Would this antenna be suitable?

[svenmarbles]

Looking for a good antenna solution for an apartment situation. My current antenna is about 100 ft random wire laying over the top of the roof of the building. It's been the best result I've had over anything I've had indoors. However, I found this antenna Apex Radio 303WA-2 Shortwave antenna. ApexRadio. I'm using a Sony ICF-2010. This antenna terminates to a BNC but the radio accepts a 3.5mm plug. I was going to purchase a BNC to 3.5mm adapter.

Do you think there would be a major improvement over my random wire?

 

[ka3jjz]

There's no easy answer to this question. There are just too many variables to consider here - not the least of which is the fact that, in an earlier posting, I believe you had noted that there was more noise on that 100 foot random wire once you got it outside

Normally verticals are more sensitive to noise issues (altho I've seen a couple of posts that suggest that, despite it being a vertical, it's a pretty quiet antenna). Another factor to consider is the time of day/nite you tend to listen. Propagation can be very different due to that very factor.

If you are interested in a specific part of the world (many DXers are), then a vertical is not really the best choice. However this vertical is rather broad banded, so that's another consideration. Are you looking to dig into any specific band(s) or areas of the world? Verticals can also be a good antenna for DX, because many signals that come from distant parts of the world may be coming in at low wave angles, which verticals tend to favor.

Are you going to get this antenna up in the air or mount it at ground level? Most verticals do better away from any nearby conducting objects as well as noise sources (something you should also seriously consider with your 100 foot antenna).

Having both antennas at your disposal gives you some flexibility - if a particular signal is not coming in well on the random wire, there is a chance the vertical will hear it well. You can build a switching arrangement pretty easily. But as mentioned, there are other considerations to be taken into account here.

And on a related note, you should seriously consider building the first timer project as described in this forum. The very last thing you want to happen to your 2010 is to have a static zap - using either antenna - cook the front end. It may well be very difficult to fix that, with a radio that old. The URL is below...

http://forums.radioreference.com/receive-antennas-below-30mhz/295299-great-first-timer-project.html

Mike

 

[SCPD]

Looking for a good antenna solution for an apartment situation. My current antenna is about 100 ft random wire laying over the top of the roof of the building. It's been the best result I've had over anything I've had indoors. However, I found this antenna Apex Radio 303WA-2 Shortwave antenna. ApexRadio. I'm using a Sony ICF-2010. This antenna terminates to a BNC but the radio accepts a 3.5mm plug. I was going to purchase a BNC to 3.5mm adapter.

Do you think there would be a major improvement over my random wire?

No it probably won't be any improvement. It'll likely be the same -- but it could even provide less signal.

The key issue is what you noticed by the connector. For that particular radio, there's no benefit to paying for something like a passive vertical. It is a very popular antenna in Japan due to the cramped living conditions but it's also meant for a certain type of receiver. (One that is sensitive enough to take advantage of it.)

If you're able to get the 100ft random wire up on the roof and lay it out properly (so like a 25ft sq loop) then that's about as good as you'll get.

If you plan to upgrade your receiver in the future then look at a different antenna system then... but there's really no point right now.

 

[svenmarbles]

No it probably won't be any improvement. It'll likely be the same -- but it could even provide less signal.

The key issue is what you noticed by the connector. For that particular radio, there's no benefit to paying for something like a passive vertical. It is a very popular antenna in Japan due to the cramped living conditions but it's also meant for a certain type of receiver. (One that is sensitive enough to take advantage of it.)

If you're able to get the 100ft random wire up on the roof and lay it out properly (so like a 25ft sq loop) then that's about as good as you'll get.

If you plan to upgrade your receiver in the future then look at a different antenna system then... but there's really no point right now.

So you're saying I'll lose something by stepping the BNC connector down to 3.5mm? I'm not worried about the receiver overloading, it won't.

 

[joeuser]

You lose signal the more you put between the radio & the antenna.

Have you considered the Slinky antenna?

 

[svenmarbles]

Are you going to get this antenna up in the air or mount it at ground level? Most verticals do better away from any nearby conducting objects as well as noise sources (something you should also seriously consider with your 100 foot antenna).

Yeah I'm on the top floor and I was going to mount a mast in the corner of my balcony and have the vertical on top of that.

 

[svenmarbles]

You lose signal the more you put between the radio & the antenna.

Have you considered the Slinky antenna?

I've always wanted to try that out, but it'd have to go inside as there's no way I'm stringing a slinky outside. I'm pushing the aesthetic envelope with any of these antennas.

 

[SCPD]

So you're saying I'll lose something by stepping the BNC connector down to 3.5mm? I'm not worried about the receiver overloading, it won't.

Using any adapter will almost always result in some kind of loss but no, that wasn't my point. The APEX is a passive vertical. You'll get more "signal" out of the wire antenna because it's designed for that.

The simple fact is that you can't buy X device for a couple hundred dollars and get more signal. HF is dependent upon so many variables.

The wire antenna is your best choice for now.

 

[joeuser]

I've always wanted to try that out, but it'd have to go inside as there's no way I'm stringing a slinky outside. I'm pushing the aesthetic envelope with any of these antennas.

