Go ahead and buy the Apex
I am contemplating getting this for my Radio Shack DX-394, anybody have one or are familiar with it's performance? It's going on a balcony as no other type of antenna is acceptable per apartment restrictions.
Apex Radio 303WA-2 Shortwave antenna. ApexRadio
I have another post in the group comparing the Par and the Apex. I have both up and run to a coax switch
so I can switch back and forth between the 2 on any freq. to see which is a better signal to listen to.
The Apex is a fine smaller profile antenna that works extremely well. It does have a built in impedance
match to make the antenna look like 50 ohms across the bands. The par is up at a height of 17-18'
sloping down slightly to 9''. The Par is far noisier during daylight from the suns Ionizing, gives a higher signal
level but more noise, and after all it really is about the S/N ratio isnt it. At night there are freqs. that are recieved better on the Apex than on the Par (believe it or not) and on maybe most signals are higher level
with the Par along with a higher noise floor. On some freqs. there is little to no difference in signals. There hasnt been any signal that I could hear on one antenna and couldnt hear on the other with the exception of 5 mhz WWV in the daytime, on the Par the signal is washed out by noise completely. Can barely hear
it on the Apex but I can pull it out. I dont know where this idea came from that vertical antennas are noisier than horizontals. I have had horizontal antennas from the 45' Par and different lengths out to 200
ft. The 200' antenna just swamped the receiver with noise and hash. The 2 quiet antennas I have had
have both been verticals, a RF Systems MTA, and now the Apex. I have everything grounded almost to
overkill, the radio, the Par, the mast that both antennas are mounted to. They are all grounded with 8'
grd. rods and no. 10 stranded copper wire. So that is not a problem. I also am not a rank beginner in radio
I am retired now and have been into radio since a teenager. Started out as a novice, worked my way
up to advanced,, then let everything lapse. Got my Tech ticket so I can talk 2-6-10 meters. Not much interest there anymore. So I'm not Sam Stupid when it comes to radios or antennas.
For apartment living the Apex would be ideal. Its not going to swamp the front end. I am familiar with that radio, while its an ok radio, that was radio shacks first attempt at a digital SW reciever and it doesnt have
a particularly "hot" front end. Its a decent performer though that goes back to the 70s -80s If I remebmber
correctly