Best small backyard antenna?
Justis
Even thinking of a Wellbrook but quite expensive! Really quiet from the
reviews and less bothered by hydro line noise.
Only have 35 foot deep yard by 25 wide.
There are also Bell/Hydro wires running along mine and my neighbors
adjoining backyards.
Appreciate any help.
At present I just have a longwire, 'kinda zigzagging the property. I also
have 9::1 balun which helps with the noise.
dave
help. The rod is too heavy for the case, so additional strain relief is
needed. I also have waterproofed mine, even though the circuits are
encased in epoxy. Get it 20' in the air, as far as possible from your
Edison, and you should be OK.
pli...@telkomsa.net
> Even thinking of a Wellbrook but quite expensive! Really quiet from the
> reviews and less bothered by hydro line noise.
Ya, a great choice for a small yard with high RF noise, also a RF
Systems DX1 Professional MKII gives me outstanding results.
> Only have 35 foot deep yard by 25 wide.
> There are also Bell/Hydro wires running along mine and my neighbors
> adjoining backyards.
> Appreciate any help.
I had a small yard, but it was bigger than yours. See my experiments
at:
http://www.dxing.info/community/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2347&sid=914df109b9569682952d5c568de51b0f
> At present I just have a longwire, 'kinda zigzagging the property. I also
> have 9::1 balun which helps with the noise.
Zigzagging wires work against themselves = not likely to perform well.
Goog luck and try a bit of antenna farming first with cheap wire, but
you need a couple of very high poles at the extremities of your yard.
John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa
South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s
Icom IC-7700, Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods
Drake SW8. ERGO software
Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100
BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A.
Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro Mk II, Datong AD-270
Kiwa MW Loop.
http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx
dave
range isn't much of an issue, due to the fact that other than KVOH there
are no high-power HF transmitters within 800 miles. I was listening to
a South Carolina ham on 40 meters Saturday afternoon, in my North Los
Angeles County radio compound, using the 1024.
RHF
-
- MFJ 1024 any good?
- Even thinking of a Wellbrook but quite expensive!
- Really quiet from the reviews and less bothered
- by hydro line noise.
- Only have 35 foot deep backyard by 25 foot wide.
- There are also Bell/Hydro wires running along mine
- and my neighbors adjoining backyards.
- Appreciate any help.
- At present I just have a longwire, 'kinda zigzagging the property.
- I also have 9::1 balun which helps with the noise.
-
Justis,
Best Small Backyard Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna ?
Small Horizontal Loop Antenna using a Matching Transformer
* 12~24 Feet per Side {48~96 Feet Long - Around}
[Square, Rectangle, Triangle or Poly-Shaped]
* 8~16 Feet in the Air {Over-Head no Hanging Hazard}
* Coax Cable Feed-in-Line
* Ground at the Radio Shack
Par Electronics End-Fed Short Wave [EF-SWL] Antenna
rigged as a Horizontal Loop Antenna
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/2205.html
Wellbrook Active Loop Antenna Model # ALA 100M
http://www.wellbrook.uk.com/ALA100Ma.html
rigged as a Horizontal Loop Antenna
Build your own 'low-cost' Horizontal Loop Antenna
from TV Antenna type Parts :
* 300 Ohm TV Twin-Lead Antenna Element
[ Parallel Twin Loops -or- Series Two Loops ]
* TV 300 Ohm to 75 Ohm Matching Transformer
* RG-6 Quad-Shield Coax Cable feed-in-line
.
.
shortwave radio listening -swl- keeping it simple and practical
-kisap- it is about listening to the radio - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}
.
Are You Interested in building a better Shortwave Listening*
(SWL) Antenna ? {SWL Group} => http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
GoTo => http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
.
RHF's Standard "Shortwave Radio Listener (SWL) Antennas Group"
Reference Message Signature-Line => http://tinyurl.com/25zbrg
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/411dac3b4a1798e0
.
