Shortwave radio antenna and ground demonstration

Ғылым және технология

This video shows what can be achieved with a simple wire antenna for Shortwave Radio Listening. It also shows the practical impact of having a good "ground" or "counterpoise" when connecting a wire antenna to a radio.
This is one of many video guides from SDRplay - makers of the RSP family of SDR radios. See the full list of SDRplay videos and applications documents on: www.sdrplay.com/apps-catalogue/
The RSP family of SDRs from SDRplay cover 1kHz to 2 GHz with no gaps and give up to 10MHz spectrum visibility.
SDRplay is a UK company. The RSP SDR receivers are made in the UK and can be purchased for worldwide delivery directly from www.sdrplay.com/ (click on purchase and select your country to view shipping costs) or you can buy from any of our worldwide resellers listed here: www.sdrplay.com/distributors/ Many of the resellers offer local free shipping and/or local language technical support.
The SDRplay KZread Channel is: / sdrplayrsp

Пікірлер: 192

  • @panzerdivizzion
    @panzerdivizzion3 жыл бұрын

    I can't wait untill my neighbors ask why I'm watering my antenna. I'm starting an antenna farm. Lol.

  • @railgap
    @railgap3 жыл бұрын

    The one best, most consistent advice I see from the "elmers" (the presumably wise and experienced hams who have seen what works and what hasn't) is this: "first and foremost, before you spend money or effort on anything else, put up the best possible antenna you can, working against the best possible ground you can. Once you've done that, if there is any money left over, you can buy a radio."

  • @antonioliriololi
    @antonioliriololi5 ай бұрын

    Old radios used to have one plug for the aerial antenna and another plug for the ground antenna

  • @parvezhusnoo8581
    @parvezhusnoo85813 ай бұрын

    One of the best demonstration on shortwave antenna I have seen so far. Thank you. You made my day.

  • @TruthVSLies
    @TruthVSLies Жыл бұрын

    Best shortwave antenna video on KZread! Thank you 👍

  • @dannyshortwave
    @dannyshortwave6 жыл бұрын

    Very excellent demonstration of setting up a simple wire antenna and also your grounding technique. Thank you, Sir.

  • @esuohdica
    @esuohdica3 жыл бұрын

    One of the most useful antenna comparison videos i've ever seen! Thanks for posting

  • @migalito1955
    @migalito19555 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for having engineered the SDRPlay and having manufactured the unit in a manner that is nearly universally affordable! Your demo was a very nice primer too. I found the water experiment to be interesting and wondered what rock salt added to the mix might have produced. In closing, being a watercolorist I could not but help notice the two apparently original watercolor paintings to the right of the mag-loop with respect to the interior location of the loop in the video footage.

  • @SDRplayRSP

    @SDRplayRSP

    5 жыл бұрын

    I think the water conductivity is already pretty good. And yes my other half is a watercolourist - not me!

  • @PierluigiChecchi
    @PierluigiChecchi4 жыл бұрын

    These are the videos you would never want to end! Thank you John!

  • @user-ss6zt2mo1l
    @user-ss6zt2mo1l4 жыл бұрын

    I have my RSP1a hooked up to my 34 foot Amateur Radio Vertical with 60 radials. I LOVE ❤️ this little receiver !! I also have the radio going through my Antenna transmatch so the signal is matched on every frequency. I do have to unhook it after every listening session. Amazing DX at night on all bands. I also built a small transmitting Loop that works portable :)

  • @raymondl.3014
    @raymondl.30145 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for showing that a receive antenna need not be complicated nor expensive, and yet will produce good results.

  • @F4LDT-Alain
    @F4LDT-Alain Жыл бұрын

    Commenting on an old video, but I've just discovered it when I was wondering what I could use beyond the long wire antennas that come bundled with some hand-held receivers. This video is very interesting and instructive and it shows how good results can be obtained using nothing but garage stuff. Thanks a lot.

  • @AmitSingh-zn1kz
    @AmitSingh-zn1kz4 жыл бұрын

    I am impressed by your three demonstrations. I did not realize they will be so effective. Thank you.

  • @JeffHochberg
    @JeffHochberg5 жыл бұрын

    Wonderful video! Thanks for putting this together. Wherever you live is absolutely gorgeous! Such a wonderful backyard!

  • @KT-ut9zg
    @KT-ut9zg2 жыл бұрын

    Great! Simplest explanation without any extra stuff to complicate it, like baluns etc. Gives a chance to absorb the basics first.

  • @TexasTimelapse
    @TexasTimelapse5 жыл бұрын

    You answered all my questions in one video. Thanks!

  • @RichardDHerring
    @RichardDHerring4 жыл бұрын

    Wonderfully practical, informative, and clear. You pulled off the Trifecta .... as we say in the States. Thanks!

  • @warrencaldwell8753
    @warrencaldwell87532 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much! Your video enlightened me on ground plane and grounds. I’m new to this and your simple demonstration cleared up a lot of questions I have had. Sometimes the easy methods of explanation are so much better than detailed (or too much) information.

  • @maryrafuse3851
    @maryrafuse3851 Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely fascinating, especially the role water can play in making your ground rod more effective. I live in Nova Scotia Canada, a place where the soil is wetter than in many other locations, especially in Spring & Fall. By the Atlantic Ocean we are one of the best places in the world for AM and SW listening. I really appreciate your tutorial on the importance of a good ground or counterpoise. You are a great teacher, thankyou.

