Re: Antenna Setup For HF

"louis skamangas [email protected] [VR-500]" <[email protected]> Tue, 3 May 2016 02:31:05 +0000 (UTC)
Newsgroups gmane.recreation.radio.hardware.yaesu.vr-500
Message-ID <[email protected]>
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I've tried making a few small portable antennas for my vr-500. All have wor=
ked better than the stock antenna for HF (they would almost have to), but o=
ften worse at VHF and above. Here are a few things I've tried:


1. A telesc=
opic whip, a couple of feet or so in length, with a small toroidal transfor=
mer in between the antenna and BNC connector. The core I used was a black c=
ore about 3/8" in diameter (material unknown, I just used what I had on han=
d). I don't remember the exact number of turns, but I believe it was 4 or 5=
 on the radio side and around 20 on the antenna side. The two windings have=
 a common connection that goes to the outer conductor of the BNC connector.=
 I found that this antenna gives an audible improvement in reception across=
 the entire HF spectrum except around 8 MHz, for some reason. It also impro=
ved reception on much of the broadcast band. 


2. A rubber duckie antenna, =
originally a clamp-on antenna for CB walkie-talkies, with the original load=
ing coil removed. In place of the coil, I put a series string of about 10 d=
ifferent inductors, along with a DIP switch that can short any of the induc=
tors independently of the others, allowing many different combinations of i=
nductors. This is, in effect, a variable loading coil that resonates the an=
tenna to numerous frequencies throughout the HF spectrum. Sorry, but I don'=
t remember the inductor values, but they were all different and were determ=
ined through trial and error. This seems to work considerably better than t=
he above antenna, but requires flipping switches when you change frequency.=




3. A small active-antenna-type amplifier between a telescopic whip or duc=
kie. I wasn't too impressed with the performance, but I ran the amp on less=
 voltage than it normally uses. I plan to try it again using a 6-volt batte=
ry about the size of an N-cell to keep the size down, 


All three antennas =
were designed to give a better match between the (nominal) 50-ohm input of =
the radio and the very high impedance of any short portable antenna at HF f=
requencies. Hope this helps.


Lou
-----------------------------------------=
---
On Mon, 5/2/16, [email protected] [VR-500] <[email protected]> w=
rote:


 
 I have tried various bnc adapters for HF/SSB
 listening, using ra=
ndom wire as an antenna. =C2=A0What is
 the best antenna for shortwave, con=
sidering portability and
 not getting something "too good" so it
 overloads=
.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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      <p>I&#39;ve tried making a few small portable antennas for my vr-500.=
 All have worked better than the stock antenna for HF (they would almost ha=
ve to), but often worse at VHF and above. Here are a few things I&#39;ve tr=
ied:<br>
<br>
1. A telescopic whip, a couple of feet or so in length, with a small toroid=
al transformer in between the antenna and BNC connector. The core I used wa=
s a black core about 3/8&quot; in diameter (material unknown, I just used w=
hat I had on hand). I don&#39;t remember the exact number of turns, but I b=
elieve it was 4 or 5 on the radio side and around 20 on the antenna side. T=
he two windings have a common connection that goes to the outer conductor o=
f the BNC connector. I found that this antenna gives an audible improvement=
 in reception across the entire HF spectrum except around 8 MHz, for some r=
eason. It also improved reception on much of the broadcast band. <br>
<br>
2. A rubber duckie antenna, originally a clamp-on antenna for CB walkie-tal=
kies, with the original loading coil removed. In place of the coil, I put a=
 series string of about 10 different inductors, along with a DIP switch tha=
t can short any of the inductors independently of the others, allowing many=
 different combinations of inductors. This is, in effect, a variable loadin=
g coil that resonates the antenna to numerous frequencies throughout the HF=
 spectrum. Sorry, but I don&#39;t remember the inductor values, but they we=
re all different and were determined through trial and error. This seems to=
 work considerably better than the above antenna, but requires flipping swi=
tches when you change frequency.<br>
<br>
3. A small active-antenna-type amplifier between a telescopic whip or ducki=
e. I wasn&#39;t too impressed with the performance, but I ran the amp on le=
ss voltage than it normally uses. I plan to try it again using a 6-volt bat=
tery about the size of an N-cell to keep the size down, <br>
<br>
All three antennas were designed to give a better match between the (nomina=
l) 50-ohm input of the radio and the very high impedance of any short porta=
ble antenna at HF frequencies. Hope this helps.<br>
<br>
Lou<br>
--------------------------------------------<br>
On Mon, 5/2/16, [email protected] [VR-500] &lt;[email protected]&gt;=
 wrote:<br>
<br>
I have tried various bnc adapters for HF/SSB<br>
 listening, using random wire as an antenna. =C2=A0What is<br>
 the best antenna for shortwave, considering portability and<br>
 not getting something &quot;too good&quot; so it<br>
 overloads.<br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
 <br>
</p>

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