e
.
READ - Impedance Matching Transformers for Receiving
Antennas at Medium and Lower Shortwave Frequencies
-by- Bill Bowers & John Bryant & Nick Hall-Patch [VE7DXR]
-dated- June /July 2003
http://www.dxing.info/equipment/impedance_matching_bryant.pdf

About the Magnetic Longwire Balun -by- Alan Johnson
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/feed/magbalun.html
http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/xfmr.htm

A Second Look at Fabricating Impedance Transformers
for Receiving Antennas -by- John Bryant & Bill Bowers
& Nick Hall-Patch [VE7DXR] - DXing.Info - July 2003
http://www.dxing.info/equipment/impedance_transformer_bryant2.doc.

Another Look at Noise-Reducing Antenna Systems
-by- Mark Connelly [WA1ION] - 06 JUL 1992
http://www.chowdanet.com/markc/webpage/WA1ION/nrants.pdf

Fabricating Impedance Transformers for Receiving Antennas
-by- John Bryant - May 2001
http://home.comcast.net/~markwa1ion/exaol2/z_transformers.pdf

Of Baluns and Balun Kits :
What's a Shortwave Listener (SWL) To Do . . .
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/a030ff5baf3b512a
.
Balun Reading List ( Long )
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/d14779c94ac46fe0
.
in closing hope this helps - iane ~ RHF
.
* * * That Something Extra * * *
RHF's "JUNK BOX" 9:1 MATCHING TRANSFORMER
Take a 5" to 6.5" Ferrite Rod from an old AM Radio
==//////////|/|/|/|/|/|/|/|/|/|///////////==
singlewire : twinwire : singlewire
"=" Ferrite Rod Round or Flat Bar
"/" 30-Turns 48 Inch Black Insulated Hook-Up Wire
"|" 10-Turns 24 Inch Red Insulated Hook-Up Wire
Leave Six Inch Leads at the Starting and Ending
of the Coils on the Rod.
Use Black Plastic Electrical Tape to Secure all
the Wire Ends to the Ferrite Rod at their starts
and finishes.
Start with 10-Turns of the Single Black Wire.
Then Lay the Red Wire Next to the Balck Wire
and Start the 10-Turns of the Twin Wires.
Next Finish with 10-Turns of the Single Black Wire.
Keep the Turn Wraps Close and Tight Together.
TBL - Yeah It Not a Great Matching Transformer
-but- It can Be Better Than Nothing and can cost
you nothing -if- you have the stuff in your Junk Box.
.
.

[Telamon]

In article
<bf6496df-a66c-44df...@d36g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
Mike <mwbr...@aol.com> wrote:

> On Dec 31, 5:32?pm, Telamon

> <telamon_spamshi...@pacbell.net.is.invalid> wrote:
> > In article
> > <c61287b0-d990-41b9-ba05-e228228d0...@w39g2000prb.googlegroups.com>,
> >

> > ?Mike <mwbry...@aol.com> wrote:
> > > On Dec 30, 9:29?pm, RHF <rhf-newsgro...@pacbell.net> wrote:
> >
> > > > =Q#1= Are you using the PAL (o) Connector for the FM
> > > > and Shortwave External Antenna ? [FM SW EXT ANT]
> >
> > > > -or- Have you attached the External External 50 Foot Wire
> > > > Antenna 'directly' to the Radio's Whip Antenna ?
> >
> > > > -or- Are you using the Twin [Black & Red] Terminals [GND
> > > > MW EXT ANT] for the External 50 Foot Wire Antenna ?
> >
> > > PAL Connector borrowed from my Eton E1XM...
> >
> > > > =Q#2= Are you using a "Ground" with the External 50
> > > > Foot Wire Antenna ?
> >
> > > Nope.
> >
> > > > =Q#3= Are you using a AC 'Mains' Power or DC Battery
> > > > Power with/for the Radio ?
> >
> > > I operate everything, except my R75, SAT800, RX320, and Sony 6800W,
> > > off of alkaline batteries.
> >
> > > I live in a community which enforces anti-antenna regulations by
> > > having the maintenance team report violations.
> >
> > < SNIP >
> >
> > Must really suck having the local Gestapo coming around checking up on
> > you. Any way you could disguise a clothes line or bird feeder? Maybe use
> > a metal gutter?
> >
>

