Getting the signal to 8600

[SemperFi1811]

Have been a premium member here for a number of years, but not sure if the subject matter qualifies for this particular forum. If I am re-directed I apologize. Have been a happy camper with the 8600 since 2017. Getting all the info I needed from RR and this forum. Just recently moved to a new neighborhood. My backyard runs 368/E-W. Unfortunately overhead utilities run 60ft behind the house/NS. My antenna and ballum hookup gathers 130 ft from home. Have two/ hundred ft rolls of coax. One roll is RG-8x, the other being a roll of RG-6. That being said, will combined 200ft of mixed coax run, mostly on the ground on its way to the house have any issues/possibly caused by their mis-match or picking up RF(?) from running under the overhead utility(maybe 20-25ft up from terra-firma)... Did I make this complicated??
The 8600, mainly SWL and chasing pirates. Any thoughts, tips. or a suggestion to make the route uninterrupted, would be greatly appreciated...thanks, BILL

 

[KC1UA]

If your interests are primarily HF you should consider an active loop antenna such as a Wellbrook. You would be amazed at how well they can reduce unwanted interference. They are pricey at over $300 but don't put lousy tires on a Rolls Royce!

Loops work great mounted low to the ground and with a little searching, even using an old AM radio to listen to static levels, you can find a "sweet spot" to plant it. They can be used with a small antenna rotor or left in a fixed position that best nulls out the noise.

 

[SemperFi1811]

Thanks for your suggestion. The ALA never came to mind, but, as I did re-call after reading your post there was a review in the 2017 WRTH handbook. The Wellbrook ALA1530LNP got high marks from the reviewers. I just re-read the article and just so happen the testing receiver was the WinRadio Excalibur Pro which I just happen to own but became my second choice or back up after the Icom 8600 arrived.(I love technology)WRTH gave the antenna high marks as well as Wellbrook on their acheivments. I've always had confidence in tossing up a long enoughpiece of wire in the right direction would achieve my desired results. Maybe it's time to step out of the box. Maybe, if the folks up on the Hill/back in DC send out some more stimuli/I may purchase the Wellbrook....thanks again, great suggestion!!

 

[prcguy]

You might also look at the W6LVP loop at $250, its an excellent performer and I have one attached to my R8600 right now. There are some things this loop does better than my 133ft OCFD and a few things the 133ft does a little better, but if I could only have one receive antenna it might be the loop. Since I transmit I'll keep both.

Thanks for your suggestion. The ALA never came to mind, but, as I did re-call after reading your post there was a review in the 2017 WRTH handbook. The Wellbrook ALA1530LNP got high marks from the reviewers. I just re-read the article and just so happen the testing receiver was the WinRadio Excalibur Pro which I just happen to own but became my second choice or back up after the Icom 8600 arrived.(I love technology)WRTH gave the antenna high marks as well as Wellbrook on their acheivments. I've always had confidence in tossing up a long enoughpiece of wire in the right direction would achieve my desired results. Maybe it's time to step out of the box. Maybe, if the folks up on the Hill/back in DC send out some more stimuli/I may purchase the Wellbrook....thanks again, great suggestion!!

 

[devicelab]

Well before you go out and buy anything are you getting RFI at that location now on HF? If not -- then the loop should be fine but if you're getting serious RFI then no loop will help you.

 

[SemperFi1811]

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You might also look at the W6LVP loop at $250, its an excellent performer and I have one attached to my R8600 right now. There are some things this loop does better than my 133ft OCFD and a few things the 133ft does a little better, but if I could only have one receive antenna it might be the loop. Since I transmit I'll keep both.

Thanks, I'm willing to look at the loop. Price and reviews of course will be considered. At my previous residence my antenna layout encompassed a pie shaped yard, narrow in front, wide in the back, nobody behind me except a creek and four legged creatures. My antenna of choice was the Hy-Power 80mt. OCF(135). worked extremely well when conditions were favorable. Unfortunately present conditions do not favor that set-up....Thanks for the info....

 

[SemperFi1811]

Well before you go out and buy anything are you getting RFI at that location now on HF? If not -- then the loop should be fine but if you're getting serious RFI then no loop will help you.

