thats probably were a lot of us started with our love of communications, now the difference is we are older, and still dumb thats why 50 years later even if we built 100s of Antennas over the years we still click on videos, sometimes people have different prospective, hearing a topic again may trigger us to think of something else too :)
Thanks, Eric! I just got my first SW radio yesterday, a Tecsun R9012, a small analog receiver, and ordered a Sangean external 'reel' wire antenna to go with it. It is a great little radio and the AM reception is fantastic. This morning I already ordered an upgrade, Tecsun PL-660. Very excited to get into SWLing. Thanks for the very helpful videos!
@@FarpointFarms I think we are about to see a WAVE of people getting into this, TY for sharing your knowledge . I found you way back when modifying me garden tractor :) Glad I subbed back then.
Eric my MLA -30 should should arrive on June 14th I will let you know after I get it and get it set up if it made a big difference thank you Eric like I said earlier God bless you and your family stay safe my friend old George
These are both nice radios. The PL-660 has no muting while tuning and tunes through the band very fast allowing you to quickly locate active frequencies. The PL-330 is an incredible AM DXer connected to external antennas. You simply press and hold the 3 button and it switches from the internal ferrite to the whip antenna and external antenna port. If you get away from electronics it`s a super AM radio connected directly to a loop plus it`s interesting using the whip for AM too. Fun to experiment with. I need to get some COAX and build a longwire outside for my radios. The AC in my new (2005) 5th wheel causes bad interference plus I have WIFI in here. I bought a 4ft ground rod and have a few rolls of wire. I also use the Eton Elite Executive. These three SSB radios make a great team. The ETON is an excellent aircraft receiver and also very sensitive on AM. You can scan the aircraft band for active signals. The only thing I dislike about the PL-330 is...WHY didn`t they put a DX/LOCAL switch so we can have some antenna gain control? I need to figure out how to make one somehow.
I have about 6 shortwave radios ranging from $15 up towards $500. The mla loop is the best thing that ever happened to me. In a pinch I will go with the Simple wire, But I prefer the antenna that you suggested and it works very well for me in the city Of South Portland Maine.
What is it about us SWLers...We ALWAYS have to have several radios.I had a Drake SW8 which cost around 800.00 back in 2000.It picked up around the world with ease,esp SSB.Plus,of course I had a few other small portable shortwavers.
I get pretty excited when you post a new video. You speak well and keep it simple. I've learned alot about radio from your videos. Got me back into CB and feet hit the ground running. Everytime I hear the far point farms song in the beginning i have to go listen to the full version. Puts me In great mood. Big Z waving from Missouri.
@@FarpointFarms I'm always listening for Farpoint Farms. One day I hope to. Raising the maco v5000 another 12 feet. Just waiting on 75ft of lmr400 to replace 50ft coax to make up for the additional height.
Don't know how I missed this video, but I'm glad it finally showed up in my suggestions. I just got an OLD, OLD, OLD Hammarlund HQ-129-X receiver up and running. it was made in the late 40's. Didn't have the materials on-hand to throw up a proper longwire, so I attached about 15 feet of wire yanked out of an old automotive wire harness, hanging indoors from my kitchen ceiling. With this sub-par setup, I was tuning in shortwave broadcasts from Toronto, New York, Atlanta, and Chicago- and I'm about 60 miles north of Indianapolis. All on a radio that's a few years older than my mother!
Just some pointers for better reception on a long wire antenna. 1. Make sure you use coax if possible to connect the antenna and GROUND the shield part of the coax to a ground rod and connect the center coax to the long wire wire. It will be a big big improvement. 2 . Length of the wire makes a big difference longer is better , but it should not be a half wave of any band you want to listen to. Google for best lengths for long wire. 3. A cheep 9 to 1 unun used with the long wire makes it a multiple band powerhouse. Love your videos, good job AA4CP Chuck Fort Pierce FL
@@gabrielv.4358 . Where V is a constant (approx. speed of light), f = frequency, λ (lamda) = wavelength. Wavelength (in metres) = 300 / frequency (in MHz).
An active loop antenna is the way to go for anyone living in a built up area. Don't even try a long wire, it will pick up so much crap that you'll lose interest in short wave immediately. I've heard that advise so many times given to beginners: "Just throw a wire out the window, anything will work". No it won't. It's just gonna pick up the strongest stations such as China Radio International and a lot of static from your own house and from your neighbors' cheap electronic devices.
Another great post Eric!!....I bought the MLA-30 after your initial review, and it's quite frankly amazing at bringing in stations and cutting out the interference, so it was a good shout chap!
I don't know the answer, but you can have a little fun with this. I bought my wife a birthday present and put it in the box that one of my radios came in. Then I wrapped it up. Before she unwrapped it, I was playing up how we are going to have so much fun. Then she unwrapped it and I kept putting it on really thick. I'm gonna mount it here and put the antenna there. Then she opened the box, and the relief on her face was priceless! Haha!
If you have old land-line telephone jacks in your house, make an adapter to plug the external radio antenna port into the phone jack. It uses the phone lines up on the poles as a long wire/beverage antenna.
I'm doing the same with an old cable coax that's disconnected it goes up the wall on the outside of the house and it goes over the roof to the other side of the house and I used a splitter that I had laying around and then 2 transformers that converts one end to the other cause one of them has the right plug for the antenna plug for the radio and it works pretty darn good I do plan on maybe possibly running the wire to a tree this summer but for right now it works good
The YouLoop is another good option, Eric. Good for noisy environments, doesn’t need a power supply, inexpensive and portable. Good performance on AM/MW as well 👍🏼
I have 2 MLAs about 25 feet high and about 40 feet apart on two separate radios… really cool antennas that allow excellent reception down in here in Alabama. ✝️🇺🇸🤙🏻🅰️
You can build a "Loop" antenna, if you have some skill, and there are websites, books, and videos, to help. but the MLA-30 is very popular and thus, inexpensive. If you choose a long wire antenna, use an insulator, like a ring of 1-inch PVC pipe for an insulator on the far end. Drill two holes for the wire and the end rope.
