Antenna grounding

[CapnRefsmmat]

I have a random-length wire antenna in my attic, hooked up to a portable (battery-powered) shortwave radio. I've been informed that I need to ground it, so... how do I go about grounding a radio that has no coax jack (it's only a 3.5mm external antenna jack), no grounding plug, and no grounded power supply?

I've also been informed that the sheath on the 3.5mm plug soldered to the end of the antenna would be suitable as a ground, but I'm not sure if that's right. I also don't know where I'd plug the ground in to. Would the center screw on a power outlet work, or would that just increase electrical interference?

 

[LarrySC]

The radio came with a whip antenna. They didnt tell you to ground it.

 

[CapnRefsmmat]

So are you saying it's not really worth it to ground it?

 

[OceanaRadio]

So are you saying it's not really worth it to ground it?

Even an inside antenna should be fed with coax (from the receiver to the antenna feed-point). This can help minimize electrical inteference that may be abundant in the home.

That probably does not apply to inexpensive portable radios. Most do as well with their factory whip if you listen to them from a second-story or higher elevation.

If you use coax inside the home, whether or not you ground that shielding somewhere is up to you. It can be done at both the receiver and the feedpoint, or neither. The portable SW receivers probably see little or no effect from how you feed them, with the possible exception that some can be "overloaded" with too much signal. Get yourself a good tabletop receiver and your attic antenna will suddenly provide much more entertainment, whether you ground it inside or not.

Jack

 

[CapnRefsmmat]

Ah. My receiver is a little Grundig portable (YB-300PE), and that's why the Radio Shack guy discouraged me from getting coax. The antenna helps quite a bit, but I suppose I'll save the extras for when I upgrade.

 

[red8]

Ah. My receiver is a little Grundig portable (YB-300PE), and that's why the Radio Shack guy discouraged me from getting coax. The antenna helps quite a bit, but I suppose I'll save the extras for when I upgrade.

If there is an outside antenna I would definitely use a ground
to the antenna at the top of the pole. And I would also hook
it up the equipment to a surge protection.
red8

 

[CapnRefsmmat]

It's in the attic.