I'm trying to sort through some material I have read regarding setting
up an antenna for general shortwave reception, probably in the 4,000 -
12,000 MHz range(??), for a modest SW receiver (table top model with AF
gain, RF gain, band spread, S-meter, BFO Pitch adjustment, antenna trim,
etc.). From the materials I have read, I can get reasonably good
general SW reception (though not great reception of code or Ham
broadcasts), with an antenna of around 30 - 100 feet. As understood, the
antenna wire could be simply routed around the room; or, put in the
attic; or, alternatively, strung outside, suitably in an "inverted L"
configuration. (I'm not going to get into directionaly antenna arrays
for Ham reception at the present time.)

If I string a straight length of antenna wire outside (which would
probably be longer than the wavelengths of most signals I'll be
listening to), is its reception directional, and if so, should it
preferably be "aimed" in a certain direction? (Assuming that I would
probably want to listen most often to stations that are located east
northeast of our location here in Texas?) I'm guessing that it should be
perpendicular to the direction from which most signals would come from.
Also, is there a significant advantage to running it at an angle rather
than horizontally, as in some designs?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim

JimC wrote:
I'm trying to sort through some material I have read regarding setting
up an antenna for general shortwave reception, probably in the 4,000 -
12,000 MHz range(??), for a modest SW receiver (table top model with AF
gain, RF gain, band spread, S-meter, BFO Pitch adjustment, antenna trim,
etc.). From the materials I have read, I can get reasonably good
general SW reception (though not great reception of code or Ham
broadcasts), with an antenna of around 30 - 100 feet. As understood, the
antenna wire could be simply routed around the room; or, put in the
attic; or, alternatively, strung outside, suitably in an "inverted L"
configuration. (I'm not going to get into directionaly antenna arrays
for Ham reception at the present time.)

If I string a straight length of antenna wire outside (which would
probably be longer than the wavelengths of most signals I'll be
listening to), is its reception directional, and if so, should it
preferably be "aimed" in a certain direction? (Assuming that I would
probably want to listen most often to stations that are located east
northeast of our location here in Texas?) I'm guessing that it should be
perpendicular to the direction from which most signals would come from.
Also, is there a significant advantage to running it at an angle rather
than horizontally, as in some designs?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim

As a novice that just put up an antenna for listening maybe the
following will help.

I intially put up a windom antenna in the attic and had much RFI from
inside the house.

I did a lot of reading and asked many questions here and ended up with
the following.
I ended up installing an "inverted L" antenna. It is about 85 feet
long horizontal and 15 - 20 feet high as it covers the backyard. I
installed a hook at the peak of the house roof and a heavy spring off
an aluminum screen door. Attached to this I have about 45 feet of
nylon rope between it and the insulator at the start of the antenna
wire. This gets the wire at least 15 feet away from anypart of the
house to reduce RFI. From here the antenna wire, (#14 gauge insulated
stranded wire from Home Depot) goes 85 feet to an insulator that is
attached to a short lenght of nylon rope attached to a mast on an
outbuilding. The wire then goes down about 15 feet to a 10:1 balun
which is mounted directly to a ground rod sticking about 15" above the
ground. From the balun I buried 135 feet of RG-6 outdoor coax about 5"
under the grass and ends at a ground block at the house. The ground
block is also connected to another ground rod installed nearby. From
the ground block I have 50 feet of RG-6 coax that goes into the house
and terminates at a TV type matching transformer with the guts taken
out so I can attach to my recievers screw terminals.

The interferance that I got with the attic antenna is not there and
this antenna is quiet and I recieve many more stations. I am happy
with this setup and since I used white nylon rope, antenna wire, and
insulators it is not an eye sore.

Hope this helps.

Brian

Thanks for the information. - I had hoped to be able to get by with a
less complicated system. For example, it would be difficult for me to
bury 135 feet of coax in our backyard and connect through a suitable
balun and matching transformer. Obviously, I need to do some further
research.

Re my other question, does anyone have any thoughts about whether the
horizontal antenna wire should be oriented to enhance reception in the
direction in which most signals will arrive? (Recognizing that they are
bouncing around, and that some will come from other directions.)

Jim



wrote:
JimC wrote:

I'm trying to sort through some material I have read regarding setting
up an antenna for general shortwave reception, probably in the 4,000 -
12,000 MHz range(??), for a modest SW receiver (table top model with AF
gain, RF gain, band spread, S-meter, BFO Pitch adjustment, antenna trim,
etc.). From the materials I have read, I can get reasonably good
general SW reception (though not great reception of code or Ham
broadcasts), with an antenna of around 30 - 100 feet. As understood, the
antenna wire could be simply routed around the room; or, put in the
attic; or, alternatively, strung outside, suitably in an "inverted L"
configuration. (I'm not going to get into directionaly antenna arrays
for Ham reception at the present time.)

If I string a straight length of antenna wire outside (which would
probably be longer than the wavelengths of most signals I'll be
listening to), is its reception directional, and if so, should it
preferably be "aimed" in a certain direction? (Assuming that I would
probably want to listen most often to stations that are located east
northeast of our location here in Texas?) I'm guessing that it should be
perpendicular to the direction from which most signals would come from.
Also, is there a significant advantage to running it at an angle rather
than horizontally, as in some designs?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim


As a novice that just put up an antenna for listening maybe the
following will help.

I intially put up a windom antenna in the attic and had much RFI from
inside the house.

