Anyway, the problem was that the wire was very stiff and springy. Trying to wrestle with it up on the roof was like trying to uncoil a Slinky. At one point, the wire and I became totally entangled, and I had visions of phoning the fire department on my cell phone for rescue.
The antenna is now installed and is fine - and hooked up to my Hallicrafters S-40B. But in the future, I would always recommend using stranded antenna wire.
RadioShack used to sell an antenna kit with stranded wire, insulators, etc. But they seem to have discontinued the kit.
Doug
I can just see the Rescue crew unwinding the "antena slinky" coiled around you like a boa constrictor, in between outbursts of laughter of course.
Gary
:Having moved into a different house last year, I finally got around to installing a long-wire antenna for short-wave listening. I ordered egg-type insulators and #14 solid antenna wire from Universal Radio. The wire was either hard-drawn copper or copper-coated steel, I forget which.
:
:Anyway, the problem was that the wire was very stiff and springy. Trying to wrestle with it up on the roof was like trying to uncoil a Slinky. At one point, the wire and I became totally entangled, and I had visions of phoning the fire department on my cell phone for rescue.
:
:The antenna is now installed and is fine - and hooked up to my Hallicrafters S-40B. But in the future, I would always recommend using stranded antenna wire.
:
:RadioShack used to sell an antenna kit with stranded wire, insulators, etc. But they seem to have discontinued the kit.
:Doug
After I finally got the antenna strung, there were a few tens of feet of wire left, all tangled up on my 2nd-story roof. I picked up the whole bundle of wire with both hands, and tossed it onto the ground. Then I climbed down and somehow stuffed the remnants into the garbage can.
Doug
:
:Doug,
:
:I can just see the Rescue crew unwinding the "antena slinky" coiled around you like a boa constrictor, in between outbursts of laughter of course.
:
:Gary
:
:
::Having moved into a different house last year, I finally got around to installing a long-wire antenna for short-wave listening. I ordered egg-type insulators and #14 solid antenna wire from Universal Radio. The wire was either hard-drawn copper or copper-coated steel, I forget which.
::
::Anyway, the problem was that the wire was very stiff and springy. Trying to wrestle with it up on the roof was like trying to uncoil a Slinky. At one point, the wire and I became totally entangled, and I had visions of phoning the fire department on my cell phone for rescue.
::
::The antenna is now installed and is fine - and hooked up to my Hallicrafters S-40B. But in the future, I would always recommend using stranded antenna wire.
::
::RadioShack used to sell an antenna kit with stranded wire, insulators, etc. But they seem to have discontinued the kit.
::Doug
My Hallicrafters S-40B is all stock, but I have accessorized it with a DD-103 digital frequency meter, an MFJ L-C antenna tuner, and a homebrew S-meter. The digital freq meter and the antenna tuner are a big help. The S-meter is basically a gadget, but still is handy.
Here is a photo of my S-40B: http://www.enginova.com/hallicrafters_s.htm My antenna tuner is shown in the pix, but not the freq meter nor the S-meter. The description says I have a 25-ft longwire antenna, but that was at our former house. The new antenna is 50 ft.
Doug
:Doug hows the reception with it? Do you find the spectrum a lot fuller or are you just recieving the usual "islands" of stations but better?