> Telamon,
>
> Limited personal mobility makes entending the antenna reels the most
> convenient way to avoid problems, at least at the moment. I also use
> a slinky dipole (sold by Lowbander on eBay) mounted in the attic, two
> AN-LP1s (one mounted out a south-facing window and the other out a
> West-facing window and connected to an A-B antenna switch), and
> several internal wires of random links. I also own two of the old
> Radio Shack MW loops. Not an ideal antenna farm, but one that suffices
> for my limited needs for entertainment.
>
> We do have overhead telephone lines, so I was wondering what folks
> thought about the plans that seem to be posted periodically in this
> newsgroup about using telephone lines as an antenna.
>
> I'll examine your suggestion regarding gutters. Thanks.
>

How big is the attic? You might consider putting up a folded dipole up
there made out of the 300 ohm twin lead just like you would make one for
the FM broadcast band only larger. I would make it as long as your attic
is long. You could even transform it to 75 ohm coax with a small
mismatch to the radios 50 ohm input. Just be sure to use a hefty 300 to
75 ohm transformer as the light weight ones have small core that do not
work well below 10MHz.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

[RHF]

MWB - Here you go the PA0RDT Mini-Whip @ 30 ft. high
http://www.cvni.net/radio/e2k/e2k029/e2k29miniwhip.html

READ - Grayland DXpedition Logs - Dec. 29-30
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/7041710903cd47bf

PA0RDT 'Micro' Active Antenna - What Is It ?
-and- How To Install It Better !
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/14b1c17886a44d60

PA0RDT-Mini-Whip {Active} Antenna
- Inch-per-Inch - It Works !
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/dbc4666783b0a2f6

The PA0RDT "Mini-Whip" Active Antenna
-by- Roelof Bakker [PA0RDT] {BE = Belgium}
http://yu1lm.qrpradio.com/pa0rdt%20whip.pdf
http://www.radiopassioni.it/pdf/pa0rdt-Mini-Whip.PDF
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/c8728e1d08cd87e6

MWB -think- "Patriotic Flag Pole"
[ Freedom of Speech and a Civil Right ]
Flag Pole [21-Foot piece of Top Rail]
Make sure that it is very well Grounded [8 Foot Rod]
Pulley and Rope to Hoist-Up the Flag
Flag : USA / State / Jolly Roger / etc
Pole Topper : PA0RDT "Mini-Whip" Active Antenna ;-}

MWB - Seams some swear by them
and some swear at them ;-} ~ RHF
.
.

> 26 Foot VUL -by- 103 Foot HOA with Far-End 275 Degreeshttp://www.winradio.com/home/lwa.htmhttp://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/06e4bbcd5a6be516http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/9fd82cc68ca5dee4

>
> -and- the RF Systems so-called Magnetic Longwire
> Balun [MLB] with the a Multi-Element Horizontal Wire
> Antenna amde up of  Five 1/4 WL Element 5-Wire Flat

> TV Rotor Cable 100 Foot long.http://www.rf-systems.nl/MLB.htmlhttp://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/sw_ant/1484.htmlhttp://groups.google.com/group/shortwave-listener-qsl-reports/msg/c23...

>  .
> READ - Impedance Matching Transformers for Receiving
> Antennas at Medium and Lower Shortwave Frequencies
> -by- Bill Bowers & John Bryant & Nick Hall-Patch [VE7DXR]

> -dated- June /July 2003http://www.dxing.info/equipment/impedance_matching_bryant.pdf
>
> About the Magnetic Longwire Balun -by- Alan Johnsonhttp://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/feed/magbalun.html

>  http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/xfmr.htm
>
> A Second Look at Fabricating Impedance Transformers
> for Receiving Antennas -by- John Bryant & Bill Bowers

> & Nick Hall-Patch [VE7DXR] - DXing.Info - July 2003http://www.dxing.info/equipment/impedance_transformer_bryant2.doc.

>
> Another Look at Noise-Reducing Antenna Systems

> -by- Mark Connelly [WA1ION] - 06 JUL 1992http://www.chowdanet.com/markc/webpage/WA1ION/nrants.pdf

>
> Fabricating Impedance Transformers for Receiving Antennas

> -by- John Bryant - May 2001http://home.comcast.net/~markwa1ion/exaol2/z_transformers.pdf

>
> Of Baluns and Balun Kits :

> What's a Shortwave Listener (SWL) To Do . . .http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/a030ff5baf3b512a
>  .
> Balun Reading List ( Long )http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/d14779c94ac46fe0