I was hoping you'd do one of these! Thanks Erik! I just picked up one of the ATS-20 radios you reviewed a few months ago. It easily picked up local AM/FM traffic as well as some CB radio. I live very close to the Turnpike in Ohio so I do get a decent amount of local traffic plus the Super Bowls!
I made my own loop antenna from car brake pipe. You can purchase the amplifier pcb board from china very low cost. However minec is for rx and tx. Cheers from old George in the UK
I can't put up a big outdoor antenna where I live, but I bought a magnetic loop antenna with a preamp similar to the one you show here and it was a game changer for sure. Only catch is you need a radio with the proper external antenna jack to hook it up. A couple of my smaller SW radios only have the internal telescopic antenna but the Eton Elite 750 has a few different connectors. The mag loop also works great for AM radio stations with the 750.
if you have room and you are a Ham, we all have more than one, for SW listening I also like the MLA-30+ Loop, I have a dipole for 10, 11, & 12 meter it has pretty good SWR across those bands, and a long wire with taps upwards of 130 foot from 1 to 30mhz and one for 6 meter, not wanting to spend thousands on antennas over the years at Ham fests, yard sales and FB marketplace I have put together a good Antenna Farm LOL and I was able to put the big money into radios that could pull QRP stations out of the QRM/QRN :)
MLA 30+ wow, it’s cheep, it works very well, it’s small. I’m in Portugal and reception is poor, but now that is no longer a problem. I think it will make you happy!
I am going to get one. Thanks for the info. I got a corbra 142gtl from you with 2 switches on it. Tuned it up. It is one of the best corbra radios I have ever had thanks. Ironman in Alabama 73s
My shortwave will be here tomorrow, I have plans to do a long wire antenna I have some different military handbooks that has different antenna configurations that could be used
Been using long wire for years built my own for shortwave and CB I even use a long wire up in a 60 foot tree made for 11 meter CB band works great tie a rope to the end and tie something heavy to the end of the rope so you can toss it over the tree then pull it up into the tree and tie it off and boom you have a CB antenna same with the SW long wire I got it between two trees about 30 feet up so far I have never had a problem on the CB everyone says they hear me just fine I had an Antron 99 for years and it finally gave out after over 20 years of use when I bought it it was only $40 then now they want over $100 for it now days so I built my own just Google how to build one it is will show you how. I even built my own TV antennas and they work better then anything I ever bought get 60 channels for free no cable.
Just got my 30+ yesterday. One minor thing--I wish the wire was not hard-wired to the pre-amp. I wanted to mount it on the fence and run it to my second floor office and take it down after each session. Not a disaster, I just have to lower a string down from the window and haul up the wire. Building it tonight and looking forward to grabbing stations!
@@FarpointFarms Just built it and played around for an hour....even at midday, which is not a great time for RX, I am blown away because I'm getting dozens of transmissions. Fantastic antenna. Can't wait for this evening.
Remember the boomstick? Don’t know if that’s the name for it but I used to have one years ago in Puerto Rico with an old Uniden CB I was using as a base, a great antenna. I had it setup on an “L” configuration. Picking up scrap metal, one day I found two solid SS “rebars” and I cut them at 106 (if I remember right), and I used an old 1/2” plastic cutting board. It was free, except for the cable, almost free, but an amazing intro to the CB world. Skip time was incredible!
No question, the MLA-30+ is a fantastic antenna for the price. I own a $400 Chameleon RXL loop and I love it. But I cannot say its better than my MLA. Every shortwave hobbyist should own an MLA. I own two.
Here's a tip. If your radio doesn't have a jack or a terminal to attach an antenna just wrap a few turns of the feed line around the radio and the antenna will connect electronically through inductive capacitance.
I built a 30 foot loop out of 3/4" copper pipe and a tuner and a GaSFET pre armp. It did okay. My main purpose for building it was long wave. Long wave use in the US is not that promising for entertainment. Beacons broadcasting morse code CW - their name. Just a few letters. Over and over. Conditions and sun spots may change but you'll only hear pretty much the same ones - that frequency isn't skipping or tunnelling anytime soon. So much for the loop experiment. Now I use two vibroplex Par endfedz and a diversity tuner to help tune out noise. This pair makes for ONE antenna. GREAT performance in general for 1.8MHZ to 30MHz. fighting the noise. My best antenna is a 1,000 foot longwire that is about 50 feet up on one end, 20 feet up on the other with 450 ohm ladderline and unun. It grabs everything, I tune it and the signal strength is huge. Noise signal strength, as well! GOOD grounding is just as important. Remember: I use a tuner with that antenna. I do get lots of noise, because that's what's out there. We use filters, noise blankers, all sorts of stuff in better radios to combat this. DSP processing of the audio is another trick. Band pass and notch filters are on better radios, too. I've found that with a high long wire and good grounding, antenna oriented the right way - that's the best if you have a great rig. My rig is a Drake R8b. As radios go - it's okay! Good enough. Working the utes and checking out all the digital modes used by Hams is most of my fun.
If you could recommend one book to learn about as much of this as possible which would it be? Appreciate you taking the time to put together these vids - I pulled the trigger on my first purchase ever of cb radio and watching these eBay bids for the old base stations are mind blowing 🤯
I love loop antennas. If you think that amplified loop is great, wait till you try a loop cut to the frequency range you want and with a tuning capacitor. Huge rejection of signals you don't want, and massive jump in reception when you hit just the right spot on the capacitor and all with no amplifier.
