I would love to listen to my radio but without an external antenna all I get is a couple of stations. What is the best antenna for this radio and where can I go to get one? Thanks in advance to any responses.

:I would love to listen to my radio but without an external antenna all I get is a couple of stations. What is the best antenna for this radio and where can I go to get one? Thanks in advance to any responses.

There are a lot of answers to your question, like what do you want it to do, pick up local stations, short wave, etc. Not to be smart, but with receiving antennas, (antennae?) what ever works best is best. The length of an antenna determines what it will pick up best, but I have had great results with an antenna thrown out of a window and across a tree limb.

Lewis

::I would love to listen to my radio but without an external antenna all I get is a couple of stations. What is the best antenna for this radio and where can I go to get one? Thanks in advance to any responses.
:
:
:There are a lot of answers to your question, like what do you want it to do, pick up local stations, short wave, etc. Not to be smart, but with receiving antennas, (antennae?) what ever works best is best. The length of an antenna determines what it will pick up best, but I have had great results with an antenna thrown out of a window and across a tree limb.
:
:Lewis
:

:::I would love to listen to my radio but without an external antenna all I get is a couple of stations. What is the best antenna for this radio and where can I go to get one? Thanks in advance to any responses.
::
::
::There are a lot of answers to your question, like what do you want it to do, pick up local stations, short wave, etc. Not to be smart, but with receiving antennas, (antennae?) what ever works best is best. The length of an antenna determines what it will pick up best, but I have had great results with an antenna thrown out of a window and across a tree limb.
::
::Lewis
::
:
:
I would like to listen to all three bands that this radio has. I can remember, as a child, listening to my parents radio. It would pick up police broadcats as well as foreign staions. Yet I don't remember having to have an external antenna. So my answer would be an antenna that would be simple to build, if that is what I have to do, and be able to utilize most if not all the bands this radio has.

::::I would love to listen to my radio but without an external antenna all I get is a couple of stations. What is the best antenna for this radio and where can I go to get one? Thanks in advance to any responses.
:::
:::
:::There are a lot of answers to your question, like what do you want it to do, pick up local stations, short wave, etc. Not to be smart, but with receiving antennas, (antennae?) what ever works best is best. The length of an antenna determines what it will pick up best, but I have had great results with an antenna thrown out of a window and across a tree limb.
:::
:::Lewis
:::
::
::
:I would like to listen to all three bands that this radio has. I can remember, as a child, listening to my parents radio. It would pick up police broadcats as well as foreign staions. Yet I don't remember having to have an external antenna. So my answer would be an antenna that would be simple to build, if that is what I have to do, and be able to utilize most if not all the bands this radio has.

My antenna right now is about 50-75 feet of scrap wire strung from my window to a tree in the front yard. The first thing I received after reworking the old Hallicrafters, was an english language broadcast from China. Impressed the wife. Me, too. The police have long gone from the short wave bands into the VHF and UHF part of the spectrum, but there are still LOTS of things to listen to out there in short wave land.
Lewis
Lewis
:

You will get great results with a multi-strand insulated wire that runs from your radio to the outside of your dwelling, and terminates at some object like a tree, pole, another building, etc. While you can use any length, a good rule of thumb is at least 50 feet: That's from the far end of the antenna,to probably under the eves of your house (the antenna proper); then down a few feet to the window where you will bring it into the house and to your set (the lead-in). Make sure you get it as high off the ground as you can and away from power lines. If you need wire, just figure how long the total run will be and divide by two. Go to the nearest hardware store and buy that much cheap lamp cord. You will note that the cord has two conductors separated by a crease in its plastic jacket. On one end of the wire make a cut to separate the two wires, and then pull the entire length apart. You now have two wires which you can join with a knot, and connect electrically by stripping an inch or so from the two joined ends and twisting them together.You now have a long hunk of wire. If you have facilities to solder the connection, fine. If not, don't worry about it. You are supposed to have insulators on each end. With insulated lamp cord, you can just use a loop on each end of the rope you'll use to secure the antenna to its end supports. Run the the end of the wire through the rope loop and tie a good knot. You can secure the lead-in section of your wire to the near end of the antenna by again knotting the wire together and twisting bare ends together.
This is the fast and cheap (but effective) way to try an outside antenna. A more rugged (permanent) installation would use multi-strand copper clad steel antenna wire, glass or porcelain insulators, a pulley and counterweight on the far end (for severe winds), and a grounding switch to shunt the antenna to a grounding rod when not in use. Aluminum clothes line wire can be used for the antenna, but it stretches. Resist the temptation to use electric fence wire...it's steel and a very, very, poor conductor. There are also lots of small whip-like antennas that attach to a powered box that in turn attaches to your radio. It is impossible for one to work anywhere near as good as metal in the air. They are the last resort if you are guaranteed eviction for putting up a classic wire antenna. Good Luck!

