Antena Advice

[Barkoff]

It's "coaxial", and the full term is "coaxial cable", usually shortened to "coax".

And as far as using it for your SWL antenna, no need unless the radio has a jack specifically for coax. Then you'd have to install the proper connector.

JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY: What is the model number of your radio? I just did a Google search and the only C. Crane radio I saw was one that has AMBC, FMBC, VHF TV and NOAA Weather. No mention of any other frequencies for SWL purposes.

CCRadio-SW

Well I'm striking out so far, I tried a 20' piece of insulated copper wire to the antenna and id didn't help out much at all, so then I ran a 100ft piece out the bedroom window and around the back yard trees just to see if I was on the right track, and I'm just amplifying noise.

The radio can run on batteries so this weekend I might head out somewhere away from the house and see what the 100ft piece will do away from any noise.

I tried the 100 footer with both a pal connection on the back, and wrapped around the antenna.

 

[W5LZ]

I'm sure what you will find interesting is different than what I find interesting so this isn't a huge 'biggy'. Just something to think about maybe.
From what I can gather from your radio's advertisement, it's only for AM and FM modes. That typically means that higher frequencies are 'day time' things, lower frequencies are 'night time' things. That's because of how propagation tends to work (Mother Nature) and there's not much getting around it. There are exceptions to that, generally because of how close any particular station happens to be, sort of. For the close stations, the antenna that came on the radio will probably work best. For more distant stations, 'Mother Nature' allowing (propagation), and time of day/night, the longer antenna will probably have better results.
While "longer is better" is the simplest, easiest, most convenient answer for hearing more stations, it isn't the only consideration by any means.
Another aspect is that 'noise' is everywhere, getting rid of it is NOT a simple thing at all. Not impossible, just never easy/cheap, and one reason why there are '$$$' receivers and just '$' receivers. If you increase the signal level the noise level is going to go up too. The relationship between desired signal strength and 'noise' strength is the key. The stronger the desired signal is in relation to the noise, the better it will be heard. Several ways of doing that 'selecting', all of them more expensive, and just not economically practical for everyone depending on their reason for listening to start with.
I am NOT trying to discourage you from wanting to listen to things! It does get sort of 'complicated' depending on your particular interests and abilities. So, don't throw away that 100 feet of 'antenna', or the radio, and don't give up! We just happen to be at the bottom end of the 10 - 11 year propagation cycle, so things WILL get better (it really is improving).
- 'Doc

('Magic' is only magical because you don't understand how 'it' works. When you do understand how it works, it ain't 'magical' any more.)

 

[Beetle]

CCRadio-SW

Well I'm striking out so far, I tried a 20' piece of insulated copper wire to the antenna and id didn't help out much at all, so then I ran a 100ft piece out the bedroom window and around the back yard trees just to see if I was on the right track, and I'm just amplifying noise.

The radio can run on batteries so this weekend I might head out somewhere away from the house and see what the 100ft piece will do away from any noise.

I tried the 100 footer with both a pal connection on the back, and wrapped around the antenna.

Okay that's a different model from the one I found. It looks like it covers from just above the AMBC band to 30 MHz. You need to plug your antenna in the "FM/SW EXT ANT" jack and be sure to set the antenna switch (#31) to "external". This disconnects the built-in antenna.

Listen carefully on 5, 10 and 15 MHz for time signals from WWV and WWVH. You should be able to receive at least one of these stations from anywhere in the USA at any time of the day or night.

 

[Barkoff]

Do any of you have an opinion regarding the hanging of a longwire (or shortwire) in the air between the house and a tree, as opposed to laying one of the same size on top of a tile roof?

If given the choice which would you opt for? I'm thinking I might as well lay it over the roof and not have to worry about wind knocking it down, unless of course there are beneficial reasons to hang it in the air. I don't think I could hang it higher then my roof elevation anyway, so might as well secure it along the roof line?

Opinions?

Thank you.

 

[Randall]

string up a wire 126 ft long if you have room, if not then 66 ft. long, and then tap into it at 14% off center and run that wire to your positive high impedance antenna terminal, then ground the negative terminal and get ready to be amazed. these lengths are chosen to be harmonically related to various shortwave broadcast bands, and the point at 14% off center is a node which will give you the best performance over all the allotted shortwave bands without a big expenditure.The high impedance terminal is the one that a plain wire attaches to, the low impedance connector is a coaxial type fitting.

 

[Randall]

If you experience overload, you can just turn down the rf gain control, or turn up the attenuator if your radio has one. Frontend overload symtoms are stations coming through on the wrong places on the dial, like you local am broadcast station might show up at various places along the dial when the frontend is overloaded.