How can I improve my aerial reception? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Daventry 5XX · 10th Mar 2012, 11:56 am

Hi All

I live in the back of beyond on the lleyn peninsular in N.Wales and all I seem to be able to receive on my radios are a couple of Irish stations and Radio 4.
plus a few foreign stations.

I currently have an external aerial made of 7 strand insulated copper wire,about 20ft. long strung horizontally across two buildings about 15ft. high.

It has clear sky out to the Irish sea but hills and the Snowdonia mountain range in most other directions.

Can anybody suggest anything I can do to improve reception (apart from moving back to civilisation)

Many Thanks
Alan

10th Mar 2012, 1:09 pm

A Welbrook loop http://www.wellbrook.uk.com/, bloomin brilliant.

Robert Darwent · 10th Mar 2012, 1:26 pm

What sort of radio's Alan? I assume you are talking vintage radio's here. I've a couple of Wellbrook loops as well and they are fantastic antennas, but really are better suited for use with a 'proper' communications receiver. They wouldn't be my first choice for a vintage valve radio.

Regards

Daventry 5XX · 10th Mar 2012, 1:45 pm

I am talking vintage sets

I've looked at the Wellbrook site,they look a bit expensive.
I was hoping for something a bit more DIY

Chris Parry · 10th Mar 2012, 2:25 pm

For a wire aerial, the more wire the better, and the higher the better. Far better for it to be outdoors than in the loft. Important for the aerial to be "opened out" in the space available rather than bunched up in one small corner of the available space. Chris.

10th Mar 2012, 3:00 pm

Quote:

but really are better suited for use with a 'proper' communications receiver

They do work very well just plugged into the A+E sockets of a vintage radio, as the input impeadance of your average old valve set is quite high a few can be run in parallel. I have an ALA100, it was a bit pricey I agree but you do get what you pay for.

Robert Darwent · 10th Mar 2012, 5:48 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell

They do work very well just plugged into the A+E sockets of a vintage radio...

I've no doubt a Wellbrook loop performs admirably, but I wouldn't spend a couple of hundred pounds on one just for vintage radio use alone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dickiebird

I currently have an external aerial made of 7 strand insulated copper wire,about 20ft. long...

From your earlier comments Alan, it would appear that you are using the LW and MW bands rather than SW. An aerial of 20ft is insignificant at those longer wavelengths. You would be better with some sort of MW/LW Loop. There are many DIY designs available on the internet and usually they are quite simple and cheap to put together.

Regards

G8HQP Dave · 10th Mar 2012, 6:07 pm

For LW and daytime MW reception antenna height is the main thing. By 'height' I mean the total vertical distance between your earth connection (which may be your mains earth near your meter, or a separate RF earth) and the highest point in your aerial. Second is the amount of wire you can get at the highest point, as this acts as a capacitive top hat. This assumes that noise is not too much of a problem; I guess in your case much of any noise will be from devices in your own house. If you can't get enough height, or noise is a problem, then a loop will be better. There are DIY designs.

Skywave · 10th Mar 2012, 7:01 pm

Alan - when you say that you have the horizontal portion of your aerial "strung across two buildings", do you actually mean "between two buildings"? I say this since in the latter case, there should then be plenty of 'free space' around the horizontal portion. If, however, the former case applies, and the horizontal section is lying on top of and in contact with the two buildings (as in "across" them), that won't do at all!

Al.

Davewantsone · 10th Mar 2012, 7:04 pm

How about building a squarial loop?I remember many years ago the construction details in Practical Wireless.
It is two 5ft lengths of wood arranged in an X shape. At the 4 corners you attach V shaped pieces of hardboard or plywood with 7 cut slots 1/2 inch apart. You then wind around it seven turns of thin wire (22gauge or similar).
The two ends of the wire are taken to the centre of the "X" and across it is soldered a 30-350pF variable capacitor. (Found in most old radios).
A insulated single loop is then wound on the 3rd winding and taken to the aerial terminal of the radio The other going to the earth terminal.
The loop is very directional and is tuned to the required Medium wave frequency by the variable capacitor.
I found when using transistor radios I did not need the extra single loop the radio just needed to be put next to the seven wires.
You could mount this in a loft. Tune to the correct frequency then bring the single loop wire down to the radio in the house.
Hope this helps.
I built one in the earlier 1970's and it does work!

10th Mar 2012, 9:47 pm

Quote:

but I wouldn't spend a couple of hundred pounds on one just for vintage radio use alone.

I don't, it is also used for 'proper' shortwave stuff too, it does make vintage set perfrom very well. I don't think spending 200 quid on making what must be 2000 pounds worth of radios work well a bad idea.

