Hi,

I'm living in a fairly large college dorm and I feel as though, as a
consequence, my Grundig FR-200 is not able to pick up what it otherwise
might. Considering that around 400-500 college students live here and
remembering that college student = laptop / desktop + television +
stereos + who knows what else. . . Do you think this would make a
significant difference? Am I living in shortwave hell?

Thanks in advance for your ideas!


Selwyn-Lloyd

On Tue, 11 Apr 2006 20:27:31 -0700, Selwyn-Lloyd McPherson
wrote:

Hi,

I'm living in a fairly large college dorm and I feel as though, as a
consequence, my Grundig FR-200 is not able to pick up what it otherwise
might. Considering that around 400-500 college students live here and
remembering that college student = laptop / desktop + television +
stereos + who knows what else. . . Do you think this would make a
significant difference? Am I living in shortwave hell?

Thanks in advance for your ideas!


Selwyn-Lloyd
Yes, you are living in shortwave hell. However there is some hope;
suggest you hang some wire outside your window & wrap it around the
antenna about 10 times or so then check reception. Keep close to the
window to minimize the amount of wire inside the room. I'd be willing
to bet that you can rustle up about 20 feet or so of wire from
somewhere/somebody at no cost.

Good luck,
Howard

Just remember,if it's any consolation,they are living in a
laptop/computer H..L too.
cuhulin

wrote:
On Tue, 11 Apr 2006 20:27:31 -0700, Selwyn-Lloyd McPherson
wrote:

Hi,

I'm living in a fairly large college dorm and I feel as though, as a
consequence, my Grundig FR-200 is not able to pick up what it otherwise
might. Considering that around 400-500 college students live here and
remembering that college student = laptop / desktop + television +
stereos + who knows what else. . . Do you think this would make a
significant difference? Am I living in shortwave hell?

Thanks in advance for your ideas!


Selwyn-Lloyd
Yes, you are living in shortwave hell. However there is some hope;
suggest you hang some wire outside your window & wrap it around the
antenna about 10 times or so then check reception. Keep close to the
window to minimize the amount of wire inside the room. I'd be willing
to bet that you can rustle up about 20 feet or so of wire from
somewhere/somebody at no cost.

Good luck,
Howard
I second that, or find a nice place outside get some beer and deckchair
etc set your rig up and enjoy some good ol' shortwave.

Yours Truly
Adam

On Tue, 11 Apr 2006 20:27:31 -0700, Selwyn-Lloyd McPherson
wrote:

Hi,

I'm living in a fairly large college dorm and I feel as though, as a
consequence, my Grundig FR-200 is not able to pick up what it otherwise
might. Considering that around 400-500 college students live here and
remembering that college student = laptop / desktop + television +
stereos + who knows what else. . . Do you think this would make a
significant difference? Am I living in shortwave hell?

Thanks in advance for your ideas!
Find the main breaker. Pull it.

I am living in a seniors only apartment complex with computer operated doors and flourescent lights on 24/7 surrounded by several cell towers S. I can empathise. My sugggestion would be to get some wire (multistrand insulated 50') and hnag it out the window, or if there is a tree nearby, tie something hefty on one end and chuck it up into the tree so it winds itself around a limb and connect it to your receiver and run a ground to a metal cold water pipe. That will catch some signals. For the rest, you will either have to live with it, or find some place away from the computers and stuff to sit and enjoy your radio. Of course, if you can get listen while everyone else is asleep, that might work too . Just don't forget to study too s. V

All life all holiness come from you O Lord
http://pwp.surfglobal.net/mjmiller/index.htm





"Selwyn-Lloyd McPherson" wrote in message ...
Hi,

I'm living in a fairly large college dorm and I feel as though, as a
consequence, my Grundig FR-200 is not able to pick up what it otherwise
might. Considering that around 400-500 college students live here and
remembering that college student = laptop / desktop + television +
stereos + who knows what else. . . Do you think this would make a
significant difference? Am I living in shortwave hell?

Thanks in advance for your ideas!


Selwyn-Lloyd

That's what I do as well. We live in a dorm-like apartment on a college
campus due to my wife's university job (moving out soon, thankfully). I
can get decent reception on my Satellit 800, but sometimes it's
pointless, what with all the RF noise. Going outside on a nice day
yields excellent results. My Grundig YB-400PE excells in the outdoors.
Nice to be able to walk about a block away to a nearby hill, and listen
to Radio Netherlands or whatever and enjoy it _noise free!_

That said, if you are intent on listening inside, some kind of antenna
is in order. A wire hung outside would be best, but I know that isn't
always possible with modern dorm windows (which are often essentially
unremovable). I would recommend trying a loop antenna like the AN-LP1,
which can yield good results in a noisy environment, because you can
turn the loop to null out the noise.

