Cheaper sw/hf antenna for portablility?
RedPenguin
portable antenna I could use that has good reception on all of HF and
uses the 1/8 External Jack plug on the receiver, but isn't like $50+.
I have been playing with a homemade dipole antenna with a mono 1/8
plug and two wires going in either direction, but even though I know
people put shortwave antennas up in trees, I learned one good thing,
and that is make sure the tree(s) that you use, are defiantly trees
you can easily climb, if your wire gets stuck up in the tree, LoL. I
had that issue the first time I used my dipole, with the one tree, not
wanting to give the antenna wire back.
Michael Black
> I have a Sony ICF7600GR world band radio and was wondering what
> portable antenna I could use that has good reception on all of HF and
> uses the 1/8 External Jack plug on the receiver, but isn't like $50+.
>
expense is going to go for cosmetics. Because you can't
really come up with anything that isn't just a piece of wire.
So you'll pay for some neat little gadget that lets you wind up the
wire.
But it won't work any better than some wire.
Most people do get by with a "random length of wire" (which mostly
ends up being a relatively short piece of wire for most of the
frequencies in the shortwave range). In the old days, they'd actually
string it up out the back window and to the tree in the backyard, something
that may not be available to many nowadays, living in apartments and
such. So you just let the long piece of wire hang out the window, or
lie on the floor. To the tree has the advantage that it's outside and
away from the house, but there isn't anything really better about
the antenna compared with a similar length of wire lying on the floor.
Keep in mind that many portable receivers are intended for use with
the built in whip, and if you start adding too long a length of wire
it will start overloading (because they put in lots of amplification
to make up for the lack of antenna length on the whip).
Few will bother with actual dipoles, since they are frequency selective
and they will start getting long the lower in frequency you go.
Michael
RHF
.
Red Penguin,
.
Low Cost {Basic} Portable Shortwave Listening
(SWL) Antenna Ideas For On The Go !
.
First Read - "Dipole Antenna Question - Dipole ? Longwire ?
-or- May be a Windom Shortwave Listening Antenna ?"
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/094fca01d2ec32a8
.
EVERY MAN"S {SIMPLE} WINDOM ANTENNA
FOR SHORTWAVE {RADIO} LISTENING (SWL)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/13342
Make a simple Windom Antenna out of a 50 Foot piece
of common of Two (2) Wire "Speaker Wire"
* 1/8" Mono-Phone-Plug
* Solder one end of the Speaker Wires to the Plug Leads
* Measure out 18 Feet from the Plug and Tye an Overhand
Knot in the Speaker Wire.
* Starting at the Far-Unsoldered-Ends of the Speaker
Wire - Split the Two (2) Wires apart dow to the Knot.
* Leave the One {Long} Wire measured from End-to-Knot
at 32 Feet. Tye a small 1" Bowline Knot at the End for
Rigging.
* Trim {Cut} the other {Shorter} Wire measured from
End-to-Knot at 25 Feet.
* Tye a small 1" Loop Bowline Knot at each of the Ends
for Rigging
* Rig with some #18 (1/16") Nylon Braided Mason Cord
"Chalk Line" comes in ~ 250 Feet Spools.
.
The-Bottom-Line for this Windom Antenna is :
* 18 Feet Vertical Legs for the 22 Meter Band
* 25 Feet Long Horizontal Arm for the 31 Meter Band
* 32 Feet Long Horizontal Arm for the 41 Meter Band
* 57 Feet Tip-to-Tip for the 75 Meter Band
.
NOTE - Put the 'cheap' #18 (1/16") Nylon Braided Mason
Cord in the Trees and around things and not the Wire.
.
TIP - Instead of using a 1/8" Mono-Phone-Plug -use-
a "TVJT300" Mini-TV Antenna Adapter on this webpage
to change 300 Ohm Longwire Antenna Input to a 75 Ohm
1/8" Phone Plug of the 'portable' AM/FM Shortwave Radio.
http://buyreliant.com/pfan/splitters_switches_baluns.htm
* External Antenna Wire to one Terminal and
* Ground Wire to the other Terminal
- - - No Soldering Required [.]
Plus the Matching Transformer will help with Static
Discharge build-up from 'outside' Longwire Antennas.
.
