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Vintage Amateur and Military Radio Amateur/military receivers and transmitters, morse, and any other related vintage comms equipment. |
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19th Jan 2021, 2:29 pm | #1 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 601
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SDR Indoor Antenna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9EOQ2ouA9Y
This one looks at the possibility of using a TV Aerial!(Above) http://www.on1bes.be/sdr_antenna_considerations_en.html This one offers quite some good advise overall on this Genre which is becoming a great option for me to RX with at the moment(Above) |
19th Jan 2021, 6:14 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oxfordshire, UK.
Posts: 4,935
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Re: SDR Indoor Antenna
What frequencies are you interested in Hector? The amateur bands from 1.8 -30MHz are very badly affected by noise from all kinds of domestic equipment and broadband lines. On 3.8MHz, some aerials will give you an S8 reading just on the noise background, so it's hard to hear anything through that.
One alternative is to use a magnetic loop aerial, which is largely immune to such noise. The Wellbrook company is probably the market leader for such aerials, which have been widely praised. Although a commercial one will set you back over £300, you can make one for ~£20. There are several threads on the forum about them. Well worth considering and ideal for indoor use, but they won't work at VHF. B
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Saturn V had 6 million pounds of fuel. It would take thirty thousand strong men to lift it an inch. |
19th Jan 2021, 6:19 pm | #3 |
Heptode
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Tonbridge, Kent, UK.
Posts: 687
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Re: SDR Indoor Antenna
Also the "Mini-Whip" is worth considering. Gets good reviews and is available as a kit or ready built from various suppliers. Or home-brew, the circuit and details are readily available.
gmb. |
20th Jan 2021, 1:10 pm | #4 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 601
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Re: SDR Indoor Antenna
Thanks for the replies Folks-Yes its a tricky one but whatever I can use on a possible Hardware SDR through PC although the one that comes already as per page of links I had posted recently works incredibly well with various bans. It is just to consider if its worth a trial and likewise loaded whips and coils have very practical up keeps but like and good Aerial its about developing frequency traps etc but some thing of general use would be good until I can get my self back into a workshop facility and go all out roof etc for Aerials etcI will do some searching on previous posts and see if I can find any experimental builds etc always good to get into some practical's as that's where you learn from good and bad in realtime
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20th Jan 2021, 2:02 pm | #5 |
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Re: SDR Indoor Antenna
A good aerial/antenna is the key to good radio reception. Many people think a "good/brillant" radio will work well with a poor aerial, that 'aint so. Spend time/money on a good one (the aerial).
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20th Jan 2021, 3:16 pm | #6 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK.
Posts: 7,457
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Re: SDR Indoor Antenna
An SDR or an 'ordinary' type of radio both require an efficient aerial located away from as many external / local noise sources as possible. So for VHF/UHF, an outside aerial (dipole or Yagi log periodic) as high as possible. ideally on a rotator. For MF & HF, a traditional 'longwire' as high as possible and about 60 feet long plus an earth connection, fed to an AMU should be effective.
Al. |
20th Jan 2021, 3:18 pm | #7 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 601
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Re: SDR Indoor Antenna
Thanks Merlin Yes totally agree very wise words of advice indeed also benefits in the long term to learn from such endeavour'sBut I'm on the case moving forward and looking into how far I can take it being located in a ground floor flat with a possible up and coming SDR and additional Hardware Spectrum analyser etc to go along with testing and learning to use plus all manor of other goodies that will start to apply I'm sure
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20th Jan 2021, 3:20 pm | #8 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 601
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Re: SDR Indoor Antenna
Many Thanks for the out door advices Al much appreciated-as noted before as soon as I can get into a workshop somewhere then that's the project Land and neighbours allowing!
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24th Jan 2021, 4:11 pm | #9 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 51
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Re: SDR Indoor Antenna
.....So, so true,... Remember, the most important part of your shack, ain't in your shack!!
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