HF Radio Receiver Antenna

[Jumpy]

Does anyone have suggestions for a good matching antenna for my ICOM PRC1500 Receiver? I'm currently using a 40 ft longwire strung from my arch to about 2/3 of the way up our backstay. I've also connected the radio signal ground to a keelbolt.

I can pick up BBC etc but have trouble with weatherfax and SSB nets.

[Wotname]

Your existing antenna setup should suffice. If you are having trouble with receiving weaker signals then you might have a local RF noise problem; however tracking down local RF interference can be a very frustrating excerise. It is bad enough when it is produced on your boat but when it is from nearby sources........

[S/V Illusion]

It could be as simple as conducted noise picked up by your ground. Presumably, it is a common ground with virtually all noise-making electric devices onboard. Simple and self-evident cure if that is the problem since there is no reason a ground is required for a receive-only antenna.

[westwinds]

I do not know anything about this sort of thing, but found this and thought it might apply: AS-402

[casique8]

I have a counterpous cable only by KISS, works well for weather fax, 24 foot cable as antenna 16 ga, I am in Puerto Rico and get fax from Alabama, 4 by 4 on a bad day.
,

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by westwinds

I do not know anything about this sort of thing, but found this and thought it might apply: AS-402

It is not the first thing to try. This is designed for some very specific and unlikely problems.

Your antenna sounds ok assuming you have it insulated everywhere except the receiver input.

First thing to try is removing the ground wire to keel bolt. It is almost certainly not helping and could be a source of noise.

Second thing is to turn off absolutely every electronic thing in the boat except the receiver. That means everything including the DC battery monitor, lights, windlass breaker, AC mains. Everything. Then check reception. If good then start turning things back on and see what creates interference. This experiment is best done well away from the dock and other boats.

Good luck,
Dan

[barnakiel]

Here we have two antennas:

- plain wire running up the mast,
- stub, powered, amplifier antenna,

I can tell you the wire allowed us to receiver fax and voice in anywhere.

Except:

1) reception inport is always too bad to bother with the fax (but we are always far from the sending mast!),
2) in the open water there seems to be some relationship between our course/heel and signal quality.

Cheers,
b.