[Spooks] Basics

[leo griffin]

Been reading allot about radios but would like to suggest some fundamentals which most probably know - so this is for the few that don't.

Two things can improve any radio's performance more than anything else:
1.  An antenna - I use a G5RV all bander for HF reception.  I've used dipoles, Yagis, and isotropic, but for all around use, one will be hard pressed to improve the performance of a G5RV, or a double sized G5RV.  It can be configured in many different shapes to cover more than two directions - I use a V shaped (horizontal) of about 120 degrees which affords me solid reception in four primary directions.

2.  A solid, heavy ground connection.  I use a telephone company ground pole sunk down about 6 feet with a heavy, braided AND solid (4 gauge) wire entrance and I ground everything to this system - including my computer.  There is no comparison of the improvement one gains with a good grounding system.

I am using a Yaesu FT100D transceiver which is a micro-mobile unit with amazing ears!  It has DSP filtering along with the usual standard filtering; bandpass, hi-band, lo-band, and cw filters.  Excellent selectivity. Of course, it also is an amazing transmitter but it stands only about 2 inches high, six inches wide and 8 inches deep.  With the miracle of surface-mount technology, Yaesu has spared nothing in designing one fine, first class RX in a very small package.  I also use a Radio Shack DX 390 which will, when loaded (I use an MFJ deluxe Versa Tuner II) into my G5RV, can hear wires being scratched together anywhere in the world.  I realize it is not the top of the line as RX go, but given a good antenna and ground system, it will hold its own under all kinds of conditions.

I also recommend an active audio filter (I built the Heathkit model) for final tuning, and the use of good earphones - both are worth their weight in platinum during our present bottomed sun cycle with its extremely poor propagation conditions.

The above rigs give me daily service where I would be just reading noise with lesser systems.  I'm one happy SWL'er.

Good prop, good listening, good hobby!

leo
KB7LOC