Robert Darwent · 10th Mar 2012, 10:49 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell

...it is also used for 'proper' shortwave stuff too...

You've misunderstood my reply. I was referring specifically to Alan's (Dickiebird) situation in his original post.

Like I said earlier, I've a couple of Wellbrook loops myself, they are well worth the money IMHO.

Regards

ThePillenwerfer · 10th Mar 2012, 11:13 pm

Have a look at this: http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/aerials1.html

- Joe

10th Mar 2012, 11:56 am	#1
Daventry 5XX Pentode Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Daventry, Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 163	How can I improve my aerial reception? Hi All I live in the back of beyond on the lleyn peninsular in N.Wales and all I seem to be able to receive on my radios are a couple of Irish stations and Radio 4. plus a few foreign stations. I currently have an external aerial made of 7 strand insulated copper wire,about 20ft. long strung horizontally across two buildings about 15ft. high. It has clear sky out to the Irish sea but hills and the Snowdonia mountain range in most other directions. Can anybody suggest anything I can do to improve reception (apart from moving back to civilisation) Many Thanks Alan

10th Mar 2012, 1:09 pm	#2
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: How can I improve my aerial reception? A Welbrook loop http://www.wellbrook.uk.com/, bloomin brilliant.

10th Mar 2012, 1:26 pm	#3
Robert Darwent Heptode Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK Posts: 990	Re: How can I improve my aerial reception? What sort of radio's Alan? I assume you are talking vintage radio's here. I've a couple of Wellbrook loops as well and they are fantastic antennas, but really are better suited for use with a 'proper' communications receiver. They wouldn't be my first choice for a vintage valve radio. Regards __________________ Robert G0UHF www.wavesintheair.co.uk Last edited by Robert Darwent; 10th Mar 2012 at 1:36 pm.

10th Mar 2012, 1:45 pm	#4
Daventry 5XX Pentode Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Daventry, Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 163	Re: How can I improve my aerial reception? I am talking vintage sets I've looked at the Wellbrook site,they look a bit expensive. I was hoping for something a bit more DIY

10th Mar 2012, 2:25 pm	#5
Chris Parry Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Waterlooville, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 237	Re: How can I improve my aerial reception? For a wire aerial, the more wire the better, and the higher the better. Far better for it to be outdoors than in the loft. Important for the aerial to be "opened out" in the space available rather than bunched up in one small corner of the available space. Chris.

10th Mar 2012, 6:07 pm	#8
G8HQP Dave Rest in Peace Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Solihull, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 4,872	Re: How can I improve my aerial reception? For LW and daytime MW reception antenna height is the main thing. By 'height' I mean the total vertical distance between your earth connection (which may be your mains earth near your meter, or a separate RF earth) and the highest point in your aerial. Second is the amount of wire you can get at the highest point, as this acts as a capacitive top hat. This assumes that noise is not too much of a problem; I guess in your case much of any noise will be from devices in your own house. If you can't get enough height, or noise is a problem, then a loop will be better. There are DIY designs.

10th Mar 2012, 7:01 pm	#9
Skywave Rest in Peace Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK. Posts: 7,457	Re: How can I improve my aerial reception? Alan - when you say that you have the horizontal portion of your aerial "strung across two buildings", do you actually mean "between two buildings"? I say this since in the latter case, there should then be plenty of 'free space' around the horizontal portion. If, however, the former case applies, and the horizontal section is lying on top of and in contact with the two buildings (as in "across" them), that won't do at all! Al.

10th Mar 2012, 7:04 pm	#10
Davewantsone Hexode Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 291	Re: How can I improve my aerial reception? How about building a squarial loop?I remember many years ago the construction details in Practical Wireless. It is two 5ft lengths of wood arranged in an X shape. At the 4 corners you attach V shaped pieces of hardboard or plywood with 7 cut slots 1/2 inch apart. You then wind around it seven turns of thin wire (22gauge or similar). The two ends of the wire are taken to the centre of the "X" and across it is soldered a 30-350pF variable capacitor. (Found in most old radios). A insulated single loop is then wound on the 3rd winding and taken to the aerial terminal of the radio The other going to the earth terminal. The loop is very directional and is tuned to the required Medium wave frequency by the variable capacitor. I found when using transistor radios I did not need the extra single loop the radio just needed to be put next to the seven wires. You could mount this in a loft. Tune to the correct frequency then bring the single loop wire down to the radio in the house. Hope this helps. I built one in the earlier 1970's and it does work!

10th Mar 2012, 11:13 pm	#13
ThePillenwerfer Octode Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,453	Re: How can I improve my aerial reception? Have a look at this: http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/aerials1.html - Joe __________________ "Experts are only good at one thing: explaining why something will not work!"