I did a lot of reading and asked many questions here and ended up with
the following.
I ended up installing an "inverted L" antenna. It is about 85 feet
long horizontal and 15 - 20 feet high as it covers the backyard. I
installed a hook at the peak of the house roof and a heavy spring off
an aluminum screen door. Attached to this I have about 45 feet of
nylon rope between it and the insulator at the start of the antenna
wire. This gets the wire at least 15 feet away from anypart of the
house to reduce RFI. From here the antenna wire, (#14 gauge insulated
stranded wire from Home Depot) goes 85 feet to an insulator that is
attached to a short lenght of nylon rope attached to a mast on an
outbuilding. The wire then goes down about 15 feet to a 10:1 balun
which is mounted directly to a ground rod sticking about 15" above the
ground. From the balun I buried 135 feet of RG-6 outdoor coax about 5"
under the grass and ends at a ground block at the house. The ground
block is also connected to another ground rod installed nearby. From
the ground block I have 50 feet of RG-6 coax that goes into the house
and terminates at a TV type matching transformer with the guts taken
out so I can attach to my recievers screw terminals.

The interferance that I got with the attic antenna is not there and
this antenna is quiet and I recieve many more stations. I am happy
with this setup and since I used white nylon rope, antenna wire, and
insulators it is not an eye sore.

Hope this helps.

Brian

"JimC" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the information. - I had hoped to be able to get by with a less
complicated system. For example, it would be difficult for me to bury 135
feet of coax in our backyard and connect through a suitable balun and
matching transformer. Obviously, I need to do some further research.

Re my other question, does anyone have any thoughts about whether the
horizontal antenna wire should be oriented to enhance reception in the
direction in which most signals will arrive? (Recognizing that they are
bouncing around, and that some will come from other directions.)

Jim

Regarding orientation, your assumption is correct. A wire, up to a certain
length, oriented perpendicular to the desired signal direction will perform
best for those signals.

-Brian

JimC wrote:
Thanks for the information. - I had hoped to be able to get by with a
less complicated system. For example, it would be difficult for me to
bury 135 feet of coax in our backyard and connect through a suitable
balun and matching transformer. Obviously, I need to do some further
research.

Re my other question, does anyone have any thoughts about whether the
horizontal antenna wire should be oriented to enhance reception in the
direction in which most signals will arrive? (Recognizing that they are
bouncing around, and that some will come from other directions.)

Jim



Do a google search in this newsgroup for "INVERTED L" DIRECTIONAL and
you will see the lengths needed to make an "inverted L"
omni-directional.

Brian

wrote:
JimC wrote:

Thanks for the information. - I had hoped to be able to get by with a
less complicated system. For example, it would be difficult for me to
bury 135 feet of coax in our backyard and connect through a suitable
balun and matching transformer. Obviously, I need to do some further
research.

Re my other question, does anyone have any thoughts about whether the
horizontal antenna wire should be oriented to enhance reception in the
direction in which most signals will arrive? (Recognizing that they are
bouncing around, and that some will come from other directions.)

Jim




Do a google search in this newsgroup for "INVERTED L" DIRECTIONAL and
you will see the lengths needed to make an "inverted L"
omni-directional.

Brian


Thanks Brian. - However, I didn't want it to be omni-directional. I
prefer that it be more sensitive to signals coming from a certain
direction. (I may use another antenna for signals from other directions.)

Jim

Run a wire in any direction you wish. It won't be directional enough
to matter. Just get it as high as you conveniently can. And it will
pick up ham signals just fine if it's in the general range of 30' to
100' feet, as you indicated. Hams make their antennas in certain exact
lengths because of transmitting requirements, but for simply receiving
signals, length doesn't matter that much. Have fun...

bob
k5qwg



On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 04:26:08 GMT, JimC wrote:


I'm trying to sort through some material I have read regarding setting
up an antenna for general shortwave reception, probably in the 4,000 -
12,000 MHz range(??), for a modest SW receiver (table top model with AF
gain, RF gain, band spread, S-meter, BFO Pitch adjustment, antenna trim,
etc.). From the materials I have read, I can get reasonably good
general SW reception (though not great reception of code or Ham
broadcasts), with an antenna of around 30 - 100 feet. As understood, the
antenna wire could be simply routed around the room; or, put in the
attic; or, alternatively, strung outside, suitably in an "inverted L"
configuration. (I'm not going to get into directionaly antenna arrays
for Ham reception at the present time.)

If I string a straight length of antenna wire outside (which would
probably be longer than the wavelengths of most signals I'll be
listening to), is its reception directional, and if so, should it
preferably be "aimed" in a certain direction? (Assuming that I would
probably want to listen most often to stations that are located east
northeast of our location here in Texas?) I'm guessing that it should be
perpendicular to the direction from which most signals would come from.
Also, is there a significant advantage to running it at an angle rather
than horizontally, as in some designs?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim

Bob Miller wrote:

Run a wire in any direction you wish. It won't be directional enough
to matter. Just get it as high as you conveniently can. And it will
pick up ham signals just fine if it's in the general range of 30' to
100' feet, as you indicated. Hams make their antennas in certain exact
lengths because of transmitting requirements, but for simply receiving
signals, length doesn't matter that much. Have fun...

bob
k5qwg



Thanks for the information. - I'll try to get it as high as possible.
Does it matter significantly whether the wire extends horizontally,
vertically, or diagonally?

Jim

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 16:13:02 -0600, JimC
wrote:



Bob Miller wrote:

Run a wire in any direction you wish. It won't be directional enough
to matter. Just get it as high as you conveniently can. And it will
pick up ham signals just fine if it's in the general range of 30' to
100' feet, as you indicated. Hams make their antennas in certain exact
lengths because of transmitting requirements, but for simply receiving
signals, length doesn't matter that much. Have fun...

bob
k5qwg



Thanks for the information. - I'll try to get it as high as possible.
Does it matter significantly whether the wire extends horizontally,
vertically, or diagonally?

Jim

Vertical wires can pick up more man made noise. Horizontal or diagonal
may be a tad quieter.

bob
k5qwg