* Remember 55.5% of Shortwave Radio Listening (SWL)
is the Shortwave Antenna =>http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
.
RHF's Radio Shack in Twain Harte, California -USA-
SHACK INFO =>http://tinyurl.com/2skmxm
Shortwave Radio / Receiver and SWL Antenna Info
.
-=2SKMXM=-
-=25ZBRG=-
SWR3:SWL:INFO
.
Brian Denley
whole city has only 4 square miles and 30,000 people) and it works pretty
well.
--
Brian Denley
http://home.comcast.net/~b.denley/index.html
<pli...@telkomsa.net> wrote in message
news:dafb12b8-e719-45b9...@r66g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
pli...@telkomsa.net
> I have a zig/zag RF Systems MLBA MK4 stainless antenna in a small yard (my
> whole city has only 4 square miles and 30,000 people) and it works pretty
> well.
>
for your antenna are to hang it STRAIGHT, high and angled at 30 deg
for all round reception.
In real life we can't always follow these instructions due to local
problems at your own QTH.
The fact that this antenna works for you in a zig zag is great, but
always remember that STRAIGHT will work even better if you can mount
it like that and have the space and facilities to do it properly.
The thing about wire antenna's is that there are hundreds of designs
and ideas and experimenting is great fun and teaches you a lot. There
are umpteen huge books on wire antenna's and you can argue about them
endlessly.
Antenna's also work quite differently in different locations. A wire
antenna on a large farm far away from the city may work superbly, but
placed on a small city yard, surrounded by buildings and power lines,
it may not work very well at all. There are plenty of ideas for small
yards including active antenna's.
In my small city lot in Joburg I had a 15ft/5m commercially made
vertical that worked very well and was dead easy to mount, but it got
zapped by lightning twice and wiped out my house electrics, so if you
are in a lightning stike area keep away from verticals.
Have fun experimenting and good DX.
John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa
South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s
Icom IC-7700, Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods
Drake SW8. ERGO software
Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100
Justis
seems like more gain on my zigzag "array".
I even do better with my TPA Ameco active antenna, indoors. Too much gain
and it overloads, backing off the gain and it's just not equal to wire mess
in my backyard.
I think I'll just add the MFJ-1026 noise cancellor and live with what I
have.
Anyone experience one of these?
"RHF" <rhf-new...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:c54c1ff9-574a-4bd7...@t12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
RHF
The Keys to performance with most out-side Active Antennas
is : The Best Quite Location you can find on your Property,
Good Grounding (Ground Rod and Solid Metal Mast); and
reasonable Elevation (Clear 360* View of the Sky).
READ - Small Vertical {Omni} Active Shortwave Receiving Antenna
and Free-Standing "Grounded" Metal Mast {Top-Rail} Mounting
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/81be298d354f68f8
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/89d05099dc0d45fb
READ - Three 'Tips' For Most Active Antennas : Location + Grounding
+ Mounting --- These 'small' Whip / Loop "Active" Antennas
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/fe4b0674c12e9f59
READ - What About an All Wave Vertical Antenna {Choices}
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/0aecc76902c8b1f7
- Quieter reception and seems like more gain on my zigzag "array".
The ZigZag Array may not be the best way to configure
the Wire Antenna Element.
SWL's - Taking the ZigZag Out of Your Back Yard Antenna . . .
For Shortwave Radio Listener's (SWLs) an open Loop
(be it Round, Square or Triangle) could works better. For
'local' Noise Cancellation a 'balance' open Horizontal Loop
Antenna is preferrred over a bent single wire antenna.
-If- You can not form make a Loop Antenna out of your
present ZigZag {single} Wire Antenna -then- Consider
making it into a Box Antenna Shape with a large open
center with 4 or 3 Sides to the Box. { Top Down View }
___________
| |
| |
* _________|
______
| |
| |
*
-Or- Make it into a 3 Sided Triangle with one open corner.
http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/868/45071508.JPG
FWIW An Inverted "L" Antenna with a Multi-Sided Horizontal
Open Loop {Top-Hat} is A-OK in my KISAP Book of . . .
