I can never seem to hear america/canada

[Excalibur]

Hi guys didn't know which section to post this in as its about multiple topics. I have a DX 394 shortwave receiver and an attic antenna which spans a horizontal wire type dipole.

On the shortwave band I can hear broadcasts from around the world, the rest of Europe comes in very clearly, sometimes middle eastern and also east asian broadcasts can be heard. However I do not hear any american/canadian broadcasts at all. Not even the 10 Mhz timesignal comes through on my radio I can't hear it. SOMETIMES I can hear what appears to be American voices but its much more rare compared to the other broadcasts

The same goes for amateur radio, I get lots of EU-wide transmissions, sometimes other places but more rare such as African nations and middle east... However I have never heard any American or Canadian hams on 20 and 40 meters....

The same thing also happens on the 11 meter band, I was recently listening to some SSB midband a few weeks ago when conditions were good and I could hear many EU-wide transmissions some here in England and others in the rest of europe france/italy/spain ect. But I didn't hear the US "superbowl" or any USA SSb transmissions at all...

I am happy with what I am receiving but I am just wondering is there something wrong with my receiving set up that I am unable to hear any transmissions from North America, I am really confused if its just bad propagation because I have hardly in the months I have owned this radio heard any American transmissions and this has been at different times of the day and different months where propagation has varied drastically..... At times on the Cb section of the forum when people say "Getting US SSB clearly" or "I can hear Canada/america" ect I can never seem to hear these broadcasts...

Any help would be appreciated.

[Trog]

It could very well depend on which way your wire dipole is facing. If you change it so it's 'sideways on' to America and Canada (ends pointing roughly North/South) it might make a difference - but then you might lose what you're getting at the moment.
Perhaps you could construct another dipole that faces in a different direction to the one you already have and switch between them.

[andrew013]

I get the USA very easy but they are Mia at the moment mostly down to time of year and propagation tho I am getting a lot of southern America ie brasil /Chile on cb freq

[Admiral]

A horizontal dipole is particularly directional, a bit like an inbuilt MW ferrite rod antenna on a portable radio, you have to spin the set (including the antenna) around to get a better signal, or to hear a signal at all.

Obviously it is slightly impractical to spin your house on its axis, so you will need re-orientate the antenna.

Personally, because loft spaces are very unforgiving, I would try a long wire antenna that starts near the floor of the loft and goes around and up at least a foot for the next circuit around, if you can get three times around then that would be cool, two will suffice.

Then invest (if you haven't already got one) in a coupler, either active or passive, this will match the impedance on each band to optimise the wires efficiency, and can help tune-out some QRM and QRN.

PS I would also do the anti-chuff mod on the 394, it's easy, just snip one wire, that chuffing sends me chuffing nuts.

PPS I would have stuck this in the HF and Shortwave section personally.

[MrWeetabix]

PPS I would have stuck this in the HF and Shortwave section personally.

Good point..... , done

[Mattylad]

Methinks this is why I never hear the states but get Northern Europe easily.

[Excalibur]

Thanks guys, sorry about posting it in the members lounge it was just because it contained multiple topics, CB, amatuer and also shortwave. Okay I never knew that a horizontal dipole would be directional, I will see what I can do admiral thanks for the suggestion.

Also it already has an audio mod fitted to it to stop the chugging, it sounds much more smooth now.

[kr0ne]

The radiation (or receive) pattern looks kind of like a doughnut with the dipole sticking straight through the hole!

When the dipole is vertical, the doughnut reaches out in all directions, but flip the dipole over to a horizontal position and now the doughnut is standing on its side. Good in two directions, but pants in the other two...

[KlondikeMike]

... The same thing also happens on the 11 meter band, I was recently listening to some SSB midband a few weeks ago when conditions were good and I could hear many EU-wide transmissions some here in England and others in the rest of europe france/italy/spain ect. But I didn't hear the US "superbowl" or any USA SSb transmissions at all...

Propagation on 11m has been close to ZERO here in Western Canada for the last 6 months. I rely on this NASA map to let me know whether to turn the radio on or leave it off.

[Mattylad]

FWIW I heard a US station clearly at 8AM this morning.

[Andy-in-NL]

I am relatively new to SWL and I, too, find that some countries are ultra quiet. I suspect the time o fyear is most to do with that. This will be my first winter season in many years that I will be set up for SWL and I am hoping the radio can get the UK stations as I am in Canada. I think having different antennas and being able to switch them would be ideal. I am currently just using my vertical Antron 99.

[Minus1]

The map mentioned by KlondikeMike is here http://iono.jpl.nasa.gov/latest_rti_global.html ¦:-)

[scanhermit]

Eyup Excalibur, I've managed to pull in yank stations on 18mhz with just a 5m wire and a Tecsun PL660. Try fishing there - the yanks seem to like that band.