That's what I was thinking, for your apartment. I put one outside. Tied some paracord to an old wrench threw it over the highest & sturdiest branch I had & hauled it up. Tied it off on a low branch loosely, as to not lose the cord to growth. The other end has the lead wire wrapped around another piece of paracord anchored at a window. I then ran a ground & ran the wire in. Works great. Does well in the wind to! When I'm going to monitor in serious fashion, I release the anchor and unwrap the lead wire & stretch it out a bit & stake it down. However, I haven't noticed much difference how its oriented. I just know it beats the hell out of a whip & my best option since running a wire just seemed impossible to do properly in my situation.

 

[ka3jjz]

Well there are a lot of different designs for wire antennas out there - a 100 foot antenna is a good start, but certainly not the only thing to try. Your budget, as well as the amount of room you have to work with (and any restrictions you might have, as there are in many communities) are certainly things to consider.

Can you do better? Yep - and the 2010 will work pretty well with many of them. Our HF antennas wiki has links to sites with different designs. Dipoles of various types (fan dipoles are a good choice), T2FDs and many others - within your budget and other constraints, of course. Do some homework.

Almost certainly getting the antenna away from the home as far as is practical, is going to be one step in mitigating your noise issues.

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention that, although they're quite expensive, a Pixel or Wellbrook loop would be an excellent addition to this situation. Here are a few links to get you started...

HF Antennas - The RadioReference Wiki

https://pixel-antennas.com/?page_id=31

Loop Antennas

Mike

 

[joeuser]

The wire antenna is your best choice for now.

This is what I would be using if I could, so may want to stick with it. Course, the slinky can be made cheaply, just to see if it would be any better or to use as a backup.

 

[joeuser]

Well there are a lot of different designs for wire antennas out there - a 100 foot antenna is a good start, but certainly not the only thing to try. Your budget, as well as the amount of room you have to work with (and any restrictions you might have, as there are in many communities) are certainly things to consider.

Can you do better? Yep - and the 2010 will work pretty well with many of them. Our HF antennas wiki has links to sites with different designs. Dipoles of various types (fan dipoles are a good choice), T2FDs and many others - within your budget and other constraints, of course. Do some homework.

Almost certainly getting the antenna away from the home as far as is practical, is going to be one step in mitigating your noise issues.

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention that, although they're quite expensive, a Pixel or Wellbrook loop would be an excellent addition to this situation. Here are a few links to get you started...

HF Antennas - The RadioReference Wiki

https://pixel-antennas.com/?page_id=31

Loop Antennas

Mike

That magnetic loop sure does cost a lot but it seems from the reviews its worth the $ if you have space, housing association, or other similar constraints... Do you or did you have that yourself?

 

[ka3jjz]

Boy do I wish - I haven't got that kind of cash. But lots of folks swear by the Wellbrooks, and as you've no doubt already seen, also like the Pixel a lot.

Both have their pluses/minuses. It's for the user to judge...Mike

 

[MisterLongwire]

I love my Pixel loop. Got mine at a good height and it works awesome. Remember, when you want to receive the best possible get the best you can afford. That includes cable. With the loop also was supplied the cable as well. For me it was money well spent especially for the receivers I have. Yup this hobby is fun....addictive....sometimes not cheap. Reason I chose Pixel over Wellbrook was because of quality of the way it was made...service...MADE IN THE USA....and if something needs replacing its only 2 states away to ship it without an international call

 

[joeuser]

That's a testimony right there!

 

[nanZor]

I've tested the Apex, and it is a good design *IF* an antenna only 6 feet long works for you - such as with portables susceptible to overload from larger antennas.

The coax itself is either heavily choked in the whip base, or the shield is disconnected entirely. Hard for me to tell. Part of the problem with diy setups running coax is that the common-mode of the coax becomes part of the antenna, and in an apartment, the coax itself can pick up all sorts of junk, run up to the antenna and back down. The Apex also appears to use either a balun or resistive network to allow for passive broadband matching of such a short whip. What we're really talking about is loss, but for a portable that may not be such a problem.

The cure for this is an RF-choke. You could emulate the Apex somewhat with an MFJ 915 choke, and a 6 foot piece of wire.

Because the coax is not contributing common-mode reception, the small-ish Apex can be moved / tilted in order to achieve the best S/N ratio, and not necessarily the strongest signal. It is built well, and could easily live on a balcony. Just don't assemble the whips over carpet, because if you do and a setscrew falls out during assembly, good luck finding that thing in the carpet. Ask me how I know.

The Apex is good for those needing a beefy short antenna that is only 6 feet long that can survive the elements better than some bell-wire hung off the end of a 1:1 ferrite choke, but it is still only a 6 foot passive-match antenna. Since the coax is choked / isolated, this small of an antenna would be ok for portables, or if you encounter SEVERE overload with a high-end receiver.

Ideally, you'd take your portable out to your intended location, and do a site-survey with your portable receiver's built-in whip first, note the s/n ratio at various angles and mounting positions, and THEN mount the Apex permanently in a similar fashion.

That being said, I found I personally didn't need such a small antenna, despite the overall beefy build. In an apartment where only 6 feet of space is available, (be it horizontal or vertical or any angle you choose - the mount allows for movement), and with an over-sensitive portable, the Apex might be a good choice especially since the coax seems to be isolated.