dennis@vrdxhq.UUCP (R. Dennis Gibbs) (02/13/86)
I have recently returned to the hobby of shortwave listening after an absence
of over 10 years. I recently bought an ICOM R71A receiver, which is far better
than the National HRO-60 I used to use. I am having a problem concerning the
choice of a proper antenna for Shortwave Listening.
I live in a third floor apartment. Currently I am using a 30' length of wire
which lies around the perimeter of my listening room. I am not permitted to run
wires outside my window, nor am I allowed to hang any wires from my balcony.
My only alternatives for an antenna are a long wire strung around the room, or
perhaps an active antenna.
I am considering purchasing a remote active antenna, such as the MFJ 1024.
This antenna is small enough (only 54 inches) to be mounted outside, on my bal-
cony. My other alternative is to purchase an antenna tuner and attach my 30'
length of wire to it.
My question is: Which will give me better performance, an outdoor-mounted
active antenna, or an indoor 30 foot longwire antenna with an antenna tuner? It
has always been my understanding that a properly constructed long wire antenna
mounted outdoors will outperform an active antenna. But since my "long wire"
antenna can only be 30 feet long, and can only be indoors, I am thinking that
the outdoor active antenna might give me better performance in this case.
I would appreciate any opinions and advice concerning this matter.
Dennis Gibbs
..!{umcp-cs, seismo, verdix}!vrdxhq!dennisgbr@mb2c.UUCP (Jerry Ruhno) (02/14/86)
> I have recently returned to the hobby of shortwave listening after an absence > of over 10 years........... > > I live in a third floor apartment. Currently I am using a 30' length of wire > which lies around the perimeter of my listening room. I am not permitted > wires outside my window, nor am I allowed to hang any wires from my balcony... > > I am considering purchasing a remote active antenna, such as the MFJ 1024. > My other alternative is to purchase an antenna tuner and attach my 30' > length of wire to it........ > > My question is: Which will give me better performance, an outdoor-mounted > active antenna, or an indoor 30 foot longwire antenna with an antenna tuner?.. I am also interested in the same information. There are two tuners that I know of that are for random longwire antennas. One is by MFJ ( I forget the model number) and the Mini-Tun by Grove Enterprises. Does any body have information on these tuners? Jerry Ruhno epsilon!mb2c!gbr
knudsen@ihwpt.UUCP (mike knudsen) (02/14/86)
> My only alternatives for an antenna are a long wire strung around the room, or > perhaps an active antenna. > > I am considering purchasing a remote active antenna, such as the MFJ 1024. > This antenna is small enough (only 54 inches) to be mounted outside, on my bal- > cony. My other alternative is to purchase an antenna tuner and attach my 30' > length of wire to it. > Dennis Gibbs > ..!{umcp-cs, seismo, verdix}!vrdxhq!dennis I have been wondering about the Sony active antenna (or remote antenna tuner?) advertised in the back of the instruction book that came with the ICF-2002 I just bought at a hamfest. It looks expensive, and all I know is from the picture in the booklet. Probably not many stores carry such a thing. Does anyone have any experience, or even price info, on this gadget? I'm pretty sure it would work with any radio, as the antenna connections on the ICF are nothing special. mike k w9nrd
mo@well.UUCP (Maurice Weitman) (02/17/86)
In article <701@ihwpt.UUCP> knudsen@ihwpt.UUCP (mike knudsen) writes: > >I have been wondering about the Sony active antenna (or remote >antenna tuner?) advertised in the back of the instruction book >that came with the ICF-2002 I just bought at a hamfest. >It looks expensive, and all I know is from the picture >in the booklet. Probably not many stores carry such a thing. > >Does anyone have any experience, or even price info, on this >gadget? I'm pretty sure it would work with any radio, >as the antenna connections on the ICF are nothing special. > mike k w9nrd > I've recently purchased an AN-1 with an ICF-2010. The AN-1 cost me $79, the 2010 was $269 at Whole Earth Access in Berkeley. The AN-1 looks like it would work with any receiver imaginable: it comes with a cord with two mini-plugs, a cord with a mini-plug and a pair of alligator clips, a "coupler" to slip over a telescopic antenna, and a "coupler" to rest the receiver on. Since I've never had an outdoor antenna here, it's hard for me to evaluate its performance except to say that it certainly improves the signal strength and quality of the telescoping antenna. My only complaints with the AN-1 are that it requires six AA cells, and although there is a jack for 9vdc input, no ac adapter is provided. -- Maurice Weitman 9600 ..!{hplabs,lll-crg,ptsfa,glacier}!well!mo | 57600 (415)549-0280 voice (415)549-0388 modem-2400 this^is not 300 mcimail mweitman source bdk788 a pipe 110 P. O. Box 10019 Berkeley, CA 94709
wmartin@brl-smoke.ARPA (Will Martin ) (02/20/86)
Check the latest (40th, 1986 issue) of the World Radio TV Handbook; many libraries get this, and it might be findable in bookstores since it is now distributed in the US by Billboard. In the back is a section of equipment reviews, and a nice feature this year is a short column of Larry Magne's detailing the "best" and "worst" of SWL equipment. One category covered is active antennas. It will help steer you away from buying any really bad units (I believe, working from memory, that the Grove active antenna was one of the worst...) Will
wmartin@brl-smoke.ARPA (Will Martin ) (02/21/86)
Here is what that short "Best and Worst" article in the 1986 WRTH says
about active antennas:
Best: McKay Dymek/Stoner DA-100D
Also, "almost anything made by Datong" was in the "Best" category.
Worst: Grove ANT-9 (Severe overloading problems)
Willai2q@ky2d-2.UUCP (Alex) (02/22/86)
> > > My only alternatives for an antenna are a long wire strung around the room, or > > perhaps an active antenna. > > > > I am considering purchasing a remote active antenna, such as the MFJ 1024. > > This antenna is small enough (only 54 inches) to be mounted outside, on my bal- > > cony. My other alternative is to purchase an antenna tuner and attach my 30' > > length of wire to it. > > Dennis Gibbs > > ..!{umcp-cs, seismo, verdix}!vrdxhq!dennis > > I have been wondering about the Sony active antenna (or remote > antenna tuner?) advertised in the back of the instruction book > that came with the ICF-2002 I just bought at a hamfest. > It looks expensive, and all I know is from the picture > in the booklet. Probably not many stores carry such a thing. > > Does anyone have any experience, or even price info, on this > gadget? I'm pretty sure it would work with any radio, > as the antenna connections on the ICF are nothing special. > mike k w9nrd > I'd suggest you take a look at some of the designs W7ZOI published in the ARRL publication "Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur." I built up a direct coupled amplifier using four stages and used it with a homebrew loop antenna to achieve incredible results down on 75 meters. By turning the loop, you can eliminate local QRN yet still hear as much on the 2' loop indoors as I could on the G5RV outside (wish I could transmit on it!) HIActive antennas are really only limited by the inherent noise in the amplifier itself. Do not have any experience with the MFJ or Sony (or Palomar) but I can tell you that active antennas work - and work well! Good luck es 73 Alex AI2Q, Freeport, Long Island, New York
caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX) (02/25/86)
I've used a Dymek DA-100 antenna for a few years, about ten years ago. Good results on BC and LF, not so good at ten meters. With the whip on top of a 20-40' grounded tower, noise pickup was much reduced. Cross mod from 100 kHz Loran-C was a nuisance, and I've blown three input fet's over the years. Make sure you get one that isn't potted! It's been a while since I've experimented with active antennas, but I'd be tempted to try a source follower with a power fet.