Best Antenna for a handheld?

Dochuge

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Jul 15, 2004, 2:54:28 PM7/15/04

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hey everyone,

I know this gets asked a lot but I have a nice little grundig was wondering
if the Sony antenna was good with it. Ive just been throwing out about 12 ft
of antenna wire on the roof. Is that about the good that it gets with a
handheld?

Dochuge

Mark S. Holden

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Jul 15, 2004, 3:12:31 PM7/15/04

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Hi

More specifics about your radio, and the particular Sony antenna you're talking about would help.

Odds are you can do better for an antenna - either with a loop antenna, or with a random wire away from the house.

Loop antennas pick up less noise from all the electronic stuff in your house like lamp dimmers, computer monitors, vcr's etc. There are various sites on the web with plans for building them - making one that works well is easy.

Getting your antenna away from the house will also help with reducing noise.

My primary antenna is 225 feet away from the house, and is fed with coax that's burried underground in a pipe. 50 feet away from your house and any neighbors homes will get you most of the benefit I have.

Or if it's a nice night you can just take your radio out in the back yard...

RHF

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Jul 15, 2004, 10:45:09 PM7/15/04

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DOCHUGE,

For 'small' potable Radios, consider the "Portable Wire Antenna"
(PWA) that was created and written about by Tom Sevart [N2UHC].
Portable Wire Antenna "PWA" for the Sony ICF-2010.
- To 'quote' Tom Sevant "This is an antenna I put together after
having problems with overload on my Sony 2010 portable shortwave
receiver"
GoTo=> http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/portablewire.html

FWIW: Basically, the PWA is a a short to medium length "Random
Wire Antenna" that is 'couple' via the a 'portable' radio's
Whip Antenna for improved reception.

HOW-TO-USE-IT - Place the "Coupling Coil":
#1. Vertically [Over] the 'portable' radio's "Partially Collapsed"
Whip Antenna for Improved Shortwave (SW) Radio Reception.
- Vary the "Length/Stub" of the Whip Antenna to 'adjust' the
amount of effective coupling and Signal Transfer.
#2. Vertically [Over] the 'portable' radio's "Fully Extended"
Whip Antenna for Improved FM Radio Reception.
#3. Horizontally [Near] the 'portable' radio's AM/MW Ferrite Rod
Antenna for Improved AM/MW Radio Reception.
- Adjust the 'position' of the Coupling Coil to vary the amount
of effective coupling and Signal Transfer.
GoTo=> http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/portablewire.html
The webpage written by by Tom Sevart [N2UHC] describes the
construction and set-up of the PWA [Portable Wire Antenna].

Or consider a Roll-Up {Reel} Shortwave Antenna like the SANGEAN
"ANT-60" 'portable' Roll-Up Shortwave Antenna will improve the
reception of any 'portable' WorldBand Receiver. The Antenna
Wire may be 'extended' up to 23 Feet (7 m). The Sangean ANT-60
terminates with a 1/8" Mono-Mini-Plug (3.5 mm).
NOTE: If your receiver does not have a 1/8" Mini-Jack for the
External Antenna; an Adapter Plug is provided to 'clip' the
Sangean ANT-60 to your Radio's Whip Antenna.
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/3184.html
http://usa.shortwavestore.com/sangean-ant60.html#order
.
.
iane ~ RHF . Some Say: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/message/502
I BELIEVE: On A Clear Night... You Can Hear Forever and Beyond - The
Beyond !
.
.
= = = "Dochuge" <sam...@adelphia.net> wrote in message
= = = news:<ipKdnXQbk4t...@adelphia.com>...

.

Bruce W.1

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Jul 18, 2004, 12:30:34 PM7/18/04

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Do a little research on dipole antennas. A random wire is only half an
antenna, you also need a ground.