First outdoor antenna, need feed-back.

[petbytes]

I would like some feedback on my plans to put up an antenna to monitor short wave. I’m looking at buying an Icom R75. This will be my first base receiver. I presently have Sony portable.

I live in central California in a single-family home neighborhood. We are at 775 feet above sea level. My house is single story. There are no tall structural issues around me as far as warehouses, factories, shopping malls, etc. It’s pretty clear around me with the exception of a few trees and couple of two-story homes.

The antenna would be mounted on the side of my chimney. From ground to the top of the chimney is about 18 feet. I have to be careful not have too tall of a mast because our neighborhood has restrictions about antennas (but not enforced, yet). My plan was to at least have the antenna high enough (at cable connection) to clear my highest point of my roofline. The chimney is not used and the present TV antenna will be removed.

Here are a couple of pictures (Double click on the images to enlarge)

http://www.pbase.com/photoscout/antenna

I have to run the coax down under the eaves (behind rain gutter) about 50 feet along the house and then into my attic and down a interior wall another 10 feet. About 60-65 feet overall.

I would like recommendations on the type of coax (RG-6 ?) I should use.
And, what antenna would you recommend.

Thanks for any and all help.

 

[Bucko]

The shortwave spectrum is not as critical on the coax use but I would recommend at least RG8U. As for an antenna I would check out the Wiki if you have not already on antenna's. The end fed Long wire for example is pretty simple to make, it is broad and has pretty good results. Of course the higher the better but at least keep the the antenna wire itself away from metallic objects like eve spouts for example.

 

[SAR923]

I think you're confusing scanner antennas with HF antennas. With some rare exceptions, HF antennas are not vertical, they are horizontal. The end fed long wire is the easiest and cheapest to both make and put up. All you need are two masts that just clear the top of the rood on the longest run you can get. The important thing is orientation. Since I assume most stations you will want to hear are east and west of your location, the antenna should be as close to north an south as possible. If you want to listen to mostly tropical and South American stations, the orientation shoud be the opposite. RG-8 or RG-6 coax should be fine. Frankly, 300 ohm twinline will do just as good a job on shortwave and it costs practically nothing. Read up on the shortwave section in the Wiki and then decide what's best for you.