Made an inverted v from a junked multrap dipole so im waiting for a 1 to 1 balun has 3 radielson each side different lengths works well and much better on an antenna tuner
I managed to get a RTL-SDR kit for $40 and a $37 chromebook loaded with linux and CubicSDR. I also hope to add Hamit upconverter for 300 Hz - 65 MHz and this loop. Hoping it gets me into all the fields of radio enough to invest in a proper mobile transmit setup. I found a really high spot in my city next to a huge field that has a spot completely away from the public. I'm hoping the crappy dual 40 inch antenna setup my RTL-SDR kit came with is enough if I attach it to a tree. Just have a feeling it's going to be all noise without a loop and If I want to transmit ill have to drive way far out eitherway.
I stretched a metal Slinky from one wall to the other. Feed is by an alligator clip about 1/3 from one wall. (Windom) 31 and 25 meters had signals this afternoon.
One of the advantages with a loop is a rotator can be used to block out interfering signals. I like the mla-30 for the price, but the coax cable doesn't have sufficient shielding.
I forgot to mention when I lived in a mobile home a normal cheap magnetic CB car antenna picked up all kinds of fm radio stations just by being stuck on top of my mobile home
I sent two Shortwave radios back because I just couldn't get anything, Then I tried a long wire and this loop antenna, the problem is when you use the scan feature it may not pick the station up. But if you know the freq. and manually enter it with this antenna it is very good. Thanks.
As I was watching I got a big grin when you mentioned the MLA loop antenna. I'm a total newbie to this and have been the the research and buying developing stage and have already made one that turned out pretty good. My question is how high to these need to be? I live up on a ridge with other higher ridges around me, the cell signal is weak here too. I've seen most 3ft off the ground then I came across a guy who had it on his roof.
Hi like yourself I want another news source I am new to SWL listening just got started can you give me a list of frequencies to try thank you watching in Memphis Tn
I just subscribed as your videos are very informative. I just purchased an Eton Elite 750 and have an MLA-30 plus antenna coming this week from eBay. I have a shortwave antenna question that I can’t seem to find the answer. I’m putting my antenna on the East-South corner of my home about 25’ high and won’t have the ability to hand turn it for best signal. Is there a good direction to face the antenna looking at it head on as a circle? Thanks Steve North GA mountains.
I know the video is over a year old, but I just got into shortwave radio. I have a metal roof, would installing the Ma30 help or cause an issue. Ps I am happy I found this station, Hello from Canada.
It's probably risky but I've been touching my built in antenna to the center copper wire of my regular incoming CATV hookup. Talk about a shielded long wire. It works somewhat. I need to invest in a real long wire to go across the roof of this building. I am thinking making a speaker wire dipole and see what happens.
@@FarpointFarms You know Eric, I bought a 23 foot reel but the copper center of my CATV is better. I live inside of an early 20th century brick building. The walls are 18 inches thick and it is all brick construction. That is why I figure I have to get outside these walls. I have my reel in windows and that helps but I gotta get outside. Your channel has been very informative. I should have bought a Tecsun instead of the Eton Elite Executive most likely but I was late to find your channel. I'll come back and let you know how my experiment with the speaker wire works. I figure to take it to the roof and split it. One wire going north and south and the other wire going east and west and of course have them tied together at the antenna with an alligator clip. $12 in speaker wire will get it done. 100 foot. 😊
It would be great if you could show us, step by step, how to set up a fully working transceiver shortwave station. How to set up the transmit/receive antenna, how to orient. Then after that, show us how to establish communications with all those far off lands we all hear about. No use of Internet, telephone, or satellite, just 100% pure shortwave skip. I've looked throughout TH-cam and the internet and it's difficult to find anyone willing to show us novices how to set up a shortwave station step by step. Yes, I know we're supposed to have a license before we can press the transmit button but in a grid down situation I think the FCC may have more pressing things to attend to, if they still exist. Plus the more preppers with working shortwave transceivers the more people we can communicate with after grid down, the more info we can get, possibly access to resources, etc. Once I get good with my shortwave transceiver, I might record a video showing people how to set up a shortwave transceiver station step by step.
@@FarpointFarms it came quick. I was not expecting it until the end of the week. it can do a lot. all i did with it today was am and fm' it has a beautiful sound on fm. it sounded as good as my old stereo which zenith speakers and they are great.
I was working on a 1930s Philco 38-4 radio needed a suggestion for a good SW antenna. The radios MW & SW antenna are missing. The radio itself needs a lot of work. Thank you for the recommendation.
@@FarpointFarms just subbed to your channel appreciate your content. Also noticed you're from NC. I grew up near Wilmington, NC. Although after 20 years military find myself in OK.
I am quite new to getting an all band radio but I am in a flat high up and I'm not aloud a long wire would the ml in the video be able to be secured to my balcony securely please I just want to hear something and it's long wire is out of the question for this chap help thank you Ian 👍
Hi! I have an Eton Elite Field with a shortwave antenna input with a coaxiel plug. Wondering if just running a cable line from it might make any difference. Thanks for reading.
Just ordered the Eton Elite 750 and would like to use a MLA 30+? I am in a HOA that will not allow outside antennas. So inside the house will have all that electronic interferences that you mentioned. Would it be beneficial to install this in my attic , unexposed to the outside elements and such ? Still in the house technically however would also give me more height than the antenna built into the radio and actually in a room of the house. I know this is probably the worse choice but, just curious as a newbie what others in my situation might suggest. Other than move .
I purchased a shortwave radio (Tecsun PL- 880) because I watched some of your videos) Not one signal I picked up was decipherable. Only static noise with a human voice that is useless as far as understanding (actually. one static station came in and I did this at 10:00 PM). How is this going to help anyone if the internet goes down? does one have to hook up an outside antenna to make shortwave at all useful?
That is NOT normal. I'd look for something at your home interfering with your reception. You can start by throwing the main fuse at your home. With all power off, did it help? If so, power everything back up and then throw one fuse at a time to narrow down what is causing the interference.
Hey Eric. My receiver doesn’t have a antenna jack. I connect my long wire with a alligator clip to the telescoping antenna. Any way to hook the MlA-30 loop to my antenna? Thanks Dave
Farpoint Farms shortwave antenna this cool my hobbys are painting pictures and lisining to shortwave and ssb iam thinking about getting my ham license I have 4 shortwave receivers iam thinking about getting sangean ATS 90 9x 2 or the Tecsun Pl 660 mw lw fm air SW ssb 6 bands receiver
the problem that I'm going to have. I'm going to run the long wire up the tower on a pulley on which I have a forty meter antenna that I don't use because I just don;t have a coax run to my radio room. so I will be attaching the wire to the forty meter antenna. any how when I run the ground wire. it has to be touching the mask of the tower. I plan on driving a ground rod. because I have several in the garage.. my question is will the tower hinder the ground.?
@@FarpointFarms I live in a pretty urban area and was wondering if a different antenna would be a worthwhile improvement or if it would moreso be an apples to apples comparison with no clear winner. I did get an am filter from the RTL SDR guys recently, and it definitely seemed like it perceivably improved things, but there are still stations not too geographically far from me that I'm not getting super clear, so I'm wondering what the reason might be. Perhaps I need to experiment with the location of the passive loop in my apartment. Oddly enough, it seemed like it was working better indoors than outdoors, but perhaps the bad weather was part of that.
I’m just a dumb 16 year old who wants to get into CB and Shortwave and this dude basically answers all my questions.
Glad I could help!
You are not dumb you are seeking knowledge about radio communications and that is a good thing and a good hobby to get into.
thats probably were a lot of us started with our love of communications, now the difference is we are older, and still dumb thats why 50 years later even if we built 100s of Antennas over the years we still click on videos, sometimes people have different prospective, hearing a topic again may trigger us to think of something else too :)
Great advice and info ! I found that in the AM a cup of coffee helps my reception. :-)
🤣🤣🤣..Very true...Funny👍
Hi Eric, great video. So many people don't realize their antenna is every bit as important as their receiver.
Thanks, Eric! I just got my first SW radio yesterday, a Tecsun R9012, a small analog receiver, and ordered a Sangean external 'reel' wire antenna to go with it. It is a great little radio and the AM reception is fantastic. This morning I already ordered an upgrade, Tecsun PL-660. Very excited to get into SWLing. Thanks for the very helpful videos!
Rock on! I am glad that you are getting into the hobby
@@FarpointFarms I think we are about to see a WAVE of people getting into this, TY for sharing your knowledge . I found you way back when modifying me garden tractor :) Glad I subbed back then.
You are going to LOVE the 660 Greg. I have the 9012 and the 660.
I’m probably going to run a wire laying flat around the flat roof of my office
Eric my MLA -30 should should arrive on June 14th I will let you know after I get it and get it set up if it made a big difference thank you Eric like I said earlier God bless you and your family stay safe my friend old George
These are both nice radios. The PL-660 has no muting while tuning and tunes through the band very fast allowing you to quickly locate active frequencies. The PL-330 is an incredible AM DXer connected to external antennas. You simply press and hold the 3 button and it switches from the internal ferrite to the whip antenna and external antenna port. If you get away from electronics it`s a super AM radio connected directly to a loop plus it`s interesting using the whip for AM too. Fun to experiment with.
I need to get some COAX and build a longwire outside for my radios. The AC in my new (2005) 5th wheel causes bad interference plus I have WIFI in here. I bought a 4ft ground rod and have a few rolls of wire. I also use the Eton Elite Executive. These three SSB radios make a great team. The ETON is an excellent aircraft receiver and also very sensitive on AM. You can scan the aircraft band for active signals. The only thing I dislike about the PL-330 is...WHY didn`t they put a DX/LOCAL switch so we can have some antenna gain control? I need to figure out how to make one somehow.
Awesome video. I started listening during desert storm, and then I kept listening to some of it .
I have about 6 shortwave radios ranging from $15 up towards $500. The mla loop is the best thing that ever happened to me. In a pinch I will go with the Simple wire, But I prefer the antenna that you suggested and it works very well for me in the city Of South Portland Maine.
Right on. The MLA just works!
What is it about us SWLers...We ALWAYS have to have several radios.I had a Drake SW8 which cost around 800.00 back in 2000.It picked up around the world with ease,esp SSB.Plus,of course I had a few other small portable shortwavers.
@@FarpointFarms YEAH tried all that. Can't find something that works.
I get pretty excited when you post a new video. You speak well and keep it simple. I've learned alot about radio from your videos. Got me back into CB and feet hit the ground running. Everytime I hear the far point farms song in the beginning i have to go listen to the full version. Puts me In great mood. Big Z waving from Missouri.
Wow, thank you! Maybe with some skip I can hear you here in NC
@@FarpointFarms I'm always listening for Farpoint Farms. One day I hope to. Raising the maco v5000 another 12 feet. Just waiting on 75ft of lmr400 to replace 50ft coax to make up for the additional height.
Great video, planning a swl setup myself. Keep up the great work, you are an asset to the radio community. 808 Central Delaware waving a hand!
Thank you for the kind words!
I like your very helpful videos. Just ordered the Eton Elite 750 and MLA 30+. Your videos are super great. Thanks Terry
You will LOVE that setup!
Don't know how I missed this video, but I'm glad it finally showed up in my suggestions. I just got an OLD, OLD, OLD Hammarlund HQ-129-X receiver up and running. it was made in the late 40's. Didn't have the materials on-hand to throw up a proper longwire, so I attached about 15 feet of wire yanked out of an old automotive wire harness, hanging indoors from my kitchen ceiling. With this sub-par setup, I was tuning in shortwave broadcasts from Toronto, New York, Atlanta, and Chicago- and I'm about 60 miles north of Indianapolis. All on a radio that's a few years older than my mother!
So many options with antenna, and some are real inexpensive, and easy to make.
Just some pointers for better reception on a long wire antenna.
1. Make sure you use coax if possible to connect the antenna and GROUND the shield part of the coax to a ground rod and connect the center coax to the long wire wire. It will be a big big improvement.
2 . Length of the wire makes a big difference longer is better , but it should not be a half wave of any band you want to listen to. Google for best lengths for long wire.
3. A cheep 9 to 1 unun used with the long wire makes it a multiple band powerhouse.
Love your videos, good job
AA4CP Chuck
Fort Pierce FL
How to calculate the lenght of the wave???
@@gabrielv.4358 . Where V is a constant (approx. speed of light), f = frequency, λ (lamda) = wavelength.
Wavelength (in metres) = 300 / frequency (in MHz).
An active loop antenna is the way to go for anyone living in a built up area. Don't even try a long wire, it will pick up so much crap that you'll lose interest in short wave immediately. I've heard that advise so many times given to beginners: "Just throw a wire out the window, anything will work". No it won't. It's just gonna pick up the strongest stations such as China Radio International and a lot of static from your own house and from your neighbors' cheap electronic devices.
Another great post Eric!!....I bought the MLA-30 after your initial review, and it's quite frankly amazing at bringing in stations and cutting out the interference, so it was a good shout chap!
Do you know what the #1 question is on your videos?
How do I get my wife to install a cb in her truck too???
Incorrect...the #1 question I get is "what do you need to buy more radio stuff for???"
@@jturie just have to be honest. It's a Damn addiction. Lol.
we all need radios anonymous- Admitting that we have a problem is the first step
I don't know the answer, but you can have a little fun with this. I bought my wife a birthday present and put it in the box that one of my radios came in. Then I wrapped it up. Before she unwrapped it, I was playing up how we are going to have so much fun. Then she unwrapped it and I kept putting it on really thick. I'm gonna mount it here and put the antenna there. Then she opened the box, and the relief on her face was priceless! Haha!
@@FarpointFarms as long as the meetings are on the Radio. Lol
If you have old land-line telephone jacks in your house, make an adapter to plug the external radio antenna port into the phone jack. It uses the phone lines up on the poles as a long wire/beverage antenna.
That works well?
if it does, that would be awesome
I'm doing the same with an old cable coax that's disconnected it goes up the wall on the outside of the house and it goes over the roof to the other side of the house and I used a splitter that I had laying around and then 2 transformers that converts one end to the other cause one of them has the right plug for the antenna plug for the radio and it works pretty darn good I do plan on maybe possibly running the wire to a tree this summer but for right now it works good
I have old phone jack's ☎️ in my house
Great to know. And great idea.
How do those rod antennas work? Those in an 18 inch piece of pvc pipe with a long lead that clip onto the receivers built in antenna.
The YouLoop is another good option, Eric. Good for noisy environments, doesn’t need a power supply, inexpensive and portable. Good performance on AM/MW as well 👍🏼
Thanks for the info!
Lots of options for an antenna and room to experiment. Loop on the ground, long wire, etc.
I have 2 MLAs about 25 feet high and about 40 feet apart on two separate radios… really cool antennas that allow excellent reception down in here in Alabama. ✝️🇺🇸🤙🏻🅰️
I've been considering a second one here as well. Another fan of the channel has his on a rotor so he can fine tune a channel. I may try that.
You can build a "Loop" antenna, if you have some skill, and there are websites, books, and videos, to help. but the MLA-30 is very popular and thus, inexpensive.
If you choose a long wire antenna, use an insulator, like a ring of 1-inch PVC pipe for an insulator on the far end. Drill two holes for the wire and the end rope.
Good to know!
I was hoping you'd do one of these! Thanks Erik! I just picked up one of the ATS-20 radios you reviewed a few months ago. It easily picked up local AM/FM traffic as well as some CB radio. I live very close to the Turnpike in Ohio so I do get a decent amount of local traffic plus the Super Bowls!
Very cool! Super Bowls is a great think to pickup
Great job Eric , as a kid growing up I had a radio named sky baby, I used the metal clothes angers open them up & join it to the antenna
I made my own loop antenna from car brake pipe. You can purchase the amplifier pcb board from china very low cost. However minec is for rx and tx. Cheers from old George in the UK
Cool, I would not have thought of that/
I can't put up a big outdoor antenna where I live, but I bought a magnetic loop antenna with a preamp similar to the one you show here and it was a game changer for sure. Only catch is you need a radio with the proper external antenna jack to hook it up. A couple of my smaller SW radios only have the internal telescopic antenna but the Eton Elite 750 has a few different connectors. The mag loop also works great for AM radio stations with the 750.
I love my MLA-30. It really pulls in the weak stations.
if you have room and you are a Ham, we all have more than one, for SW listening I also like the MLA-30+ Loop, I have a dipole for 10, 11, & 12 meter it has pretty good SWR across those bands, and a long wire with taps upwards of 130 foot from 1 to 30mhz and one for 6 meter, not wanting to spend thousands on antennas over the years at Ham fests, yard sales and FB marketplace I have put together a good Antenna Farm LOL and I was able to put the big money into radios that could pull QRP stations out of the QRM/QRN :)
Sounds a lot like my setup! Good advice!
TY Eric,
I just pulled the trigger on a ETON Elite Classic w/ssb. and of course the MLA-30 + ANTENA. ;)>
You will love it!
Oh, dude. I want the Eton elite 750. It's $399.00. But I really think it's the best choice for me, tell us how you like your new unit ?
