I built my first crystal radio about 1960, and with a 20 foot wire antenna I could pick up several stations. I soon graduated to transistor circuits, but that simple wire brought in signals from all over the world.
Just want to say I have learned a lot watching Your channel and want to say thanks for all the info and advice. I love the culture from other countries (music) and listening to the outside politics of our own country. You have been very informative and inspiring. I am now an amateur radio operator. KN4POP sending you 73s
Check your surroundings before throwing. Neighbor (into ham long before me) threw the end of a wire while holding part of the coil in his other hand. The thrown end made contact with a power line and the hand holding the coil had to be amputated.
I was a SWL years ago and am just getting back into it. I have an old Kenwood QR-666 receiver, it is OK but not brilliant. I used to own a Yaesu FRG-7 years ago. It was much more sensitive. 73s from Australia. Subscribed!
Ham radio hobbyist 23 years - grounding is crucial for any radio on the AM / SW bands. Small radios can be grounded by making a ‘dead plug’ - clip the ‘hot’ or tip off of a connector such as the headphone plug (remove two tips for stereo). Find which of the plug lines are connected to the negative. You now have a ground by connecting this line to any metal object driven into the ground ( like a nail ), and inserting the clipped plug into the radio. AM / SW stations will come in so strong, you may have to retract the antenna to prevent signal overload, especially listening at night. You can also ground using the USB cable, but it’s a little more complicated. Simply put - Grounding is the third component to radio reception - voltage enters the radio through the antenna. The radio ‘uses’ the energy. The energy has to be ‘vented’ out of the radio through a ground connection, or there will be a buildup of unreleased voltage / static.
@@OfficialSWLchannel I checked out the V115, pretty good little radio. The Line In and Phones port activates even when only a ground sleeve makes contact, so it’s useless for grounding. I tried grounding through the USB and it works. USB cables have two grounds ( or only one if it’s just a charging cable), so be sure to earth ground the chassis ground wire and not the electrical one, which is used when two devices are linked. You are correct - grounding is usually done sloppily or ignored altogether.
Just a long wire picks up a lot of noise as well, as mentioned. Antenna tuners are cumbersome so I am glad I found the MLBA from RF systems, Magnetic Longwire Balun Antenna, which has 50 Ohm shielded coax coming in to your home. There is a 12.5 meter and a 20 meter long version. I got the 20 meter long and the reception is way better than the whip antenna!
Hooked a 25ft piece of wire to my Grundig G3 with an alligator clip. Checked to see how long a windup reel antenna was. 23ft. Thought Id take a stab at it. Works much better now. Should have know that being a ham for over 25 yrs but thought it wouldn't make much difference unless you hooked to the oscillator. I was an swl in the late 70's till around 2000 when all the big stations left.
An antenna that is too long can overload the front end of these receivers. 20 feet is about right. If overloading ( lots of stations received at once and too much Noise) occurs you can leave the insulation on and wind the wire a few times around the telescopic antenna and a good signal will be had via induction.
2 года назад
It should not be an issue with the Tecsun receivers. At least I don‘t have any with a PL-380 and 30/60 meter band antenna.
Thanks for your videos man, is it possible to listen to shortwave radio on a HAM radio? If so can you make a video to teach us how to do that and what radio we need because I’m looking to make a purchase and I want to get another HAM radio that can do shortwave as well if possible. Please let me know. Cool channel, good job!
Giles, great video! Thinking about setting up my first external antenna, unfortunately, I don't have any trees in my backyard. I do have a wooden fence that runs the perimeter of the back yard, it's about 10 feet tall. Would running a wire around the yard horizontally on the top of the fence work? Would it be too low to be effective? I live in a suburban environment with houses all around.
Can you please recommend me a good external antenna for this radio Eton grinding field, or do you think with the internal antennas it's more than enough ?? I'm planning on using more for sw radio Thank you
There must be some secret radio club that tells its members how to set up an external antennae that works. Seems like someone would just sell it without the need to Jerry rig. The wire you are using is insulated? Good tip on alligator clips! Any kind of wire? I was wanting to listen to short wave radio for under $200. After research, you tube, and reviews I am more lost than when I started. Even if I buy a 300 dollar unit I am doubtful it will work. I live in a valley so I think I’ll need to make some funky antennae modifications. I guess I’ll need an external jack for an antennae, maybe wire. Not sure what kind of wire. I was thinking about connecting it to some fencing. Any ideas? (My experience is seldom does anything work unless you know the trade secrets.)
Could you discuss where to place the antenna away from indoor power lines, away from computers, TVs etc. I have our power line coming in right near my window where I wanted to send out my antenna. Is the interference that great? I'm just using 30ft of speaker wire. Thanks!!
what SW radio do you recommend. I need to listen to stations maybe 4000 KM away. but my max budget is 100$. and do I have to get one that has external antenna port as a better solution than the aligator clip.
Ty much I have a 5th wheel trailer and I think I can just shoot a antenna wire out the screen and up to the roof, then I can have 20 or 30 ft of wire easy , but what should I do with it, just spread it out then ? Will the metal roof be an issue ? I really dont want to Build an antenna per say yet, but something for emergency Comms
I'm receiving a lot of noise all over within my house, plus, just outside of my house are electrical utility poles, so I don't know from what source(s) is the noise. Wherever it's coming from, which/what type antenna do you recommend to overcome the noise problem? I'm currently using a random long wire, but no matter where /how I run it, I still have the same level of noise. Please advise, as I'd love to hear SWL as well as I enjoy being a ham, with good repeater action. THANK YOU!