:You will get great results with a multi-strand insulated wire that runs from your radio to the outside of your dwelling, and terminates at some object like a tree, pole, another building, etc. While you can use any length, a good rule of thumb is at least 50 feet: That's from the far end of the antenna,to probably under the eves of your house (the antenna proper); then down a few feet to the window where you will bring it into the house and to your set (the lead-in). Make sure you get it as high off the ground as you can and away from power lines. If you need wire, just figure how long the total run will be and divide by two. Go to the nearest hardware store and buy that much cheap lamp cord. You will note that the cord has two conductors separated by a crease in its plastic jacket. On one end of the wire make a cut to separate the two wires, and then pull the entire length apart. You now have two wires which you can join with a knot, and connect electrically by stripping an inch or so from the two joined ends and twisting them together.You now have a long hunk of wire. If you have facilities to solder the connection, fine. If not, don't worry about it. You are supposed to have insulators on each end. With insulated lamp cord, you can just use a loop on each end of the rope you'll use to secure the antenna to its end supports. Run the the end of the wire through the rope loop and tie a good knot. You can secure the lead-in section of your wire to the near end of the antenna by again knotting the wire together and twisting bare ends together.
:This is the fast and cheap (but effective) way to try an outside antenna. A more rugged (permanent) installation would use multi-strand copper clad steel antenna wire, glass or porcelain insulators, a pulley and counterweight on the far end (for severe winds), and a grounding switch to shunt the antenna to a grounding rod when not in use. Aluminum clothes line wire can be used for the antenna, but it stretches. Resist the temptation to use electric fence wire...it's steel and a very, very, poor conductor. There are also lots of small whip-like antennas that attach to a powered box that in turn attaches to your radio. It is impossible for one to work anywhere near as good as metal in the air. They are the last resort if you are guaranteed eviction for putting up a classic wire antenna. Good Luck!
:
Well this sounds like a plan. I will start figuring lengths tomorrow. We live in a rural area with just over two acres of land and lots of trees. Thanks for the information. It will be a while before I complete this project. I can repost the results here or you can post your e-mail address and I let you know that way. Thank you!

::You will get great results with a multi-strand insulated wire that runs from your radio to the outside of your dwelling, and terminates at some object like a tree, pole, another building, etc. While you can use any length, a good rule of thumb is at least 50 feet: That's from the far end of the antenna,to probably under the eves of your house (the antenna proper); then down a few feet to the window where you will bring it into the house and to your set (the lead-in). Make sure you get it as high off the ground as you can and away from power lines. If you need wire, just figure how long the total run will be and divide by two. Go to the nearest hardware store and buy that much cheap lamp cord. You will note that the cord has two conductors separated by a crease in its plastic jacket. On one end of the wire make a cut to separate the two wires, and then pull the entire length apart. You now have two wires which you can join with a knot, and connect electrically by stripping an inch or so from the two joined ends and twisting them together.You now have a long hunk of wire. If you have facilities to solder the connection, fine. If not, don't worry about it. You are supposed to have insulators on each end. With insulated lamp cord, you can just use a loop on each end of the rope you'll use to secure the antenna to its end supports. Run the the end of the wire through the rope loop and tie a good knot. You can secure the lead-in section of your wire to the near end of the antenna by again knotting the wire together and twisting bare ends together.
::This is the fast and cheap (but effective) way to try an outside antenna. A more rugged (permanent) installation would use multi-strand copper clad steel antenna wire, glass or porcelain insulators, a pulley and counterweight on the far end (for severe winds), and a grounding switch to shunt the antenna to a grounding rod when not in use. Aluminum clothes line wire can be used for the antenna, but it stretches. Resist the temptation to use electric fence wire...it's steel and a very, very, poor conductor. There are also lots of small whip-like antennas that attach to a powered box that in turn attaches to your radio. It is impossible for one to work anywhere near as good as metal in the air. They are the last resort if you are guaranteed eviction for putting up a classic wire antenna. Good Luck!
::
:Well this sounds like a plan. I will start figuring lengths tomorrow. We live in a rural area with just over two acres of land and lots of trees. Thanks for the information. It will be a while before I complete this project. I can repost the results here or you can post your e-mail address and I let you know that way. Thank you!
:

Does it make a difference on which gage wire you buy? We still have snow on the ground so it will be a while before I do this. I did look at Home Depot this morning pricing the wire. They have 12, 14, and 16 gage lamp cord for sale. Is it better to go heavier or lighter?

Cheap light gauge wire if fine. The longer the better too. Your radio also has a ground terminal at the antenna board. Leave the jumper connected and add a earth ground wire to terminal G. A cold water pipe is good. This would also improve reception.

:Cheap light gauge wire if fine. The longer the better too. Your radio also has a ground terminal at the antenna board. Leave the jumper connected and add a earth ground wire to terminal G. A cold water pipe is good. This would also improve reception.
:
Thanks for the reply. I will buy the 16 gage and connect a ground wire. Can't wait to see what the results are!

:Cheap light gauge wire if fine. The longer the better too. Your radio also has a ground terminal at the antenna board. Leave the jumper connected and add a earth ground wire to terminal G. A cold water pipe is good. This would also improve reception.
:

A word of caution on water pipes. Just because what you see may be metal does not mean the pipe is a good ground. Many newer homes (and remodels) use PEX piping which is non-metallic, and many homes have CPVC in them as well.

Richard

::Cheap light gauge wire if fine. The longer the better too. Your radio also has a ground terminal at the antenna board. Leave the jumper connected and add a earth ground wire to terminal G. A cold water pipe is good. This would also improve reception.
::
:
:
:A word of caution on water pipes. Just because what you see may be metal does not mean the pipe is a good ground. Many newer homes (and remodels) use PEX piping which is non-metallic, and many homes have CPVC in them as well.
:
:Richard
:
Well my whole house electric was ran in conduit. That shoule be a good ground.