READ - Using an External LongWire {Random Wire} Antenna
with the Sony ICF-SW7600GR AM/FM Shortwave Radio
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/303b1b7b54401814
.
READ - "Three Ways to Use the 'Portable Wire Antenna' (PWA)"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/306
Works well with the Sony ICF-2010 and will work well with the
Sony ICF-SW7600GR too; and many other 'portable' SW Radios
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/1728
How-To-Use the "Portable Wire Antenna" (PWA) with many
'portable' AM/FM Shorwave Radios
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/3046
.
READ - Sony ICF-SW7600GR a few External Antenna Options
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/1088
.
READ - Sony ICF-SW7600GR Radio and Sony AN-LP1 {SW}
and Select-A-Tenna {AM/MW} Antennas
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/5870
.
BUILD-YOUR-OWN - HOW-TO-MAKE-A : "Tune-A-Stick"
Whip Antenna Coupler for External Shortwave Antenna.
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/09c73c4c94625fc7
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/3e7db3b2daf2babb
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/50050cdf36a63e6b
.
1. One Piece of PVC Pipe about 8" to 12" long.
.
2. Wrap about 50 to 100 turns of 18 to 24 AWG
Insulated Wire uniformally around the PVC Pipe.
.
3. Tape the Coil End Windings to Secure them.
.
4. Strip away one inch of Wire Insulation to allow
for Ground and External Antenna Connections.
.
5. Position the Radio's Whip Antenna to the Vertical
(Up-Right) Do not Extend the Whip Antenna.
.
6. Place the The PVC Pipe over the Whip Antenna.
.
7. Connect the Ground to the bottom coil end wire
and External SW Antenna to the top coil end wires.
.
This is the end of the Construction of the simple version
of the "Tune-A-Stick" Whip Antenna Coupler.
.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
.
1 - If you Wrap the Insulated Wire Directly on-to the
Whip Antenna : Then you have a Fixed {Permenant}
Installation on the one Radio.
.
2 - If you use a Coil Form {Tube} and wrap the Wire
around it : Then you have a Temporary {Slide-On
and Slide-Off} Installation.
.
IMHO - Most Shortwave Listener's (SWL) perfer
the greater utility of using the Coil Form -and-
The ability to Install and use it when you want -or-
The ability to Transfer it from Radio to Radio.
.
READ - Using the "Portable Wire Antenna" (PWA)
with your 'portable' AM/FM Shortwave Radio
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/a789c8fd6fcb38f2
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/4d918a519e2a7237
.
- - - Three Ways to Use the "Portable Wire Antenna" (PWA)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWL-AM-FM-Antenna/message/306
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/24c4c12c1284c635
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/207605149d11a356
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/20e52b5c47771d66
.
READ - Consider building and using the "Portable Wire Antenna"
(PWA) with your 'portable' AM/FM Shortwave Radio
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/93990162f5b6eb0e
.
ABOUT - The "Portable Wire Antenna" (PWA)
that was created and written about by Tom Sevart [N2UHC].
PWA => http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/portablewire.html
.
READ - Two Things that most 'portable' AM/FM Shortwave
Radios Could Use for "Improved" Shortwave Radio Listening (SWL)
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/423b6d9bcdb872a8
1. External Antenna Input Isolator
2. Moderate Size Low Noise Inverted "L" Antenna
.
.
* G * I * Z * M * O * E *
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/a941cbcd50716c17
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/016995600a6e2edd
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/46557719579ed910
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/a0bfe14ab2ec6900
.
READ - Portable AM/FM Shortwave Radio-to-Antenna
"GIZMOE" Connector Box
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/121903626f5e6d70
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/2070
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/1489
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/957
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/7
.
NOTE - Improved Circuit and Description :
+ Continuous "Ground Rail" 'tie-in' for All Components
+ Jack-Connector to 'match' the Antenna Lead-in.
+ High Voltage Discharge protection using Gas Discharge Tube
+ Low Voltage Surge protection using Front-to-Back Dual Diodes
+ Static Discharge protection using 10K Ohm Potentiometer
+ + RF Signal Attenuation using the same 10K Ohm Potentiometer
+ Not-in-Use protection using an Circuit "Open" Switch
+ Plug-Connector to 'match' the Radio's External Antenna Input.
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/a0bfe14ab2ec6900
.
