[Hammarlund] Hamarlund Radio's

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

David, 	
	
What color socks should you wear on Wednesdays? A matter of personal taste, the
phase of the Moon or what isn't dirty? About the same with preference in general
coverage antennas. Much depends on what you 'really' want to hear David.	
	
A simple long wire; bare or insulated wire, insulated standoffs of some type,
end or center tapped, at least ten feet or higher, about fifty to one hundred
feet, preferably outside, but an attic or gutter surround the house style will
do, and you can hear most anything.	
	
Many serious short-wave listeners use a longwire, styles and types vary, and
others love a simple diple with an antenna tuner. The dipole can be an inverted
vee type or simply parallel with the earth.	
	
Remember this! You need a 'good' earth ground! many reasons, ask about how to
ground something and you will get more opinions than anyone should have to read
about grounding in five long lifetimes! (chuckle) Suffice it to say, get an
eight foot Copper plated rod, about $15, drive it into the soil leaving six
inches above the soil, afix your #8 ground wire to the clamp on the ground rod
and atach the other end to your receiver.	
	
It is no joke about watering the ground rod. not the proverbial joke about ...
Conductivity does depend upon soil moisture. Many an old timer rushed out during
a radio program and threw a bucket of water on the ground rod as the program
started to sizzle like eggs in a cast iron skillet laden with bacon droppings. 	
	
A good ground reduces noise of different types and does improve reception,
especially signal strength, on weaker stations.	
	
Remember this David. During an electrical storm, disconnect the equipment from
the grounding system! Why? Because if lightning strikes the earth it can be
conducted through it to the ground rod and right into your equipment. Ask me who
did not do this in March 2001 and had ten grand in damage. Oh yes, all antennas
were disconnected, sent to the heavy grounding system for the station, poly
phasers operative ... But it came in through what I did not disconnect, the
ground system.	
	
Depending on what band you 'really' want to hear, if there are any in
particular, of course, some antennas will favor them. many times you can just
use an inexpensive receive only antenna tuner and a longwire to accomplish this
end.	
	
Most of all, have fun!	
	
Duane Fischer, W8DBF	


----------
From: David <maxtaz at shaw.ca>
To: hammarlund at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Hammarlund] Hamarlund Radio's
Date: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 9:42 PM

Greetings. I have been reading all the comments about the different rigs
with great interest. I have one question and that is what type of Antenna is
being used for general coverage listing on these rigs. I have a HQ-180AC
that I bought new in 1967 and have used all types of antennas over the last
30 years, some good and some not so good. I would like to hear which one is
used the most. Thanks ....Dave  VA7DG


_______________________________________________
List Administrator: Duane Fischer W8DBF
** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
----
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hammarlund