I would be able to rig a dipole to my house, each leg at 12'. Without a balun/transformer/impedance matcher, what band(s) should I expect to receive? Many thanks! 73 N4ANO
I searched all around the house to see if I could improve the reception (Degen DE1103).. carried that radio every where. The majority of indoors was too noisy.went outside thing's improved much better.. then I hooked it up to the Hills Hoist (rotating clothes line) ..the whole world just opened up in an instant all bands loud n clear
Ali express has a tecsu n copy of a spoiled wire antenna that clips to your antenna spools out a good bit,I paid about three bucks for this,my tecsu n one looks the same,I paid 11.00 for it ,the face in five you two ways to hook it up .just a thought.your idea is also great ,it just mine.can be applied up and for into my pocket .
In additkon to having an externsl antenna, does grounding your receiver reduce noise? If yes, how does it overlap with antenna connection or position? Thanks!
Does the wire need to be straight up in the air or a few meters up and horisontal along the ground or can it be a more or less a loose coil of wire wrapped around a tree or something or just a mess of wire on the floor, or perhaps cover all walls in a square near the ceiling in a room? Does it matter how it is arranged and has anyone tested these arrangments to see whats best?
Can I use a cb antenna to listen to sw? And does it has to be grounded? Also copper wire (best bare copper) works way better of the video you are showing
Another tip: use a rainpipe as an antenna. I have a 12m long vertical rainpipe just outside my window, so I ran a short wire to connect my radio (exactly the same as shown in the video) to this pipe. Both SW and FM reception improved dramatically. In my case the rainpipe is not connected to the ground (bottom piece is made of plastic). Technically, i guess it could count as a "T" type monopole antenna.
2 года назад
It may not be the rainpipe improving the reception but rather the signal outside is better. Low-E windows generally block the signal a lot, no matter if it‘s SW, FM, LTE or NR. I also have an antenna outside and I even got a dutch FM station from 200km away (I don‘t know how it‘s possible, maybe because I live at a elevation of 300m/1000ft). It‘s the same with 5G, if I go outside I get 5G but inside there‘s just 4G. Rain gutters/pipes usually are grounded.
Totally newbie here, i was under the impression that AM loop like antenna are completely independant from the FM telescopic like antenna and that therfore it wouldn't work to put attach some kind of loop antenna to a telescopic antenna ? (please correct me, i'm really a confused newbie !)
i think it depends on the radio. i've heard that as well, but i have also attached wire to the telescopic antenna and do in fact get much better AM reception
Do you mind going over safety tips such as lightning and storm using wire? I want to set up a long wire as an antenna around the housr, but is there a hazard during storms since the wire is not grounded? Sorry, I am new at this.
I wouldn't use it in a storm, but to be honest, if there's a strike anywhere close to you then all your electronics equipment is going to be damaged from the substantial electromagnetic pulse, regardless of it being connected by a wire to anything. During electrical storms, sailors will often put a radio or handheld GPS in the boats oven (or better still, microwave) - this serves as a Faraday cage to protect the devices in case of a strike.
Is it possible to remove the stock telescopic antenna and replace it with a long wire or other antenna using an adapter. Im told the stock antenna are not effective. Have 100' speaker wire in my attic and would like a better connection. Yes, i know having that outside and unobstructed is better.
@@OfficialSWLchannel It's good to hear you opinion. I bought a 25 ft longwire kit on eBay. It came with a balun and I set it up. Followed the instructions 100%. It is mounted on two plastic pipes on top of an old mobile home. I am happy with the setup.
These are great tips I know when I have my antenna on my Teton short wave I get great content and when I put in my D cell batteries, I will take it outside. Looks to explore what I else I can pick up 1:32
I want to use a 20 odd foot heavy guitar lead even though it means cutting off one of the expensive jack plugs should can I leave the other end one on?
Yes that's why radio op disconnect n ground some use lighting protect But it still get thru so it best discount out side n ground to a sepert ground than you radio ground Twis as farr a way as the link ground rod is in the ground 73 n good dx n9prf 2fb2112 JOE
@@OfficialSWLchannel Thanks. So would this be in place of the wire antenna that plugs into the side? Or would that plus one attached to the telescoping one help?
Sometimes this isolated wire having some electrical chargs from the thrunder of the sky So what is called ic (integrated circuit) will be dameged or corrupted So i have to avoid direct connection of isolated wire with antenna i should just wrapping the wire around the telescopic antenna wthout direct contact so i have agood signal witout noise By the way i can use abattary of 9volt without using direct current so signal will be clear otherwise noise from electrical charging Wishing for all good things &happiness Mahmoud elsebaey
I just saw several.video of country's shutting down there shortwave like canada,the Aussie shut there's down ,are there many short wave channel any more?anyone
WHAT IS POINT OF THIS RADIO WAVES . EVERY INTERNET CONSUMER CAN GET ANY RADIO STATION IN HIGH QUALITY WITH THE MOST CHEAPEST CELLPHONE, TABLET , OR LAPTOP.
no true, Shortwave is received where Internet is blocked like ukraine and Russia now. learn how shortwave can cross borders... second...no ... untrue..not every station is on internet
