Shortwave Antenna

[SCPD]

I’m looking into installing a shortwave antenna and want to know the best economical antenna for an IC-R75. I'm looking to install a long wire and wanted to know if there are any good all around antennas that fit the bill.

 

[gatorhater]

Try this website for reasonably priced antennas:
http://hamradiofun.com

 

[Dugout6]

I have a 70 ft. long wire and a PAR SWL end feed on my R-75. The PAR is excellent and I have the long wire on a different heading with a tuner, the wire works well but picks up interference. If I had to use only one I'd use a PAR, if you have room for the run you may want to consider the PAR.

 

[SCPD]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm going to look into both.

 

[ka3jjz]

We have numerous links - including a couple on the PAR End Fed, which has gotten many rave reviews - on the subject of antennas (including inverted Ls and random wires, which I suspect is more along the lines of what you are considering) here...

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/HF_Antennas

In addition, if you're fairly handy, you can probably build the PAR antenna yourself. The Shortwave SWL Antennas Yahoo group has plans for a balun that should work just fine for your application, and other antenna plans as well.

73s Mike

 

[SCPD]

Thanks again for the additional information.

I going to ask a dumb question. Is it a must for an antenna tuner for SWL using the PAR or other long wires with the IC-R75?

I've been into VHF and UHF listening for a while now, but I'm just starting to get into SWL and trying to learn as much as possible.

 

[basprog]

It's not a must (there are so many variables) but it is highly likely you'll want one with a long-wire.

You can start out cheap by building your own, or perhaps picking up something small like the MFJ-16010. There are many tuners available and caveat emptor going used - make sure it hasn't been fried by the former owner who may have abused it by transmitting with too much power etc.

A tuner is a great tool that can far outlast your radios as your interests in antennas change so it is useful for much more than long / random wires. Depending upon the antenna it is not absolutely necessary, but most serious swl'ers end up at least trying them.

 

[MacombMonitor]

Thanks again for the additional information.

I going to ask a dumb question. Is it a must for an antenna tuner for SWL using the PAR or other long wires with the IC-R75?

I've been into VHF and UHF listening for a while now, but I'm just starting to get into SWL and trying to learn as much as possible.

Hi Bob!

Back in my other house, I used to just string a single wire around the ceiling of my monitoring room. I put those big push-pins in each corner to tie it to. Then I ran the end down the corner of the room, across the floor, and connected it to the back of the receiver. It actually worked quite well! Simple, and cheap enough to try, that's for sure!

 

[SCPD]

Thank Bill and all for the advice.

I need to improve the reception of my IC-R75, but if I put another antenna on my roof either the HOA or my wife is going to kill me.

I was thinking about using this antenna

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant/1413.html

Has anyone ever tried this one and if so any good results? I currently have a longwire, but wanted something that may provide better reception without going to an outside antenna.

 

[MacombMonitor]

Active antennas work "ok", if they're used in an RF quiet environment. If your home is RF noisy, an active antenna will just amplify the noise along with the signal, producing undesirable results.

There are many creative ways to hide an outside shortwave antenna! Why don't you put up a new clothes line for the wife!

 

[SCPD]

I was thinking about that. I do have a lot of RF in the area that may be a problem. How about a turner for my long wire? Have you every used one on a long wire?

Maybe something like this?

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamtune/1146.html

I know this is mostly used for transmitting, but I need something to improve my reception.

Also, I tried the laundry line thing, but she caught on pretty fast, especially since I had just bought a new gas dryer.

 

[elk2370bruce]

Unfortunately, active antennas raise the background noise level as well as the desired audio signal. As far as an antenna tuner (often called a transmatch), all you really need to do is get the best inductance match between the receiver and the antenna (measured in ohms). Avoid amateur radio transmatch/tuner units. You are not transmitting so SWR is not an issue. MFJ does make some receive only pre-selecter units that are a whole lit cheaper and will do the job nicely. Enjoy the R75. It is one hell of a performer!

 

[MacombMonitor]

Thats overkill. Consider a Preselector.

MFJ956
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/preamps/2964.html

MFJ1046
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/preamps/3736.html

MFJ16010 (tuner)
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/preamps/1329.html

 

[MacombMonitor]

Bob:

What exactly are you having trouble receiving? Shortwave monitoring is quite different from scanning. Some bands are dead during the day, but come to life at night, and the opposite is true for other bands. It's also important to know the proper mode for what you're trying to monitor. Regular shortwave broadcast are usually in the AM mode. Amateur (HAM) radio is typically SSB (Single Side Band), either LSB, or USB, again depending on the band/frequency. Utilities are also SSB, as it most Government, and Military.

Email me your home address and I'll send you a couple issues of Monitoring Times Magazine. It has excellent shortwave directories, and info in them!

EMAIL: wcrocker007@comcast.net

Bill

 

[jhooten]

As cheap as they come and works ok.

http://www.radioshack.com/family/in...Type/Shortwave+radio&fbn=Type/Shortwave+radio

 

[basprog]

Stealthy indoor hookup wire

My favorite wire for easily hidden indoor antennas is very small 30-gauge wire-wrap wire. Look at RS #278-502 - they come in 50 foot rolls.

If your walls are white, it is pretty hard to see!

 

[SCPD]

Thanks to all for the information. I seem to have better reception on my DX-394, but in many cases it is almost too sensitive and picked almost everything and gets a lot of overload. I really want to just improve the reception on the stations I do pull in.

I'm thinking about using a passive transceiver preselector with my longwire.

Now I have another question. What is the easiest way to connect a long wire to a unit that has only SO-239 jacks? Should I purchase a PL-259 and solder it to the longwire.

Thanks again all!

 

[MacombMonitor]

Normally you would use a balum (impedance matching transformer), which has a SO239 coax connector on it, and binding post for your wire. However, PAR makes one, with the balum and antenna wire, for what most charge for just the balum. You will need a piece of RG58 coax with two male PL259 connectors. One to your receiver, and the other to the balum on the PAR antenna. You can run this wire just about any way you see fit.

PAR High-Performance Shortwave Antenna
http://www.grove-ent.com/ANT8.html

 

[ka3jjz]

That would be balun of course- and is exactly the antenna I had recommended earlier.

It doesn't surprise me that the 394 overloaded somewhat - most portables simply can't handle long antennas - they're not built at all for that kind of higher input. A shorter antenna is likely to be the cure, though that seems to go against convention.

Now as to connecting a long wire to a receiver that only has a SO239 jack - you'll have to be more specific. For the 1500 or the 75? If it's for the 1500, then the suggestion above will work just fine (in point of fact, it'll work on both receivers just fine...)

The 75 has binding posts in the back for a single wire antenna - you then, if I'm not mistaken, need to make sure the receiver is taking its input from that post with a change in a setup menu. I don't have a R75, but that's what I seem to recall.

There are several possibilities on our Antennas wiki to get that noise down; the Par is a very good choice, building a loop (like the Carpet Loop, which isn't all that hard...) is another. Do some research and see which solution might work the best for you. The URL is:

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/HF_Antennas

73s Mike

 

[MacombMonitor]

That would be balun of course- and is exactly the antenna I had recommended earlier.
[clipped]
The 75 has binding posts in the back for a single wire antenna - you then, if I'm not mistaken, need to make sure the receiver is taking its input from that post with a change in a setup menu. I don't have a R75, but that's what I seem to recall.

73s Mike

Sorry Mike, didn't mean to steal your post. I'm overlooking a lot lately...need to slow down I guess.

The SO239 we know is 50 ohms. Aren't the binding post for 300 ohm twin-line, for use with a dipole?