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Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Date:         Sat, 23 Jan 1993 14:54:19 EST
Reply-To:     GL8574@ACSPR1.ACS.BROCKPORT.EDU
From:         GL8574@ACSPR1.ACS.BROCKPORT.EDU
Subject:      many

>> THIS IS A MULTIPLE RESPONSE POSTING <<

Michael Jerosch-Herold <mjerosc@NMRSUN.ERENJ.COM> writes about satellite
     reception:

>Some shortwave services like the german one in their frequency advisories
>indicate that one can receive their shortwave service in North America
>by satellite.  How does one accomplish this?  Can one use the same
>equipment to receive this like for satelite tv.  Are there scanners
>or communications receivers which go high enough in frequency to capture
>the satelite signal.  How large and how expensive are the antennas to
>receive this (the same type as for satelite tv?).  Any pointers are
>appreciated! Thank you!

I imagine that your best bet with this would be to see if you can change the
audio subcarrier frequency on your satellite TV receiver, if you have one.  If
you don't have one, and wish to purchase one, see if it has this ability.  If
you do have one that you can't change this frequency on, look to see if it has
a plug on the back labelled "Baseband out" or something to that effect, and if
it does, you can connect an audio processor to your system.

What this will do for you is this:  you will now be able to use the different
subcarriers on each of your satellite channels, which include many radio
signals.

I warn you that Iam not an expert on satellite systems, and do not at the
present time have access to one, however, this is my understanding.  If you
would like more info, I would recommend writing to Signals@Portal.Com or
Flash@lopez.uucp, and talking to Gary Bourgois.  He has been the source for
most of my info.

Dario Vicentini <darvic@HPUIRCZ.ITALY.HP.COM> writes about VHF AM reception:

>Do you know any way to improve VHF AM reception ( see AIR BAND)?
>I live 10km off Milano Linate airport and their signal are enough strong
>(according to the rz-1 indicator) but the modulation is very leaks ( must
>turn volume to max to understand something).

Perhaps a better antenna would help?  I live about the same distance from the
Albany County Airport in Colonie, New York, USA, and have no problem picking
up the airport using a broadband yagi that was designed for TV use.  I don't
know what frequencies are used for TV in Italy, though, but in the US, the FM
broadcast band and the air band are sandwiched in between channels 6 and 7.
If this is not the case in Italy, try to find something with a high gain and
directivity, and perhaps even use9e a pre-amp.  Good luck!

jaap <jaap@ALICE.ATT.COM> writes about a Russian language broadcast in NYC:

>The other day I heard that there is a russian language local station
>in New York City.  To receive it, one is told to buy a special radio
>else you won't be able to receive it.  Does anybody know what the deal
>is here.  Is this is on short-wave, the new assigned frequencies on MW
>or what?

It is probably going to be an SCA outlet (subcarriers on FM), similar to the
RISE service in Albany, which is a newspaper reading servise for the blind.  A
lot of unusual and small-audience servises use this route.  Bear in mind,
though, that these subcarriers are protected by the ECPA :-(

Randall Rhea <randall@INFORMIX.COM> writes about Re: Antennas: general
    question:

>Ah, antennas for SWL.  I guess I'll throw my two bits in.
>
>The first thing is that the whip that comes with many shortwave
>radios is not nearly long enough.  You will find that the performance
>of the radio will improve dramatically with a wire that is only
>15 or 20 feet long.  You can buy a "portable shortwave antenna"
>at Radio Shack that is actually a spool of wire with a little clip
>at the end for clipping to the built-in whip.  If you want to
>save $8.95, just cut a length of thin, insulated wire, bare one
>end of it, and attach it to the whip.  (If you have an external
>antenna connector, use it instead)  In general, the longer the
>wire, the better.  Be careful that the other end of the wire
>does not come into contact with electrical sources.

I would like to throw in also that some low low low end receivers do not
handle this type of treatment well (Pomtrex, DAK and DX-350 owners beware!).
I own a DX-350 and a Hallicrafters S-38B, but have had the DX longer, and
noticed that whenever I attached a long wire to the antenna to improve
recpetion, the radio would overload, and not even necessarily by local
stations!  Needless to say, however, it made a royal mess of the SW dials, and
there were tons of crosstalk and stations that were taking out wide swaths of
the dial (WSHB, WWCR, etc.) as well as several spots on the dial.

Since purchasing the Hallicrafters, I no longer have this problem--it is a far
superior radio and I wouldn't give it up for the world.

>In general, a horizonal antenna is better than a vertical antenna.
>They tend to have less noise.  Of course, if you can put up a 50-foot
>vertical antenna and only a 10-foot horizonal one in your location,
>you may want to give the vertical a try.  Experiment with what works
>best in your location.

Now I have heard this argued both ways.  My understanding is that vertical was
better because most manmade interference is horizontally polarised (electrical
lines and phone lines and CATV lines etc), but that a vertical also made a
more attractive target for a lightning strike....

>Antennas work better outdoors than indoors.  Try to get it outside
>if possible.  If not, get it up high, like in the attic.

This is especially true if you live in a steel-framed building like an
apartment complex or a college dormitory.  In this case, however, it is
possible that both high and outside are out of the question, and you may have
to settle for just getting it near a window and keep your fingers crossed.

BTW does anyone have any design suggestions for a simple loop antenna that
Icould do myself?  Preferably it would be compact enough to fit entirely in a
fairly large window (i.e. 3 ft. square or smaller), and fairly high gain
around about 41m? Any help is appreciated.

I hope I've been at least somewhat helpful.

73,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glenn C. Lasher, Jr.                   GL8574@BROCK1P.BITNET
                                       GL8574@ACSPr1.ACS.Brockport.Edu

"The Universe is laughing behind your back!"
                                  Robert A. Wilson
                                  _Reality is What you can Get Away With_
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Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave