90% is antenna so even as a kid I strung a wire up high in trees, hooked it to my radio and poof, lots of stations. I would tear down a transformer and use that wire. Don't forget to scrape the insulation off the end you attach to your radio ext antenna or the FM metal antenna. Side note: With skip I once used a 2 transistor walkie talkie in the 1960s on a NY mountaintop about 1 mile up and talked to a man in TX. He was blown away to hear this kid on a 2 transistor rig. 90% is antenna to any radio.
Studied Telecommunications and Networks Engineering and I agree and approve this message. Better to have cheap Transmitter or not that powerful but a high gain antenna is a must!
Ferrite RF chokes are great for noise issues inside the home. Often times an appliance or computer or other consumer device is generating noise that is radiated through its electrical cord or the house wiring. Ferrite cores or the snap-on beads will take care of many of those issues. I recommend people install them on the electrical cord of every device they think may be causing an issue. This includes coax connections to TVs and speaker or other A/V connections on home entertainment systems. I really cleaned up my receive signal on my ham gear and shortwave radios this way. There are several resources on the what to use and how by searching “RFI choke solutions.” Good video.
Till a few years ago I never heard of a YB400. I worked for an upstate NY police dept. and on Saturdays I'd sit at the security desk. One Sat. morning while reading the paper I noticed a radio in the waste basket. Asked who threw it out and was told it didn't work, If I wanted, take it and the AC power cord in the desk. Well I brought it home, plugged it in and it worked fine. Go figure?? Downloaded the manual and still use it in my kitchen. Mine is a YB 400 PE. Not sure what it's worth but I'm keeping it. It's a great working radio with a really good sounding speaker. I haven't tried the short wave frequencies yet, but AM and FM here in the USA has very good reception. Still can't believe someone threw this away. I've seen them used on ebay for near $100. Mine is in excellent condition, not a scratch on it.
I got a Crosley CT100 for Christmas and just started messing with the shortwave bands on it today and I'm already hooked. It's so cool. I'm definitely going to try finding a good spot to listen to this. Luckily I live in the country, so it should be relatively easy to do so. Just drive out to a field and pull out my antenna! :) Should be decent.
Truly Great video. I'm just starting out and studying to obtain the Ham Radio License, but your videos are awesome in explaining what to look for and how to interpret the instrument readings. Thanks for posting.
Thank you so much for this video. This is what I was looking for. I just got my CC Skywave SSB and I am trying to find videos that talk about this stuff. I am completely new to this and find it extremely interesting. Thank you for the video and I will be checking your channel for more.
A few days ago I took my Tecsun PL-660 outside our apartment building where I'm using a length of speaker wire coiled up and hanging a short ways outside our window. Once outside, I used the wire antenna that comes with the radio. What a surprising difference. I never realized how significant a difference interference has been making to my reception. For the first time I picked up Ham Radio operators, Medium Wave stations and a Long Wave beacon. The other thing is that there are no Medium Wave stations in Singapore, which is where I'm located. I'm not sure which country they were from but 2 out of the 3 of them did not sound like nearby Malaysia. I certainly received more Shortwave stations than I usually do. Although I pick up many of them in this part of the world. On average they were also coming in even more clearly than usual. Particularly on 23m and 33m which are very busy in the evenings. So busy that it's hardly even feasible to use the scanning mode. You're better off using manual tuning. One thing I haven't been able to pick up yet has been Air Band. Even in the late 1970's when I was a Shortwave listener in Vancouver B.C., Canada I don't recall receiving many international broadcasts. Although there were significantly more Morse Code and radio telephone calls. Which I'm sure the people placing those calls were unaware how easy it was to intercept their broadcast! The setup I had then was a Hallicrafter S-19 or S-20 (I'm no longer sure which it was) and a Radio Shack shortwave antenna.
Maybe you are living next to a powerful AM or FM broadcast station in your area that is transmitting mexican music. Check around your neighborhood or ranch for antennas
Very true words about the noise, Gilles. You did not mention PLT, by the way, which is an increasing annoyance at least here in Europe... it's killing reception within a radius of half a kilometer. 73!