What Works - WORKS !
READ - SWL -Newbies- Installing an Inverted "L" Antenna :
The Right-Way !
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/27ca62e0c0e838ea
- I even do better with my TPA Ameco active antenna, indoors.
- Too much gain and it overloads, backing off the gain and it's
- just not equal to wire mess in my backyard.
Ameco Tunable Preamp Antenna (TPA) Active Antenna & Preamp
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/1512.html
Try using an External Snake Antenna made from a single
piece of Coax Cable withe the TPA.
READ - Limited Space All Wave Vertical Antenna :
The MFJ-Snake Vertical Antenna !
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/00b4587908f285cf
READ - "Snake" [Mono-Pole] Vertical Antenna
for the FM Radio Band
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/fc544af32df58ab9
Also works well Active Pre-Selector for Shortwave Too !
- I think I'll just add the MFJ-1026 noise cancellor
- and live with what I have.
- Anyone experience one of these?"
READ - Three Different Noise "Sense" Antennas to Use
for Noise Cancelling Antennas with an Antenna Phaser
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/44f663ded31ae934
it's ok to zigzag but it is better to be in-the-loop
-.
Are You Interested in building a better Shortwave Listening*
(SWL) Antenna ? {SWL Group} => http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
GoTo => http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
.
RHF's Standard "Shortwave Radio Listener (SWL) Antennas Group"
Reference Message Signature-Line => http://tinyurl.com/25zbrg
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/411dac3b4a1798e0
.
* Remember 55.5% of Shortwave Radio Listening (SWL)
is the Shortwave Antenna =>http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
.
RHF's Radio Shack in Twain Harte, California -USA-
SHACK INFO =>http://tinyurl.com/2skmxm
Shortwave Radio / Receiver and SWL Antenna Info
.
-=2SKMXM=-
-=25ZBRG=-
SWR3:SWL:INFO
.
RHF" <rhf-newsgro...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
>
> news:c54c1ff9-574a-4bd7...@t12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> On Jun 16, 6:04 am, "Justis" <just...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> -
> - MFJ 1024 any good?
> - Even thinking of a Wellbrook but quite expensive!
> - Really quiet from the reviews and less bothered
> - by hydro line noise.
> - Only have 35 foot deep backyard by 25 foot wide.
> - There are also Bell/Hydro wires running along mine
> - and my neighbors adjoining backyards.
> - Appreciate any help.
> - At present I just have a longwire, 'kinda zigzagging the property.
> - I also have 9::1 balun which helps with the noise.
> -
>
> Justis,
>
> Best Small Backyard Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna ?
>
> Small Horizontal Loop Antenna using a Matching Transformer
> * 12~24 Feet per Side {48~96 Feet Long - Around}
> [Square, Rectangle, Triangle or Poly-Shaped]
> * 8~16 Feet in the Air {Over-Head no Hanging Hazard}
> * Coax Cable Feed-in-Line
> * Ground at the Radio Shack
>
> Par Electronics End-Fed Short Wave [EF-SWL] Antenna
> rigged as a Horizontal Loop Antennahttp://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/2205.html
>
> Wellbrook Active Loop Antenna Model # ALA 100Mhttp://www.wellbrook.uk.com/ALA100Ma.html
> rigged as a Horizontal Loop Antenna
>
> Build your own 'low-cost' Horizontal Loop Antenna
> from TV Antenna type Parts :
> * 300 Ohm TV Twin-Lead Antenna Element
> [ Parallel Twin Loops -or- Series Two Loops ]
> * TV 300 Ohm to 75 Ohm Matching Transformer
> * RG-6 Quad-Shield Coax Cable feed-in-line
> .
> .
> shortwave radio listening -swl- keeping it simple and practical
> -kisap- it is about listening to the radio - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}
> .