NOTE - If you use the NE-2 Lite-Bulb and on a 'normal day'
the Bulb is always Glowing or Blinking; then Trim your
Antenna by 25 Feet and check it again - repeat as needed.
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/016995600a6e2edd
.
PROTECTING THE "PORTABLE" AM/FM SHORTWAVE RADIO
FROM THE ANTENNA :
If the Radio Listener has their 'portable' AM/FM Shortwave Radio
permanently connected to an Out-Side External Shortwave Antenna.
I recommend that they consider building and using a "GIZMO"
Connector Box between the Antenna and the Radio.
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/06a9bb618defeca2
.
.
once again more than you wanted to know - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}
.
Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antennas Group => http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
GoTo => http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
The SWL Antenna Discussion Group => http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna HELP => http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna NEWS => http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna INFO => http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
* * * All Are Welcome : Including ELMERS and 'Want-to-be-Elmers'
plus plain old "Mister-Know-It-Alls"; and even those Newbees with
"I Know This Is A Really Dumb Question - But _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "
.
The Shortwave Listener's Blessing :
SWL BLESSING => http://tinyurl.com/s2bjm
May You Never Tire of Listening to the Radio and Always
have Strong Signals and Noise Free Reception ~ RHF {ibid}
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/9233
.
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/
.
! - - -
Radio A 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/
.
= = = = Plain Old American-English 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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.......!.......
Roadie
A small portable reasonably priced antenna would be a simple length of
wire attached to a 1/8 plug. Radio Shack sells a wire antenna on a
small reel for about $10.00.
My suggestion would be to stay away from amplified antennas mostly
because they take up more room in luggage.
Michael Black
Quick hijacking threads, bozo.
If you really feel a reply is necessary, then do what every else
does, simply reply, and then we know you are replying to an existing
post, rather than making it look like you are the all-important source
of information.
And once again, if it's off-topic, don't reply. If it's cross-posted,
don't reply. And don't start off-topic threads.
Michael
RHF
> RHF (rhf-newsgro...@pacbell.net) writes:
>
- Quick hijacking threads, bozo.
? BOSO ? => http://www.ultimeth.com/Bozos.html
oh and yes that is 'quit' -vice- 'quick'
-but- then again i am 'quick' to change
the subject line to reflect what i am
saying {writing about} being true to
myself and any possible reads who
just might reat it . . .
>
> If you really feel a reply is necessary, then do what every else
> does, simply reply, and then we know you are replying to an existing
> post, rather than making it look like you are the all-important source
> of information.
>
> And once again, if it's off-topic, don't reply. If it's cross-posted,
> don't reply. And don't start off-topic threads.
>
> Michael
Why "Michael Black" (MB) You Are SOoooo Gooda !
We @ "Rec.Radio.Shortwave" Don't Deserve You. :o)
It is a Religious Experience to see someone like You "MB"
Who is so Devoted to the Cause of "Off-Topic" (OT) Posts
and so quick to Remind-Us-All of the 'Thou-Shall-Nots' of
"Off-Topic" (OT) Postings and Replies.
MB - Plus now you {The Michael Black} have singled me out
for a Special Admonishment concerning Hijacking Threads
-and- Have Honored Me by Naming Me a "BOSO"
BOSO THE CLOWN => http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bozo_the_Clown
we are truly blessed -and- i am truly bless twice ~ RHF
.
.
MB - The Message {Subject Line} IS The Media
-and- The Media IS The Message {Subject Line}
- - - The Truth 'is' Revealed To Those Who . . .
Read the Message {Subject Line} -and- Then Decide
{Choose} to Read -or- Not Read The Message [.]
* MB - Thank You For Your Personal Attention
- I Am Honored :o)
alas - i am forever a thread 'hijacking bozo' ~ RHF
BOSO THE CLOWN => http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bozo_the_Clown
.
.
. .
N9NEO
Hey Mista Really Happy Fella. I jus gotta tell you how Jealous I am
that are now a thread Hijackin Boso. I have been only been crowned an
idiot. Perhaps I can petition our savior for some special
consideration. I don't want to be just an idiot anymore. I want to
be a thread hijacking boso too.
Sincerely yours with great respect for your high position
Neo the idiot.
RHF
>
> - Show quoted text -
N9NEO - ROTFLMAO ! :o) ~ RHF
.
.