O K mister I am a radio fan and I listen to you very often and I watch your videos now understand I am from Costa Rica in Central America and I really don’t get anything at all on the short wave bands, at night I will get on the AM band somewhat even with my external antenna, what I do get is FM broad cast and sometimes air band, I love to listen to Ham radio conversation even to the air band and according to the manual I should able to get air band as far as 100 miles free to earth I live just near to the cost line I should be getting at least across from San Andres Island going to Panama and vices averse but I get nothing mine is a TESUN S 2000.
You have a sold knowledge of shortwave radio..👍👍👍👍 1st time to your channel. Decided to get into shortwave radio because from how the world trend is going I thought shortwave would be a excellent go to for multipurpose emergency listening/information gathering. Just purchased a *Sangean ATS-405 AM/FM-Stereo /MW/SW World Receiver* ..I will be sticking with your channel to learn as much as possible to get full use of my radio!
Help! So my Tecsun Pl660 is quiet between stations but my PL 880 is static/noisy between stations like the squelch is off, you can hear all steps of when you tune 660 is quiet, both good reception. I know about the hidden features they are all off.
websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ I found this last night you can hear every country you are welcome matey's.Forgot to change into other email Fuc signing off LOL.
90% is antenna so even as a kid I strung a wire up high in trees, hooked it to my radio and poof, lots of stations. I would tear down a transformer and use that wire. Don't forget to scrape the insulation off the end you attach to your radio ext antenna or the FM metal antenna. Side note: With skip I once used a 2 transistor walkie talkie in the 1960s on a NY mountaintop about 1 mile up and talked to a man in TX. He was blown away to hear this kid on a 2 transistor rig. 90% is antenna to any radio.
cool story top...very cool
Studied Telecommunications and Networks Engineering and I agree and approve this message. Better to have cheap Transmitter or not that powerful but a high gain antenna is a must!
Thank you for sharing. I have a new look on what I thought was an easy thing. I was wrong. Thank you for your time.
Same here
Ferrite RF chokes are great for noise issues inside the home. Often times an appliance or computer or other consumer device is generating noise that is radiated through its electrical cord or the house wiring. Ferrite cores or the snap-on beads will take care of many of those issues. I recommend people install them on the electrical cord of every device they think may be causing an issue. This includes coax connections to TVs and speaker or other A/V connections on home entertainment systems. I really cleaned up my receive signal on my ham gear and shortwave radios this way. There are several resources on the what to use and how by searching “RFI choke solutions.”
Good video.
Till a few years ago I never heard of a YB400. I worked for an upstate NY police dept. and on Saturdays I'd sit at the security desk. One Sat. morning while reading the paper I noticed a radio in the waste basket. Asked who threw it out and was told it didn't work, If I wanted, take it and the AC power cord in the desk. Well I brought it home, plugged it in and it worked fine. Go figure?? Downloaded the manual and still use it in my kitchen. Mine is a YB 400 PE. Not sure what it's worth but I'm keeping it.
It's a great working radio with a really good sounding speaker. I haven't tried the short wave frequencies yet, but AM and FM here in the USA has very good reception. Still can't believe someone threw this away. I've seen them used on ebay for near $100. Mine is in excellent condition, not a scratch on it.
Great how-to for beginners. Good to see more videos from you.
I got a Crosley CT100 for Christmas and just started messing with the shortwave bands on it today and I'm already hooked. It's so cool. I'm definitely going to try finding a good spot to listen to this. Luckily I live in the country, so it should be relatively easy to do so. Just drive out to a field and pull out my antenna! :) Should be decent.
Truly Great video. I'm just starting out and studying to obtain the Ham Radio License, but your videos are awesome in explaining what to look for and how to interpret the instrument readings. Thanks for posting.
wow this is really helpful vid, I wasn't aware that so many things in our homes can cause interference
Great video noise is a real problem that's for sure.
Thank you so much for this video. This is what I was looking for. I just got my CC Skywave SSB and I am trying to find videos that talk about this stuff. I am completely new to this and find it extremely interesting. Thank you for the video and I will be checking your channel for more.