I probably should of considered that before I read your post. I guess I get RFI confused at times with radio propagation.(as in static, noise level, fading)..I probably confuse these issues and blame it on the need for electric power to run all of our devices that my neighborhood demands
I read about it and hear about RFI/man made and natural. Have heard pirate operators speak about propagation and wonder how far they are getting out due to poor propagation. I do own a transistor radio(if I can find it). As one said, turn it on, and walk around the back yrd. If it gets noisy than I have found it and can possibly find a solution to eliminate or reduce the issue....You right, I should. see if I have it first. I guess staring at the overhead power lines convinced me that was the enemy. Did not wish to give my self a project to do, then, undue. That's why I keep in touch with RR and...this forum. I'll blame it on the move. Still have not unpacked the Icom....again thanks!!

 

[SemperFi1811]

Well before you go out and buy anything are you getting RFI at that location now on HF? If not -- then the loop should be fine but if you're getting serious RFI then no loop will help you.

I did happen to find a transistor radio around the house. Did take it for a walk around the yard , close to the house, walked under the utility lines, and back out to where my my present antenna is strung out. I did have an am station tuned in coming out of Detroit about maybe 40 miles away.
My results were enlightening. Close to the house/very little buzzing. Under the utility lines/less than I heard near the house. As I finished my tour/background noise disappeared. For this test I did use a known power rated station(50,000 watts). I will experiment with the transistor radio in the house and take notes on the best location for the 8600 to be posted at. The loop is still an option. I need to get my indoor setup established before the winter sets upon us....thanks for the input...(my thought previously were/with a couple of hundred feet of coax laying on the ground it would possibly be a magnet for RFI).......Well, will see ..thanks

 

[chief21]

A coax run of " a couple-hundred feet" will likely have some substantial loss of signal, even at HF frequencies. Two types of mis-matched cable certainly wouldn't help matters. Check the loss numbers for your coax types to see if this would be acceptable.

 

[KC1UA]

When I suggested the loop I was also thinking about that 200' run and the probability of being able to eliminate the majority of it, due to the way the loop works. Hope whatever course you choose works out for you. The Wellbrook loop saved the HF part of the hobby for me. In a neighborhood of 1/4 acre lots surrounded by people with every imaginable electronic device possible, it is a godsend.

 

[toad99]

I have used the DX Engineering RF-PRO-1B (the Pixel Pro) for several years now with good results. It's on a small Hy-
Gain rotator in my attic. It can't eliminate WiFi spurs, however, but it's great for HF noise abatement. The Wellbrook ALA1530LN would work better, but I would hesitate on trying to have one shipped from the UK and getting here without being bent or smashed.

 

[ka3jjz]

There are also loops that can be used to transmit, such as the Chameleon. We have a good selection of loops in our wiki, viz. (links are in blue)

Loops - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

The links for all the loops mentioned so far can be found here, and there are lots more than that.

Mike

 

[kruser]

When I suggested the loop I was also thinking about that 200' run and the probability of being able to eliminate the majority of it, due to the way the loop works. Hope whatever course you choose works out for you. The Wellbrook loop saved the HF part of the hobby for me. In a neighborhood of 1/4 acre lots surrounded by people with every imaginable electronic device possible, it is a godsend.

If this is not the truth!
I live in an apartment complex just full of every kind of RFI/EMI known and unknown. Also have a small power company above ground switching sub-station a couple hundred feet away. I do have two different length random wires but the noise was just so bad below 30 MHz that I gave up totally on HF and below reception.
I'd also tried noise canceller's where you have a 'noise' pickup antenna but they were touch to tune and did not work all that well with the random and varying noise in my area.
Then I bought a Pixel Pro 1B loop. Best investment I'd ever made!
I put it on the roof of my building with a cheap rotor so I could take advantage on its nulling abilities. The loop worked way better than my wildest imagination would have been.
I now spend hours each night tuning LW beacons as well as the rest of the bands below 30 MHz!
My Pixel loop is now several years old. I bought it before DX Engineering took the brand over. It's worked flawlessly since the day I put it on the roof!
My pail of cement has given way though from UV rays. The 5 gallon pail I mounted the loops mast into has cracked up and now the cement is starting to flake away. Luckily there are several non penetrating flat roof mounts that have old Directv and Dishnet dish's on them that I can fabricate a mast onto before winter hits.