@@joannem3568 will do Joanne..
Bit of a learning curve sunshine.
Thank You Eric for all your videos..
Glad you like them!
MLA 30+ wow, it’s cheep, it works very well, it’s small. I’m in Portugal and reception is poor, but now that is no longer a problem. I think it will make you happy!
Glad you liked it!
Good info, I’ve had good and bad antennas, this hobby takes an effort!!
Good advice Sir, thanks for sharing.
You are very welcome.
I am going to get one. Thanks for the info. I got a corbra 142gtl from you with 2 switches on it. Tuned it up. It is one of the best corbra radios I have ever had thanks. Ironman in Alabama 73s
My shortwave will be here tomorrow, I have plans to do a long wire antenna I have some different military handbooks that has different antenna configurations that could be used
Loops are great for those who are limited in yard space and have height restrictions. They work great only 5 feet off the ground.
I have mine on the side of our house. I hope you all have been doing well
@@FarpointFarms We are doing great, Hope ya'll are as well. Spending a lot of time on 40 meters
I love my MLA, easy setup and works well.
Thanks Eric. That’s what I was asking about. Yes my friend has a mla. Has it on the roof with a hdtv antenna rotor. Thanks again 73
Glad you found it helpful. I hope you are doing well
Yes thank you, and holding on one day at a time my friend.
Been using long wire for years built my own for shortwave and CB I even use a long wire up in a 60 foot tree made for 11 meter CB band works great tie a rope to the end and tie something heavy to the end of the rope so you can toss it over the tree then pull it up into the tree and tie it off and boom you have a CB antenna same with the SW long wire I got it between two trees about 30 feet up so far I have never had a problem on the CB everyone says they hear me just fine I had an Antron 99 for years and it finally gave out after over 20 years of use when I bought it it was only $40 then now they want over $100 for it now days so I built my own just Google how to build one it is will show you how. I even built my own TV antennas and they work better then anything I ever bought get 60 channels for free no cable.
You have a great idea, just make one to help save some money. The inflation rate going from $40 to $100 is just stupid.
Just got my 30+ yesterday. One minor thing--I wish the wire was not hard-wired to the pre-amp. I wanted to mount it on the fence and run it to my second floor office and take it down after each session. Not a disaster, I just have to lower a string down from the window and haul up the wire. Building it tonight and looking forward to grabbing stations!
you will have to let us all know how it goes
@@FarpointFarms Just built it and played around for an hour....even at midday, which is not a great time for RX, I am blown away because I'm getting dozens of transmissions. Fantastic antenna. Can't wait for this evening.
I always enjoy your videos great information and very interesting keep up the good work
Thanks for the kind words!
Remember the boomstick? Don’t know if that’s the name for it but I used to have one years ago in Puerto Rico with an old Uniden CB I was using as a base, a great antenna. I had it setup on an “L” configuration. Picking up scrap metal, one day I found two solid SS “rebars” and I cut them at 106 (if I remember right), and I used an old 1/2” plastic cutting board. It was free, except for the cable, almost free, but an amazing intro to the CB world. Skip time was incredible!
I will have to watch your video on that specific antenna.
I have a few that go more in detail
Thanks for the video Eric, always much appreciated.
You bet
No question, the MLA-30+ is a fantastic antenna for the price. I own a $400 Chameleon RXL loop and I love it. But I cannot say its better than my MLA. Every shortwave hobbyist should own an MLA. I own two.
I have the MLA-30 and I agree that is it great for the price. I am able to get great reception with it
Awesome got me one off ebay today
Nice!!
Here's a tip. If your radio doesn't have a jack or a terminal to attach an antenna just wrap a few turns of the feed line around the radio and the antenna will connect electronically through inductive capacitance.
that is a good tip, thank you for sharing that
I built a 30 foot loop out of 3/4" copper pipe and a tuner and a GaSFET pre armp. It did okay. My main purpose for building it was long wave. Long wave use in the US is not that promising for entertainment. Beacons broadcasting morse code CW - their name. Just a few letters. Over and over. Conditions and sun spots may change but you'll only hear pretty much the same ones - that frequency isn't skipping or tunnelling anytime soon. So much for the loop experiment. Now I use two vibroplex Par endfedz and a diversity tuner to help tune out noise. This pair makes for ONE antenna. GREAT performance in general for 1.8MHZ to 30MHz. fighting the noise. My best antenna is a 1,000 foot longwire that is about 50 feet up on one end, 20 feet up on the other with 450 ohm ladderline and unun. It grabs everything, I tune it and the signal strength is huge. Noise signal strength, as well! GOOD grounding is just as important. Remember: I use a tuner with that antenna. I do get lots of noise, because that's what's out there. We use filters, noise blankers, all sorts of stuff in better radios to combat this. DSP processing of the audio is another trick. Band pass and notch filters are on better radios, too. I've found that with a high long wire and good grounding, antenna oriented the right way - that's the best if you have a great rig. My rig is a Drake R8b. As radios go - it's okay! Good enough. Working the utes and checking out all the digital modes used by Hams is most of my fun.
Thanks for the info .
Any time!
You Rock!! thank you so much for making this video! exactly what I needed to know. Appreciate you.
Glad I could help!
If you could recommend one book to learn about as much of this as possible which would it be? Appreciate you taking the time to put together these vids - I pulled the trigger on my first purchase ever of cb radio and watching these eBay bids for the old base stations are mind blowing 🤯
Great info
Glad to help!
I love loop antennas. If you think that amplified loop is great, wait till you try a loop cut to the frequency range you want and with a tuning capacitor. Huge rejection of signals you don't want, and massive jump in reception when you hit just the right spot on the capacitor and all with no amplifier.