> Are You Interested in building a better Shortwave Listening*
> (SWL) Antenna ? {SWL Group} =>http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
> GoTo =>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
> .
> RHF's Standard "Shortwave Radio Listener (SWL) Antennas Group"
> Reference Message Signature-Line =>http://tinyurl.com/25zbrghttp://groups.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/411dac3b4a1798e0
Telamon
"Justis" <jus...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Tried the MFJ-1024 and it's definitely going back. Quieter reception
> and seems like more gain on my zigzag "array". I even do better with
> my TPA Ameco active antenna, indoors. Too much gain and it
> overloads, backing off the gain and it's just not equal to wire mess
> in my backyard.
< SNIP >
Build a loop antenna.
--
Telamon
Ventura, California
Dave
West, where there is no HF to overload the mediocre active elements.
The only problem with loops is that they work a lot better if they are
resonated, which requires a variable capacitor outdoors.
RHF
> Telamon wrote:
> > In article <QEK7k.10808$Ec.3...@read2.cgocable.net>,
> > "Justis" <just...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> Tried the MFJ-1024 and it's definitely going back. Quieter reception
> >> and seems like more gain on my zigzag "array". I even do better with
> >> my TPA Ameco active antenna, indoors. Too much gain and it
> >> overloads, backing off the gain and it's just not equal to wire mess
> >> in my backyard.
>
> > < SNIP >
- - Build a loop antenna.
- As I pointed out, it (MFJ-1024) works fine out here
- in the Wild American West, where there is no HF
- to overload the mediocre active elements.
- The only problem with loops is that they work a lot
- better if they are resonated, which requires a variable
- capacitor outdoors.
? Loop Antenna +plus+ Active Whip Antenna ?
Converting the an small short Active Whip Antenna
into a small Terminated Loop Active Antenna.
Replace the MFJ-1024 Active Antenna's Whip Element with
a single turn One Metre Diameter Loop Antenna Element.
NOTE - The One Metre Diameter Loop Antenna Element
is about 10.3 Feet (124") Long and has a Signal Appeture
Area of around 8.4 Square Feet. -while- The original Whip
Antenna was only 54" Long with a relative Signal Appeture
Area of around 1.2 Square Feet.
* Near-End of the Loop Antenna Element is attached /
connected to the Mounting Stud for the Whip Element.
* The Far-End of the Loop Antenna Element is connected
via a Shunt/Bleed Resistor to the Grounded Body of the
MFJ-1024 Active Antenna's Mast Head Unit.
* Start with a 680 K Ohm Shunt/Bleed Resistor and test
for a =Balance= between RF Signal Strength Across the
MW and/or Shortwave Radio Bands and RF Signal Over
Load from 'local' AM & FM Radio Stations.
* * Adjust the Resistance Value of the Resistor :
Up -if- RF Signal Levels are Low 1.3 MΩ
2.7 MΩ, 5.6 MΩ, 11 MΩ, 22 MΩ, 44 MΩ,
* * Adjust the Resistance Value of the Resistor :
Up -if- RF Signal Levels are Low 1.3 MΩ, 2.7 MΩ, 5.6 MΩ,
11 MΩ, 22 MΩ, 44 MΩ, etc.
* * Adjust the Resistance Value of the Resistor :
Down -if- RF Signal Levels are OK but there is Overload
430 KΩ, 270 KΩ, 180 KΩ, 120 KΩ, 82 KΩ, 56 KΩ, etc.
FWIW - This is a 'small' Terminated Loop Antenna Element
and is still some what Directional. So you can position the
Loop Antenna Element to :
* Null-Out 'local' sources of RF Noise.
* Null-Out Overload from 'local' AM & FM Radio Stations.
even though you think you have it whipped . . .
it is often better to be in-the-loop - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}
Telamon
Dave <da...@dave.dave> wrote:
You miss the point. The problem is locally generated noise. He needs an
antenna that can improve the local noise to distant reception ratio.
