inside or out

[The Collector]

I think the only skip Danny is getting is the one he's just ordered to chuck all his radio stuff in!

Danny - If I can get a day off in the next month or so, I'll pop over and see what I can help with if you're willing to accommodate an extra pair of hands?

You'll hopefully have the tank-whip up by then and that may have improved matters slightly.

I can always bring my Antron along anyway and plug that in too if we can, to see if a 17ft aerial makes any difference to your reception.

It may be that like where I'm situated, it's quite difficult for you to hear anything other than SSB bouncing in or FM stuff in the back of your set on a 9ft aerial. If the most "local" breakers are 30+ miles away, then it may just be that your system will be all but useless for normal point-to-point groundwave useage. Many a new operator has fired up a CB radio to bring back the memories or relive their childhood, only to find total silence apart from white noise and that the channels aren't chockablock like they were in the late 70' and early 80's.

Don't lose hope just yet though.

[para999]

Having an antenna with a good swr will allow you a better chance of being heard by others when you actually shout out.

Other's dont have much of a chance hearing you if you don't want to key the mic because your swr is high like at present = so there is a point in my opinion.

If you make your external dipole out of black co-ax/dark coloured coated wire it won't stick out like a sore thumb.

(13) Germany / (14) France / (35) Austria / (161) Poland are on 27.555 USB as I type this,and I spoke to south west France on UK CH 19 an hour ago,so the skip is there.

ok let me explain it another way,what I said about SWR.it's more important for me to actually hear anyone at the moment and the SWR is secondary to this.yes it is important when I do want to try it but as I am not hearing anything, apart from ssssh on 27.555, such as the stations you mentioned you are, then it's not high on the priority list.

[Werthers]

I enjoy reading through threads about CB antennas. I have an antron99 but like many I also have antenna restrictions so can't use it, but if and when I operate CB again then I use 2 tank whips screwed into an inverted V Dipole center and as I have high ceilings I can set it up indoors and I get a fair distance on FM and when conditions are right all the overseas stations come through on AM, I can get into Europe and the US on AM/SSB. Most of the time all's I hear is white noise and on FM all's I get is a local crack head who likes playing music on the 19 and occasionally you get a few local breakers but other than that its just white noise.

[108EH002]

If you use your 1.5mm wire you might achieve something like in Collectors diagram above Danny.

Drawing pins could even be used to hold it in place,as your copper wire is thin.

Rather than have nothing to listen to = run it along the floor = comprimises.

There will be days you can hear stuff with the skip Danny when it runs your way that I can't up here

[para999]

ahh I didn't get any I got the copper pipe instead,but anyhow some news I've just attached 3ft wire to each end of the copper pipe which I think is about .8 mm and the SWR is 2 on both CH1 and CH40 and I actually heard someone on CH 19 FM. to be honest rather than spend anymore I think I will wait for the whip to be put outside.it's going to be higher by far.because of the design of my house and my fitness level ( or lack of) I know I would have difficulty in copying the picture.

[108EH002]

An improvement = just add more wire at equal lengths on each side to what you have added already = or trim.



Efficient low down is better than in-efficient high up.

[para999]

I will have a mess about today and come back tomorrow with the results

[108EH002]

If the swr is lower on EU CH 40 - 27.405 FM than it is on UK CH 40 - 27.991.25 = then it needs to be slightly shorter = just bend it back on itself an inch either side until best swr is achieved across the legal 80 channels.

[para999]

just finished got it down to 1.2 across the board. would think I will leave it at that.will have a listen out next day or so see what I can hear

[108EH002]

just finished got it down to 1.2 across the board. would think I will leave it at that.will have a listen out next day or so see what I can hear

Was it just a matter of shortening the length ?

Thats great and well worth the hassle = now you can sit back and see what you can hear now.

[108EH002]

I think the only skip Danny is getting is the one he's just ordered to chuck all his radio stuff in!

Hopefully all sorted Collector as his dipole is tuned pretty much spot on now

[The Collector]

Danny - How about I give you a shout on ch39 Euro frequencies, 27.395 USB again tomorrow night at 11pm to see if it's helped with receiving a signal at all. I think it's worth a shot for the sake of 10 minutes.

It'll be directional as well as horizontally polarised, but you never know, it might be pointing the right way.

[original45]

Good luck lads

[108EH002]

Danny - How about I give you a shout on ch39 Euro frequencies, 27.395 USB again tomorrow night at 11pm to see if it's helped with receiving a signal at all. I think it's worth a shot for the sake of 10 minutes.

It'll be directional as well as horizontally polarised, but you never know, it might be pointing the right way.

The dipole is roughly 11ft horizontal in the middle and roughly the last 3ft at either end is now dropping down vertical = might just work.

[The Collector]

Fingers crossed for tonight then

There's a place in Bristol about 10 miles away that sells brand new 20ft aluminium thick-walled scaffolding poles for £40 incl. VAT (just can't find anyone selling a second-hand one). A steel one's probably going to be awkward to hoik up on my own with the Imax on the top, especially in the muddy, restricted area where it's got to go inbetween 2 sheds. I rarely go into Bristol (I used to be based there years ago but have been into the city just twice in 8 years since) though so that's a pain. If I can find somewhere as close that's south of me it'd help matters. If I can get one before Danny sells up, it'd be worth one final try.