Thanks for the tip! I might have to look into one of those
Made an inverted v from a junked multrap dipole so im waiting for a 1 to 1 balun has 3 radielson each side different lengths works well and much better on an antenna tuner
Thank you ! I have been using a long wire on my old FRG and I get a lot of noise floor . I will look into that antenna .
Good luck!
I managed to get a RTL-SDR kit for $40 and a $37 chromebook loaded with linux and CubicSDR. I also hope to add Hamit upconverter for 300 Hz - 65 MHz and this loop. Hoping it gets me into all the fields of radio enough to invest in a proper mobile transmit setup. I found a really high spot in my city next to a huge field that has a spot completely away from the public. I'm hoping the crappy dual 40 inch antenna setup my RTL-SDR kit came with is enough if I attach it to a tree. Just have a feeling it's going to be all noise without a loop and If I want to transmit ill have to drive way far out eitherway.
Hopefully you can get it to work for you. The elevation can really help.
@@FarpointFarms it worked so well as a start thanks! Got me into making my own antennas... here we go lol
Congratulations on your content. Have you heard any radio from Uruguay? I'm starting in this hobby. Thank you!
I have heard some from South America, I am not sure what country
I stretched a metal Slinky from one wall to the other. Feed is by an alligator clip about 1/3 from one wall. (Windom) 31 and 25 meters had signals this afternoon.
it's not stupid if it works, that is a great way of using what you have.
Good advice. I just got my MLA 30 in the mail. Cheap one off amazon but its worth the chance :)
I use a PKloop with great results. Ideal for confined space. Use longwire with good results too. MLA30 is a possibility too.
I'll look into the PKloop.
Australian outfit.
One of the advantages with a loop is a rotator can be used to block out interfering signals. I like the mla-30 for the price, but the coax cable doesn't have sufficient shielding.
Great video, keep it up📻💯
thank you
Yes, I'm really getting into short wave and I'm studying ham
Invisible fence wire makes good cheap wire for a long wire
I forgot to mention when I lived in a mobile home a normal cheap magnetic CB car antenna picked up all kinds of fm radio stations just by being stuck on top of my mobile home
I made a 20" dipole for my shortwave. Does pretty good, but looking to upgrade eventually.
@memlord I pick up radio China easy. Basil. Italy.
@memlord Can't remember where. It's been some years. But yes a video here on TH-cam. Never got around to building another.
I gotta ask Eric have u heard of shortwave number stations if not you should look up videos on them and watch them they are really interesting
I sent two Shortwave radios back because I just couldn't get anything, Then I tried a long wire and this loop antenna, the problem is when you use the scan feature it may not pick the station up. But if you know the freq. and manually enter it with this antenna it is very good. Thanks.
Another great video…really appreciate what you do! Where do you mount the MLA?
I have mine mounted on the side of my house
As I was watching I got a big grin when you mentioned the MLA loop antenna. I'm a total newbie to this and have been the the research and buying developing stage and have already made one that turned out pretty good. My question is how high to these need to be? I live up on a ridge with other higher ridges around me, the cell signal is weak here too. I've seen most 3ft off the ground then I came across a guy who had it on his roof.
Mine is no more than 15 feet off the ground and works great!
Hi like yourself I want another news source I am new to SWL listening just got started can you give me a list of frequencies to try thank you watching in Memphis Tn
Take a look at last weeks video. I talked about a great website that lists all transmitting stations in English at any time during the day or night.
I just subscribed as your videos are very informative. I just purchased an Eton Elite 750 and have an MLA-30 plus antenna coming this week from eBay. I have a shortwave antenna question that I can’t seem to find the answer. I’m putting my antenna on the East-South corner of my home about 25’ high and won’t have the ability to hand turn it for best signal. Is there a good direction to face the antenna looking at it head on as a circle? Thanks Steve North GA mountains.
Trial and error. If there is a certain channel you like, you can always make adjustments, but I have been happy with mine right where it is.
I know the video is over a year old, but I just got into shortwave radio. I have a metal roof, would installing the Ma30 help or cause an issue. Ps I am happy I found this station, Hello from Canada.
A nice ground plane is great for transmitting, but for listening, it will not do much, good or bad.
Thank you for the information.
It's probably risky but I've been touching my built in antenna to the center copper wire of my regular incoming CATV hookup. Talk about a shielded long wire. It works somewhat. I need to invest in a real long wire to go across the roof of this building. I am thinking making a speaker wire dipole and see what happens.
A long wire wrapped around the room also works pretty good in a pinch.
@@FarpointFarms You know Eric, I bought a 23 foot reel but the copper center of my CATV is better. I live inside of an early 20th century brick building. The walls are 18 inches thick and it is all brick construction. That is why I figure I have to get outside these walls. I have my reel in windows and that helps but I gotta get outside.
Your channel has been very informative. I should have bought a Tecsun instead of the Eton Elite Executive most likely but I was late to find your channel. I'll come back and let you know how my experiment with the speaker wire works.
I figure to take it to the roof and split it. One wire going north and south and the other wire going east and west and of course have them tied together at the antenna with an alligator clip. $12 in speaker wire will get it done. 100 foot. 😊
It would be great if you could show us, step by step, how to set up a fully working transceiver shortwave station. How to set up the transmit/receive antenna, how to orient. Then after that, show us how to establish communications with all those far off lands we all hear about. No use of Internet, telephone, or satellite, just 100% pure shortwave skip.
I've looked throughout TH-cam and the internet and it's difficult to find anyone willing to show us novices how to set up a shortwave station step by step.
Yes, I know we're supposed to have a license before we can press the transmit button but in a grid down situation I think the FCC may have more pressing things to attend to, if they still exist.
Plus the more preppers with working shortwave transceivers the more people we can communicate with after grid down, the more info we can get, possibly access to resources, etc.
Once I get good with my shortwave transceiver, I might record a video showing people how to set up a shortwave transceiver station step by step.
just ordered my 750 today
You will love it!