"Invader3K" wrote in message
oups.com...
That's what I do as well. We live in a dorm-like apartment on a college
campus due to my wife's university job (moving out soon, thankfully). I
can get decent reception on my Satellit 800, but sometimes it's
pointless, what with all the RF noise. Going outside on a nice day
yields excellent results. My Grundig YB-400PE excells in the outdoors.
Nice to be able to walk about a block away to a nearby hill, and listen
to Radio Netherlands or whatever and enjoy it _noise free!_

That said, if you are intent on listening inside, some kind of antenna
is in order. A wire hung outside would be best, but I know that isn't
always possible with modern dorm windows (which are often essentially
unremovable). I would recommend trying a loop antenna like the AN-LP1,
which can yield good results in a noisy environment, because you can
turn the loop to null out the noise.

This might be true if the noise came from a single direction ( or 2 180
degree disposed directions). In a dorm, my guess is the noise is from every
direction azimuth and elevation.

Dale W4OP

Invader3K wrote:
That's what I do as well. We live in a dorm-like apartment on a college
campus due to my wife's university job (moving out soon, thankfully). I
can get decent reception on my Satellit 800, but sometimes it's
pointless, what with all the RF noise. Going outside on a nice day
yields excellent results. My Grundig YB-400PE excells in the outdoors.
Nice to be able to walk about a block away to a nearby hill, and listen
to Radio Netherlands or whatever and enjoy it _noise free!_

Because I spend a lot of time on the road, I've gotten into the habit
of listening using the parked car as my "shack". And there's no
challenge in finding good, quiet listening places, if you're willing to
do a short bit of driving.

Some time back, I had received one of these AutoExec mobile office
units as a gift. While it was intended to be of use for my work, it
has become invaluable to my in-vehicle SWLing.

http://www.a2zsolutions.com/desks/seat/ae-index.htm

The roll-out second shelf is nice for jotting down the random note,
logging stations, etc. The large side slot is useful for storing bound
frequency guides. There's also a nice space below where I'll often sit
a second radio that's not in use.

The AutoExec car desk is of such a height, that I'll occasionally use
it outside the car, too, in outdoor settings, alongside a low-sitting
fold-out chair...
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/st...berId=12500226

Often, I'll string a wire antenna from the parked car. In using a Par
antenna, I've connected the tranformer to a magnet mount (with coax
feed) that's sitting atop the car's roof, stringing the 45' radiator
out to a tree branch or to the end of an upright mounted 20 foot
crappie rod (I'd like to get a taller telescoping mast). If space is a
limiting factor and/or if I'm in a rush to set things up, I've been
fairly surprised by the results I can get simply by placing an MFJ 1956
12-foot whip onto the magnet mount, sometimes running the coax through
an MFJ 1045C battery-powered active receive preselector.

I tend to use either an Eton E1 or Drake SW8 in such listening.

I find it a pretty convenient means of listening. For one thing, I
spend a fair amount of time on the road. Secondly, I leave a lot of
this stuff out in the car (antennae, magnet mount, car desk, crappie
rod, antenna rope, printed & bound ILG/Primetime/eibi scheds, a few
logging sheets, etc), so it's no big deal to grab the receiver on my
way out, and I'm set...

Anyway, it's one of many possible alternatives. It works for me. So I
thought I'd throw it out there for whatever it might be worth to
others.

On Tue, 11 Apr 2006 20:27:31 -0700, Selwyn-Lloyd McPherson
wrote:

Hi,

I'm living in a fairly large college dorm and I feel as though, as a
consequence, my Grundig FR-200 is not able to pick up what it otherwise
might. Considering that around 400-500 college students live here and
remembering that college student = laptop / desktop + television +
stereos + who knows what else. . . Do you think this would make a
significant difference? Am I living in shortwave hell?

There's an easy way to find out. Walk out of your dorm with your
radio, find an empty field, and listen to the radio. Any better or
worse than your dorm listening? You won't know until you compare.

bob
k5qwg



Thanks in advance for your ideas!


Selwyn-Lloyd