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Author Topic: first land based SW Antenna?  (Read 1312 times)

Offline TugTalker

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first land based SW Antenna?
« on: December 13, 2022, 1131 UTC »
Ahoy all,

for most of my SW listening, I have been at sea, so a large vertical antenna from the USB/LSB SSB TX radio is what we used for RX on a FRG-7 froggy and a few other radios.

Now I'm ashore and back into SW listening.

I'm thinking two antenna types. One, a active wire LOOP antenna, 35' in the air, peak of my roof. Second, I have plenty of wooded space to the rear of my house. So thinking a long wires out to 135' or so with 3 shorter ones at the appropriate lengths to cover between 2 Megs and 30 Megs? this will run from about 25' off the ground to trees in my backyard.

My house faces East and West, so off the back side long wire antenna would be orientated along a mostly East West centerline.

I'm pretty handy at electrical etc etc, so can build anything I need. BUT thought these two would get me started.

I'm currently using a restored Yaesumusen FRG-7 "Froggy" with the added fine tune from later production. I used this radio 90% at sea, so comfortable with it.

What say you on the first antennas? this useful until I can narrow it down with further listening experience shore side?

Thanks all......
Sail the Seas, Listen to the World!

Capt Bob
USCG NMC approved Instr - Celestial Navigation
Fairhaven MA

Offline RobRich

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Re: first land based SW Antenna?
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2022, 1253 UTC »
Welcome to the community! :)

Since you mentioned an active loop, the MLA-30+ is an entry-level small loop antenna for casual medium- and short-wave listening.

It is definitely not a Wellbrook or W6LVP loop by any stretch of the imagination, but it would get you up and running for an under $50 investment. You would need a piece or two of PVC to support the loop, and a SMA to PL-259 to connect its coax to your FRG-7.

It uses USB for power. A decent USB phone charger like an Apple, Samsung, or similar wallwart you might already have should suffice. YMMV with RFI noise via cheap USB chargers. A small rechargeable USB power bank is another option.

The MLA-30+ does not have strong directivity with really deep nulls, so turn the loop to (hopefully) find the lowest noise floor if present, then set and forget. Enjoy listening, then decide if there is enough interest or even a need to consider a more elaborate antenna system.
« Last Edit: December 13, 2022, 1256 UTC by RobRich »
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Offline TugTalker

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Re: first land based SW Antenna?
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2022, 1450 UTC »
RobRich,

Thanks for the welcome!

Many thanks for the technical feedback, this is helpful!

Cheers for now.
Sail the Seas, Listen to the World!

Capt Bob
USCG NMC approved Instr - Celestial Navigation
Fairhaven MA

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: first land based SW Antenna?
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2022, 0114 UTC »
A simple longwire of 60-75 ft., high enough not to strangle the taller neighbors, will get you in the game. A 40 meter band inverted "V" dipole at about 35 ft. at the high point is a good all around antenna. Both are simple antennas w/ the most expensive component being the feedline. Neither of those antennas is going to cost more than twenty bucks to build.

Nothing you build on land is going to outperform a vertical over salt water, though.

Offline TugTalker

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Re: first land based SW Antenna?
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2022, 1314 UTC »
A simple longwire of 60-75 ft., high enough not to strangle the taller neighbors, will get you in the game. A 40 meter band inverted "V" dipole at about 35 ft. at the high point is a good all around antenna. Both are simple antennas w/ the most expensive component being the feedline. Neither of those antennas is going to cost more than twenty bucks to build.

Nothing you build on land is going to outperform a vertical over salt water, though.

Ahoy Pigmeat;

All those years at sea, I was always amazed, therefore kept my interest in SW listening, as I'd be half way to Hawaii on watch at night, and pick up AM stations from Chicago, Houston etc etc on top of Short Wave on 2,4, 8 Mhz from Far East, Guam, and South America. Anyways all good and I look forward to what I can pick up.

Many thanks for the input, I'll check out the 40M inverted V dipole. Anything I do will be about 25 feet in the air from my house out to the trees in my backyard.

Cheers for now
Sail the Seas, Listen to the World!

Capt Bob
USCG NMC approved Instr - Celestial Navigation
Fairhaven MA

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: first land based SW Antenna?
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2022, 1318 UTC »
Welcome to the board!

If you have the height, consider a T2FD. The name is a bit of a misnomer - you want to install it nearly vertical, you only tilt it if your tree is too short  ;D

One advantage is you just need a single tall tree, not two.

There's several threads here on the HFU where I document construction of my two T2FD antennas, for reference.
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
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Offline Stretchyman

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Re: first land based SW Antenna?
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2022, 1853 UTC »
No noise at sea and the best groundplane ever!

Str.
'It's better to give than receive' so why Rx when you can Tx!

                                              ;)