What should I do for a shortwave antenna?
I have a Grundig S350 Deluxe Shortwave radio:
http://www.amazon.com/Grundig-S350-Deluxe-Shortwave-Radio/dp/B000Q5APCC/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1230837562&sr=8-1
It’s a decent radio and so far I’ve really had no problems with it.
For the radio my stations of interesting in listening to are in South Africa, I can get the stations but they are very weak and the signal wavers, I’d like to get the signal as clear as possible and I’ve been looking at the options.
I could make an antenna but I have also been looking at buying one, there are two ones I found and they are located here:
http://www.amazon.com/Sangean-ANT-60-Short-Wave-Antenna/dp/B000023VW2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1230837833&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.com/Kaito-AN-03L-Radio-antenna/dp/B00066Z9XG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1230838299&sr=8-1
I’d rather buy one preferably because the company definitely knows more about radios then I would. But how much clearer would an antenna make the signal?
And is buying one really worth it or is a home-made one with wire just as good?
Also I have been looking at books to get for helping me with shortwave and different stations, either I could get Passport to World Band Radio:
http://www.amazon.com/Passport-World-Band-Radio-2009/dp/0914941801/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230838706&sr=8-1
Or this one I found which I’m wondering about called the World Radio TV Handbook:
http://www.amazon.com/World-Radio-Handbook-2009-Broadcasting/dp/0823044017/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230838761&sr=1-1
They both look good but what do they have in them, do they have instructions on how to use a shortwave radio and how shortwave works or do they have stations and frequencies to listen to, or both?
Here is a good place to go for Shortwave antenna help. They have all kind of forums and discussion on radios and antenna’s
!!! Happy New Year !!!
Don
Step one, It depends upon where you live in relation to South Africa. HF propagation is weird in that it uses a constantly moving ionsphere to relay that programming (hince the wavering)
Those antennas listed are nothing more but wire that coils back up when not in use. The Eham article that Donk linked to is correct. Nothing like the maximum amount of wire you can use and probably getting a better receiver if you really want better reception (I don’t want to break your heart but Passport will tell you that in the reviews on the radios in general that the better reception comes in better radios with more sensitivity and usually more stages in the reception
But best is a dipole antenna that is the longest you can possibly put up for that radio and put it up outside. Personally I’ve used 30 foot longwires and a 102 foot dipole in my real estate restricted neighborhood and have gotten many catches (as long as they were at the right time, and the stations were broadcasting for outside South Africa)
Personally, for shortwave I rather Passport over WRTH as the latter is more of a facts and figures book (there is a station here pretty much), whereas Passport gives you an idea of what’s on, when and where
But the ultimate person is you.. go to which is a book review of selected books allowing you to “sample” these books. with both having older issues available for review before purchase
Also, check to see if the station is online, as many stations broadcast their world product (such as BBC) online instead of or in addition to shortwave.
First off , read and **understand** the website SWDXER
It will answer most of your shortwave questions – correctly without the fairy stories of people that just don’t know.
Now days with the low sunspot count (which will soon improve) its make it a real challenge for SW listeners.
This challenge is made near on impossible with the use of portable or average quality receivers.
Simple receivers (essentially anything that comes with a built in telescopic antenna or a price tag under $300) do not respond well when connected to a large external antenna.
This often results in overloading of the receiver which creates more buzzes , whistling hetrodynes and distortion than it had previously.
The net result is a worse signal.- not a better one.
If you really like SW , dump the Grundig , (which by the way is made in China) and get a decent desktop communications receiver such as a Yaesu or Icom.
Those radios , combined with a REAL antenna (not something rolled up like a yo-yo) are amazing ,,and are like night versus day compared to what you have now.