@@FarpointFarms it came quick. I was not expecting it until the end of the week. it can do a lot. all i did with it today was am and fm' it has a beautiful sound on fm. it sounded as good as my old stereo which zenith speakers and they are great.
Great info 👍
Glad you think so!
I was working on a 1930s Philco 38-4 radio needed a suggestion for a good SW antenna. The radios MW & SW antenna are missing. The radio itself needs a lot of work. Thank you for the recommendation.
The MLA-30+ is the perfect antenna for that radio.
@@FarpointFarms just subbed to your channel appreciate your content. Also noticed you're from NC. I grew up near Wilmington, NC. Although after 20 years military find myself in OK.
The mla30 works great with the Malachite sdr. But not so good with the Tecsun PL880. Longwire works better on the PL880
Good to know!
Are you going to upload longer or more non TH-cam content on bitchute soon?
Eric, should the long wire be insulated or bare? Or does it matter? Thanks for your interesting videos!
You can do it either way. I've really noticed no change when using it insulated.
@@FarpointFarms Thank you Sir!
I am quite new to getting an all band radio but I am in a flat high up and I'm not aloud a long wire would the ml in the video be able to be secured to my balcony securely please I just want to hear something and it's long wire is out of the question for this chap help thank you Ian 👍
Try the MLA-30+ it's small and works wonders!
Hi! I have an Eton Elite Field with a shortwave antenna input with a coaxiel plug. Wondering if just running a cable line from it might make any difference. Thanks for reading.
Give it a try. I usually play around with options until I get the best reception.
Just ordered the Eton Elite 750 and would like to use a MLA 30+? I am in a HOA that will not allow outside antennas. So inside the house will have all that electronic interferences that you mentioned. Would it be beneficial to install this in my attic , unexposed to the outside elements and such ? Still in the house technically however would also give me more height than the antenna built into the radio and actually in a room of the house. I know this is probably the worse choice but, just curious as a newbie what others in my situation might suggest. Other than move .
The attic will be a great place for that antenna!
I purchased a shortwave radio (Tecsun PL- 880) because I watched some of your videos)
Not one signal I picked up was decipherable. Only static noise with a human voice that is useless as far as understanding (actually. one static station came in and I did this at 10:00 PM). How is this going to help anyone if the internet goes down? does one have to hook up an outside antenna to make shortwave at all useful?
That is NOT normal. I'd look for something at your home interfering with your reception. You can start by throwing the main fuse at your home. With all power off, did it help? If so, power everything back up and then throw one fuse at a time to narrow down what is causing the interference.
Hey Eric. My receiver doesn’t have a antenna jack. I connect my long wire with a alligator clip to the telescoping antenna. Any way to hook the MlA-30 loop to my antenna? Thanks Dave
Farpoint Farms shortwave antenna this cool my hobbys are painting pictures and lisining to shortwave and ssb iam thinking about getting my ham license I have 4 shortwave receivers iam thinking about getting sangean ATS 90 9x 2 or the Tecsun Pl 660 mw lw fm air SW ssb 6 bands receiver
A loop on ground (LOG) antenna will cut out the QRM and QRN (man made and natural noise).
Thanks for sharing that- it is good to know
Thanks!
Does a long wire antenna have to run straight I was thinking about running it around my 22x 50 house under my eve do you think that would work !!!
I have it running around my office by the ceiling. You should be fine
❤
thanks
So, my sdr came with a dipole antenna. How would I hook a long wire antenna to that?
A simple alligator clip will work!
the problem that I'm going to have. I'm going to run the long wire up the tower on a pulley on which I have a forty meter antenna that I don't use because I just don;t have a coax run to my radio room. so I will be attaching the wire to the forty meter antenna. any how when I run the ground wire. it has to be touching the mask of the tower. I plan on driving a ground rod. because I have several in the garage.. my question is will the tower hinder the ground.?
You and I absolutely agree on free speech, pal. And SW is the way to go as far as that goes.👏🇺🇲
Stupid question. How high should your antenna be? Or does it matter?
Can a XM radio antenna be used for anything else, due to XM radios frequency? I'm about to trash one if it's not useful for anything.
I have the YouLoop passive magnetic loop antenna. How does a passive versus active magnetic loop antenna compare?
Each will have it's own pros and cons. There is no one perfect antenna.
@@FarpointFarms I live in a pretty urban area and was wondering if a different antenna would be a worthwhile improvement or if it would moreso be an apples to apples comparison with no clear winner. I did get an am filter from the RTL SDR guys recently, and it definitely seemed like it perceivably improved things, but there are still stations not too geographically far from me that I'm not getting super clear, so I'm wondering what the reason might be. Perhaps I need to experiment with the location of the passive loop in my apartment. Oddly enough, it seemed like it was working better indoors than outdoors, but perhaps the bad weather was part of that.
I get nothing but static with no antenna. Have you noticed a wifi router to cause any interference? My radio and 5g router is in the same room
I have not noticed wifi being an issue, but my solar array does cause some noise.
Would this antenna need grounding in the attic?
Yes, it will also help with reception
Just a really long wire is all that's needed.
That's how I got my start.
Maybe if you live in the countryside far away from interference, otherwise no.
With a long wire, does it matter if it’s more horizontal or vertical and how high it reaches?
Eric (or anyone) is there a way to remove the stock antenna on a SW radio and attach a long wire directly instead of the alligator clip?
If you can get to the screw that holds on the main antenna, you should be able to make it work
@@FarpointFarms I will attempt that. Thanks
could I put the antenna you recommended on the same pole as my tv antenna?
Just bought the MLB, do you need a rotator for this antenna?
No. I mean, you could, but I found a sweet spot and am very happy with mine.
@@FarpointFarms much appreciated. I enjoy your channel. Keep up the good work.