Suitable HF RX Antenna?

[rationalgaze]

Looking to stick an antenna up in the loft purely for listening on HF. Was wondering if you chaps could suggest a half decent antenna? Not really wanting to go over 70 quid, so any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks, Craig.

[Andy]

Hi Craig - do you have a favourite band or do you plan to generally listen around? For general listening a piece of single wire will do, stapled to the joists. Run it in a horizontal L-shape and make it as long as you can without doubling back. If possible, keep it away from any mains wiring up there. That's about it - no need to spend any money!

[fez]

half size g5rv? homeade dipole as long as possible?

[rationalgaze]

Just random listening, no specific area. Never quite understood the concept of "A wire" how does such a thing fit into the back of a receiver? All kinda new listening to the HF side of things, so excuse the silly questions

Craig.

[fez]

a single wire will work but without being grounded could cause alot of static on the HF rx'er which aint very good. Thats why I suggested a dipole type antenna.

As for a wire antenna the inner core is the main wire (or goes to the inside of the connector) and the outside shield of coax thats if your using some goes to ground (outside connector on the rig) or not depending your location.

[rationalgaze]

Yeah, i'd rather have something i can bolt in place with it still being able to cover all the bands. I was looking at this:

http://www.radioworld.co.uk/~radio/cata ... -4085.html

But again not really knowing what's what in HF i wasn't sure if it was worth the money or not.

Thanks, Craig.

[68OD636]

I made a sort of dipole arrangement for my Realistic DX-394.
8m of RG58 coax with a PL259 on one end as usual.
End without plug through hole in shack ceiling into loft, cable tied up the joist to the apex of roof.
25m of twin speaker wire - one wire attached to coax centre, other to braid.
Each wire drawing pinned in opposite directions along apex of roof, the last bit of wire coiled around the cardbard centre of kitchen roll.
Instant dipole - works a treat - total cost less than a tenner

[rationalgaze]

Haha, well, feel free to pop on down to Essex Can't be doing with making such things, bit cack handed that way.

[68OD636]

Haha, well, feel free to pop on down to Essex Can't be doing with making such things, bit cack handed that way.

Don't think the cost of a plane ticket from Northern Ireland to make a wire antenna for you would go down too well with the XYL!!
Seriously, it's dead easy to make and gives decent results if you can be bothered - it's only 1 'S' point down on my Solarcon A99, & that's mounted on top of a 14 foot pole.
Well worth having a go!
As it's inside you could just tape the joints - go on have a go, surprise yourself!!

[rationalgaze]

Think i'll give it a crack at some point, costs much less as well.

[68OD636]

Think i'll give it a crack at some point, costs much less as well.

Got to be worth a go - why spend loads of money when you can have a go yourself?
Let us know how you get on!

[fez]

dont be put off, It wont cost you alot like gaz has said. If it doesnt work you will still learn something. Just do it one step at a time.

Atleast you don't need to worry about weather or tuning the thing to transmit on.

[rationalgaze]

If anybody has basic tutorial sites on such things they'd be appreciated also. Some diagrams or something, you get the idea!

Thanks, Craig.

[fez]

google? took me less than a minute to find this.

http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/dipole.html

Don't bother too much with dimensions as you just need it for rxin but try and get each arm roughly the same length.

[68OD636]

... try and get each arm roughly the same length.

That's why I used speaker wire - it's 2 wires, when you split them exactly the same length.