Setting Up A Shortwave Listening Antenna - Ten-Tec 1253 Assembly And Instruction Manual

Setting up a Shortwave Listening Antenna

Your receiver is so sensitive that even a few feet of wire strung
indoors will provide reception of stronger signals, particularly
at night. 20 to 30 feet of wire is much better. Therefore, you
can count on good reception even if you are limited to keeping
the antenna indoors as might be required in apartments, etc.
Stringing all or part of your antenna outdoors is always better.
An ideal antenna for this receiver would consist of 25 to 100
feet of wire outdoors, as high as is safely possible. Such
antennas are called "random long wires" and also work fine in
most attics. (Foil-backed insulation or metal roofing will
reduce the usefulness of an attic as antenna space.)
Your antenna can be horizontal, vertical or a combination of both.
It can be tubing or pipe as well as wire. The wire can be bare
or insulated. It could be something not intended to be an
antenna at all, such as a gutter, fence, flagpole or metal roof.
A shielded coaxial cable feedline to the antenna such as RG59 or
RG59 is NOT essential but may prove helpful in eliminating or
reducing hum or buzz from nearby electrical wiring, especially
when the receiver is operated from a power supply. The coax
shield is connected to the receiver Ground terminal.
Even if not using a coax feedline, a wire from the Ground
terminal to an earth ground rod or cold water plumbing (metal,
NOT plastic) can reduce AC interference and improve reception.
The grounding wire should be as short as possible.
CAUTION:
Use care and common sense when putting up outdoor antennas.
Be certain that your wires or your ladder
cannot come into contact with electrical power lines.
You can be KILLED by accidental contact with Power lines.
IMPORTANT!
All outdoor antennas should include a way to switch the antenna
away from radio equipment to ground during thunderstorms. It
does Nor take a direct lightning hit to damage this receiver or
other equipment. If the receiver remains connected to an
antenna during a storm, lightning strikes a mile away can burn
out parts, particularly transistor Q1 in the 1253 receiver.
1253 - 56