. .
cuh...@webtv.net
www.clarionledger.com (Local News)
Back to Bataan (1945,John Wayne, Anthony Qunn,Beulah Bondi) movie is on
Radio tv now.
cuhulin
michael_s
RedPenguin,
I have a 7600GR and what I use is either the AN-LP1 or a random wire.
I picked up a small spool of 100 ft of stranded hookup wire from Radio
Shack and attached an alligator clip at one end. At first I just
stretched it across the length of the house and that worked okay. Next
I took the other end of the wire and looped it around the windows on
the back porch- three large rectangles- then fed it to the radio and
was suprised to hear it actually did better. Shortly after I set that
up I copied CHU 3333 more clearly than I ever had on that radio. it is
isn't measured precisely and I am not using a balun (though Random
Wire Antenna II will have one), i was hoping for a little quarter wave
action, I guess it worked out okay.
I'm also interested in a slinky antenna, since at that level of
complexity a wire is just a wire and portability and ease of storage
is almost more important to me. (Although I have read something about
it functioning as a 1/10th-wave antenna? )
RHF
Michael S.,
Never heard of a Slinky being consider as a
1/10th-Wave-Lenght Antenna before.
FWIW - Here are Two Low Cost "Portable" [Do-It-Yourself]
Slinky Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna Ideas :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/13366
# 1 - Basic "Slinky" Great-Out-Doors {Camping}
Horizotial Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna
For an "Out-Side" Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna the
Full Size Slinky can be Stretched-Out like a the typical
Horizontal Wire Antenna -and- Fed with an Insulated Wire
or Coax Cable. Rig with Nylon-Poly Mason Line.
TIP - Run the Nylon-Poly Mason Line through the Center
of the Slinky's Coils and use the Line to Support the
Slinky. Measure this Center-Line to 20~22 Feet to
'optimize' the Length of the Antenna.
NOTE - The standard Full Size Slinky has about 100 Turns
with a Diameter of 2.75 Inches and a Circumference of
8.64 Inches for a Total Wire Length of about 72 Feet.
How Long Does a standard Full Size Slinky Get ?
I Calculate that the Optimum "Stretched-Out" Length
of a standard Slinky would be about 22.7 Feet.
- - - Coil Spacing = Diameter of 2.75 Inches [ 1:1 ]
- - - 100 Turns = 99 Spaces between the Turns
= = = 2.75 Inches X 99 Spaces = 272.3 Inches = 22.7 Feet
TIP - A Full Size {Standard} "Slinky" Dipole would
measure about 45.4 Feet Tip-to-Tip.
# 2 - Basic "Slinky Jr." In-the-Room {Travelers}
Vertical Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna
For an "In-Door" Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna the
Smaller-Shorter Slinky Jr. {Junor} can be Stretched-Out
like a the typical Vertical Wire Antenna from Floor-to-Ceiling
-and- Fed with an a short Insulated Wire or a short piece
of Coax Cable. Rig with Cup Hooks, etc.
NOTE - The Slinky Jr. {Junor} has about 85 Turns with
a Diameter of 1.875 Inches and a Circumference of
5.89 Inches for a Total Wire Length of about 41.7 Feet.
How Long Does a Slinky Jr. {Junor} Get ?
I Calculate that the Optimum "Stretched-Out" Length
of a Slinky Jr. {Junor} would be about 22.7 Feet.
- - - Coil Spacing = Diameter of 1.875 Inches [ 1:1 ]
- - - 85 Turns = 84 Spaces between the Turns
= = = 1.875 Inches X 84 Spaces = 157.5 Inches = 13.1 Feet
TIP - A Smaller Size {Junor} "Slinky Jr." Dipole would
measure about 26.2 Feet Tip-to-Tip and could 'fit' under
the Eaves of many Houses and be {Out-of-Sight}.
READ - What About a Multi-Band "Off-Center"
Vertical Dipole Antenna made from a Single
(One) Slinky for Shortwave Listening (SWL) ?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/5696
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/939961a8ac54de62
READ - Consider the Slinky Jr. on a Hula Hoop Loop
Antenna to use with your MFJ-1020C as a Pre-Selector.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/2741
http://www.google.com/group/rec.radio.shortwave/msg/8dfad0a7e37de992
that's it for now - i am all slinky'ed out - iane ~ RHF {pomkia}