FRG7 doens't have RF Gain control, but a selector for DX LOCAL and NORMAL. Depending on the incoming signals, it is very effective sometimes. But when I was repairing and DIY making stuff, I couldn't find the time for actual BCL / SWL at all. I concluded that I must do just one thing, because time is not allowing for doing various other stuff in life. DIY and Repair work could be fun and rewarding I suppose, and if one can do it very quickly in no more than an hour for finishing the repair or build, that's ok. But in my case it went on and on, and in the end, many projects just kept piling not getting finished off
At the point, I just stopped doing it altogether, and now try not to get my hand dirty with DIY or repair stuff, if I am not sure how long it will take, or if I could just buy the new stuff for cheap.
Yes, I am very conscious of the the static noise damages to the front end, and whenever I change the antenna, I ensure the radio is off. But then there is also static noise problems when the neighbours use their electrical tools such as the angle grinder, electric drills and saws. And when my daughter and XYL use the food processor and grinder in the kitchen, the high level of statics can kill the front end of my radios
I quickly switch the radio off, and so far there were no static damages to my radios.
I was also thinking about the balun, and I could make one for 4:1 because it can be made without the ferrite core, just by using a plastic tube from youtube and it looked simple and cheap enough. But for 9:1 balun, I think I must buy a ferrite core which is not cheap.
I try to use simpler and cheaper and older equipment and device for my SWLing and DXing, because it is just my hobby
And OK, if I had my court settlement from the inheritance this year which had been going on for last couple years started by my stepmother and brother, then I will get hold of some substantial amount of funds, and will be getting all these high grade receivers and antennas and filters in the new radio room - I am going make one in the corner of the garden.
But before that, I must try keep frugal with all the expenses and should not just keep buying new devices just because the MLA30 is not working for my DXing right now or AirSpy is supposed to be good etc.
Anyway, I think MLA30 will work well for DXing, but it needs to be set properly with the height and ideal spot in the location and also the element could be adjusted for the band that I am wanting the DX signals monitored. And this is just part of the fun in the hobby. If all was just hunky dory easy and no problems due to having used the most expensive devices in the market, maybe at that point, the fun could disappear.
I wonder if 4:1 balun could be also effective on RX in HF. And my wire antenna is now in loop configuration. I added some more wire, and made into a delta shape, and I am using also the AMECO PCL-2 loop tuner. This AMECO loop tuner is very powerful device. It is a preamp, but also active antenna. It can really increase the gain of the wire loop. It makes the weak signals a lot more readable state. But even with this I couldn't copy the DX signals on the tropical band last night.
With the MLA30 on horizontally set on the ladder, the MW images all disappeared, but there is some static noise on the 4-5 Mhz.
But it copied signals on 80m ham band really well. There were some signals not audible on the wire loop and Amoco, when changed over, the MLA30 copied with 59+, I couldn't believe it. Anyhow, the 4Mhz tropical band got very noisy as the night got late. It sounded exactly same as the 6m and 2m band is just about open with the Aurora. Very loud band noise were all over the band, but it was getting too late, and no signals were heard. I thought maybe another hour, when it is 2-3 am in the morning, some DX signals might appear, but I was damn tired as it was getting well past 1am, so just went to bed.
I have been to Florida many times years ago, when my parents used to live there in Orlando, and there are some of my relatives still in Orlando. At the time we drove to Tampa, Miami and Fort Larudale and Key West, and toured the Hemingway house etc. It was a great time. When we stopped by the beach in Tampa, there were some huts and wood stove in there, and we had barbecues and drinks ...
Good memories in there. But yeah, I do appreciate your comment on the static noise in Florida, because it had sometimes very severe rain with thunder and lightening suddenly. Here where we are in UK, we just get drizzling rain a lot but thunder and lightening is very uncommon thankfully. It happened a few week ago, and it was bad. Even a few hours before the actual thunder and lightning were coming to my area, the HF was very noisy and couldn't hear much. I left all the radios unplugged from the mains for the night. There is usually weather warnings for sever thunder and lightening from the weather centre but still have to be aware of it all the time I suppose. One of the Karma stuff of SWL.
Topic: Ideal height and polarisation of MLA30 for best DX performance? (Read 5989 times)