Thank you for your help this video is great
Great Video 👍 Thank you Gille and love this Whole Series 👍👍
A few days ago I took my Tecsun PL-660 outside our apartment building where I'm using a length of speaker wire coiled up and hanging a short ways outside our window. Once outside, I used the wire antenna that comes with the radio. What a surprising difference. I never realized how significant a difference interference has been making to my reception. For the first time I picked up Ham Radio operators, Medium Wave stations and a Long Wave beacon. The other thing is that there are no Medium Wave stations in Singapore, which is where I'm located. I'm not sure which country they were from but 2 out of the 3 of them did not sound like nearby Malaysia.
I certainly received more Shortwave stations than I usually do. Although I pick up many of them in this part of the world. On average they were also coming in even more clearly than usual. Particularly on 23m and 33m which are very busy in the evenings. So busy that it's hardly even feasible to use the scanning mode. You're better off using manual tuning.
One thing I haven't been able to pick up yet has been Air Band.
Even in the late 1970's when I was a Shortwave listener in Vancouver B.C., Canada I don't recall receiving many international broadcasts. Although there were significantly more Morse Code and radio telephone calls. Which I'm sure the people placing those calls were unaware how easy it was to intercept their broadcast! The setup I had then was a Hallicrafter S-19 or S-20 (I'm no longer sure which it was) and a Radio Shack shortwave antenna.
Good series.
Good explanation on the radio, thanks
Thanks
Through my guitar pedals i seem to always pick up a station in Mexico. It’s creepy but awesome lol
Maybe you are living next to a powerful AM or FM broadcast station in your area that is transmitting mexican music. Check around your neighborhood or ranch for antennas
Very true words about the noise, Gilles. You did not mention PLT, by the way, which is an increasing annoyance at least here in Europe... it's killing reception within a radius of half a kilometer. 73!
+senderjaeger What's PLT?
Dean Denton Powerline Telecommunications (data from the Internet streamed via household powerlines).
O K mister I am a radio fan and I listen to you very often and I watch your videos now understand I am from Costa Rica in Central America and I really don’t get anything at all on the short wave bands, at night I will get on the AM band somewhat even with my external antenna, what I do get is FM broad cast and sometimes air band, I love to listen to Ham radio conversation even to the air band and according to the manual I should able to get air band as far as 100 miles free to earth I live just near to the cost line I should be getting at least across from San Andres Island going to Panama and vices averse but I get nothing mine is a TESUN S 2000.
ha ha ha did you make this video for me? thanks for making this video and all your videos .
+1guysmilely for everyone that is a beginner, I get lots of mail from people that dont hear a thing on their radios
Tks for the good video 👍
Excellent Video
This is a really good short video for beginning radio users. Would you consider posting it on gab tv? Lots of people there might be interested.
What about power lines like those coming into your house? Noise makers too?
Great series thanks
You have a sold knowledge of shortwave radio..👍👍👍👍
1st time to your channel. Decided to get into shortwave radio because from how the world trend is going I thought shortwave would be a excellent go to for multipurpose emergency listening/information gathering.
Just purchased a *Sangean ATS-405 AM/FM-Stereo /MW/SW World Receiver* ..I will be sticking with your channel to learn as much as possible to get full use of my radio!
thank you sir
Help! So my Tecsun Pl660 is quiet between stations but my PL 880 is static/noisy between stations like the squelch is off, you can hear all steps of when you tune 660 is quiet, both good reception. I know about the hidden features they are all off.
Hello... I am a candidate pilot, which should I buy for listening Atc Tecsun PL-660 or Uniden BearCat 125AT can you share your idea
Just getting into SW listening (mainly for emergency warnings, weather ect,) I just bought a tecsun pl380. Is that a decent radio for a beginner? Thx.
Yes it is very good in receiving Shortwave , I love mine
AWSOME MATE 👍🏽
A descent screened magnetic loop would help! and unplug all those things with S mode psu like TV etc
websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ I found this last night you can hear every country you are welcome matey's.Forgot to change into other email Fuc signing off LOL.
it is a amazing web receiver