--
Telamon
Ventura, California
RHF
<telamon_spamshi...@pacbell.net.is.invalid> wrote:
> In article <4860ecb9$0$26227$bd467...@news.dslextreme.com>,
>
>
>
>
>
> Dave <d...@dave.dave> wrote:
> > Telamon wrote:
> > > "Justis" <just...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > >> Tried the MFJ-1024 and it's definitely going back. Quieter reception
> > >> and seems like more gain on my zigzag "array". I even do better with
> > >> my TPA Ameco active antenna, indoors. Too much gain and it
> > >> overloads, backing off the gain and it's just not equal to wire mess
> > >> in my backyard.
>
> > > < SNIP >
>
> > > Build a loop antenna.
>
> > As I pointed out, it (MFJ-1024) works fine out here in the Wild American
> > West, where there is no HF to overload the mediocre active elements.
> > The only problem with loops is that they work a lot better if they are
> > resonated, which requires a variable capacitor outdoors.
>
- He needs an antenna that can improve the local noise to
- distant reception ratio.
-
- --
- Telamon
- Ventura, California
-rewrite-
He needs an antenna that can improve the
distant reception to local noise ratio.
Generally Expressed as Signal-to-Noise Ratio [S/N].
.
RHF
> 2.7 MÙ, 5.6 MÙ, 11 MÙ, 22 MÙ, 44 MÙ,
> * * Adjust the Resistance Value of the Resistor :
> 11 MÙ, 22 MÙ, 44 MÙ, etc.
> * * Adjust the Resistance Value of the Resistor :
> Down -if- RF Signal Levels are OK but there is Overload
>
> FWIW - This is a 'small' Terminated Loop Antenna Element
> and is still some what Directional. So you can position the
> Loop Antenna Element to :
> * Null-Out 'local' sources of RF Noise.
> * Null-Out Overload from 'local' AM & FM Radio Stations.
>
> even though you think you have it whipped . . .
> it is often better to be in-the-loop - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}
> .
> Are You Interested in building a better Shortwave Listening*
> (SWL) Antenna ? {SWL Group} =>http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
> GoTo =>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
> .
> RHF's Standard "Shortwave Radio Listener (SWL) Antennas Group"
> .
> * Remember 55.5% of Shortwave Radio Listening (SWL)
> is the Shortwave Antenna =>http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
> .
> RHF's Radio Shack in Twain Harte, California -USA-
> SHACK INFO =>http://tinyurl.com/2skmxm
> Shortwave Radio / Receiver and SWL Antenna Info
> .
> -=2SKMXM=-
> -=25ZBRG=-
> SWR3:SWL:INFO
> .
SWLers,
Two Important Things To Do With Any Active Antennas are :
Placement - Locating the Antenna Element in a Low
Noise Area or at least the lowest Noise Area that
you have on your Property. Achieving this usually
involves both moving the Antenna Element away from
the House {Radio Shack}; and Up in the Air.
Grounding - Grounding the Outer Body of the Active
Antenna Element which house's the Amplifier and is
connected to the Coax Cable feed-in-line. Achieving
this usually involves both a Ground Rod at the base
of the Antenna Element Support Structure; and a
Thick & Heavy Ground Wire from the Ground Rod
to the Outer Body of the Active Antenna Element.
-or- Using a Metal Mast and Ground Rod together.
TIP - Sometimes a Series of RF Snap-On Ferrite
Core Chokes spaced-out un-evenly along the Coax
Cable feed-in-line will help to reduce the Common
Mode Noise that many Active Antennas pick-up.
Starting at the base of the Antenna Element place
one at : space 1 Ft. space 3 Ft. space 5 Ft. space
7 Ft. space 9 Ft.
NOTE - Without both proper Placement and Good
Grounding : An Active Antenna just becomes a very
good Noise "Sense" Antenna with an Overpowering
Signal allowing you to hear nothing but Noise.
making sense out of the noise on the air waves
that's shortwave radio listening - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}