We seek to understand and document all radio transmissions, legal and otherwise, as part of the radio listening hobby. We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations. Always consult with the appropriate authorities if you have questions concerning what is permissible in your locale.

Author Topic: Question about Antenna for PL-880  (Read 6610 times)

Offline Es0teric

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 137
  • Metro Detroit
    • View Profile
Question about Antenna for PL-880
« on: August 28, 2019, 0240 UTC »
Hi there guys.  If I wanted to hook this antenna to my Tecsun PL-880, where could I find a cord/adapter to do so?  I can't seem to find any information on where to find one, but I did see a guy who had one of these hooked up to his PL-880 in a youtube video. 

Here is the link to the antenna:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/MLA-30-Active-Loop-Active-Receiving-Antenna-100KHz-30MHz-for-Shortwave-Radio-tUS/174010257281?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Here is a link to the youtube video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkr3LEPZkv8

Thank you in advance for your time.
Primarily a user of WebSDRs; so I can be like the wind out here.

Online Ray Lalleu

  • Marconi Class DXer
  • ********
  • Posts: 36242
  • Western part of France
    • View Profile
Re: Question about Antenna for PL-880
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2019, 1037 UTC »
Seems you need a patch cord from SMA socket to 3.5 mm mono jack
(or maybe to RCA plug, then using RCA to jack).
Look for it on Internet? Maybe a combined order ?
D/E/F/G/It/Sp : Dutch/English/French/German/Italian/Spanish
+/- : about 0.02 offset, ++/-- 0.03/0.04 offset
Balanced wire antennas, wire lines and ATU
***** Mes pages OEM sont bloquées par "le club", alors pour les recevoir, joignez-moi par les autres membres ****

Offline ThaDood

  • DX Legend
  • ******
  • Posts: 1209
  • Likely, not where you are.
    • View Profile
    • Extreme Part #15!
    • Email
Re: Question about Antenna for PL-880
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2019, 1803 UTC »
I used to roll my own. In the very early 1980's, I had a Realistic DX-40 that used a 3/32" jack for an EXT Antenna, so I would solder a cable to that, and at the time, Radio Shack sold the 3/32" jacks at the store to buy and do that. There's a lot of portables today that use either the 1/8" (3.5mm), jack, or an RCA Phono connector, as an EXT Antenna option, so I know that adapters are out there for that. One thing to consider, does the PL-880 portable have a +3VDC voltage on the EXT Antenna connection to power a custom EXT Active Antenna, like my Sony ICF-SW100S portable did? If so, just add a .1uF capacitor as a DC block on the center conductor of the cable to the 3.5mm jack.
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

Offline Pigmeat

  • Marconi Class DXer
  • ********
  • Posts: 6684
    • View Profile
Re: Question about Antenna for PL-880
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2019, 1932 UTC »
Universal Radio should have an adapter for the PL-880 that would fit the bill. You don't have to deal with the hassle of buying overseas, and the Cat Lady will get it out to you PDQ.

Offline RST111

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 99
  • 30 miles east of Seattle, WA
    • View Profile
Re: Question about Antenna for PL-880
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2019, 0800 UTC »
For my Eton/Grundig Executive I bought a bag of mono jacks off amazon for like $9 and wired one to a BNC connector.  I have BNC on all my inside HF rx runs because it's easier to deal with than PL-259.  If need to go to PL-259, I just use a BNC to PL-259 adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DKDWHRR

Note that these are really, really cheap quality.  They work, but the metal connectors are thin and flimsy.  I expect it will wear out sooner rather than later.   But I have a bagful of repair parts  8)
Pls qsl to rst111@protonmail.com ty!

QTH: 30mi East of Seattle

IC-R75, Afedri SDR, Airspy Discovery, Stridsberg HF Multicoupler, MFJ-1020C, Palomar CMNF-6, 40m dipole @ 100' AGL

 

HFUnderground T-Shirt
HFUnderground T-Shirt
by MitchellTimeDesigns