  • @freeslave8824
    @freeslave88243 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video. Best coverage on this subject I've ever seen. Blessings!

  • @Zone1242
    @Zone12426 жыл бұрын

    Great video. I've got the Wellbroook hooked up to my RSP2pro and I'm very happy with the results.

  • @ericvaneupen9986
    @ericvaneupen99865 ай бұрын

    Top notch video, crystal clear explanation by a professional. Many thanks!

  • @michaeladams372
    @michaeladams3723 жыл бұрын

    You sir are brilliant. I love your products!

  • @tommycheshire5508
    @tommycheshire55084 жыл бұрын

    A very kind offering that you have given us. I learn a valuable information, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. N4KBM.

  • @mukeshvig174
    @mukeshvig174 Жыл бұрын

    Simply amazing. Thank you for explaining it so passionately. 👍👍

  • @bigkamran
    @bigkamran3 жыл бұрын

    Very good demonstration of the ground wire contribution to noise reduction. Not many KZread discuss this fact and they just say just hang long wire on a tree and attach it to the radio ( no mention of either ground or poise wires)

  • @seasparrow7427
    @seasparrow74273 ай бұрын

    Absolutely great video!

  • @ibgeorgeb
    @ibgeorgeb Жыл бұрын

    Excellent video. You answered a question I had about grounding a long wire antenna. 👍🏾

  • @sreekumarUSA
    @sreekumarUSA5 жыл бұрын

    Sir, Greetings from California. Thank you for the demonstration.

  • @AghaKhan9
    @AghaKhan93 жыл бұрын

    I love you man... Many things are clear about the radios to me now.

  • @michaellogue2254
    @michaellogue22542 жыл бұрын

    Excellent demonstration, Thank you!

  • @lamina666
    @lamina6664 жыл бұрын

    This video helped me out a lot. Thanks for making it.

  • @johngooch6612
    @johngooch66126 жыл бұрын

    This demonstration would be a very useful tool when teaching an amateur radio class for beginners through advanced operators. Very well done sir. John AA8YE

  • @tomclarke1848
    @tomclarke1848 Жыл бұрын

    A brilliant demo, thank you very much!

  • @4nradio782
    @4nradio7826 жыл бұрын

    Excellent demo! Thank you for sharing the various approaches. I enjoy my Wellbrook antennas at home and on DXpeditions but for hiking with a portable setup, a quick and easy ground plane would be a good way to help reception with a random wire.

  • @mxcollin95
    @mxcollin959 ай бұрын

    Great video! Thanks for posting. 👍

  • @andrewgardner7104
    @andrewgardner71044 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for all your time and effort.

  • @LarryMassey
    @LarryMassey6 жыл бұрын

    Very good job, explanation are easy to understand & informative.

  • @toma60641
    @toma606415 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video! Thank you!

  • @Nash-jz4ym
    @Nash-jz4ym6 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! I didn't know that grounding is so importandt for a receiving antenna.

  • @robertl.fallin7062

    @robertl.fallin7062

    6 жыл бұрын

    Nash102030 ... not sure the ground he has is good. I am on heavy soil with a clay substrata 36 inches down. I have a serious 72 inch cooper rod with only a couple of inches left above ground level and a heavy duty clamp. The difference was a s5 noise reduction .

  • @stevenpucci1

    @stevenpucci1

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@robertl.fallin7062 Well dude prolly got tired.. Give'm a break. ;)

  • @ralphwilmot6351
    @ralphwilmot63514 жыл бұрын

    Helpful demo as I have just bought a rsp1a and a good earth helped a lot. So many WiFi signals close by does not help but the software helped attenuate these levels after tweaking. Tnx 73

  • @ronanmurphy4342
    @ronanmurphy4342 Жыл бұрын

    Great video, very informative and helpful. Thanks Ronan

  • @lawrencethompson465
    @lawrencethompson4656 жыл бұрын

    Excellent and should be very helpful for many.

  • @dalesworld1308
    @dalesworld13085 жыл бұрын

    Great demonstration. Much better than a plain long wire.

  • @ZonaEA
    @ZonaEA11 ай бұрын

    Thank you for sharing this experiment. Bravo!❤

  • @manixware
    @manixware7 ай бұрын

    Excellent video without using expensive options for the sdrplay. My dx is enroute. Look forward

  • @AlexandreAlvesNeto
    @AlexandreAlvesNeto Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the excellent video

  • @SCzxjk
    @SCzxjk4 жыл бұрын

    Very good practical advice👍

  • @GG-vx7gi
    @GG-vx7gi3 жыл бұрын

    Very informative video. While I understand the theory of ground or counterpoise, it really is helpful to see a real world demonstration.

  • @seamusjames9390
    @seamusjames93903 жыл бұрын

    Excellent, thank you for the demo !

  • @1000left
    @1000left5 жыл бұрын

    Very well done!!! Thank you!!!!

  • @techtinkerin
    @techtinkerin Жыл бұрын

    Great demo exactly what I needed to know! Subbed❤️👍😎

  • @MagicRoosterBluesBand
    @MagicRoosterBluesBand Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for all this information! Cheers.

  • @beachz101
    @beachz1016 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much! This was very helpful!

  • @glenngoodale1709
    @glenngoodale17096 жыл бұрын

    As always, awesome video .... 😍

  • @MAGNETAR-187
    @MAGNETAR-1875 ай бұрын

    I never knew Shortwave listening could be this fun!

  • @ashishnanta6575
    @ashishnanta6575Ай бұрын

    I did it, it's really doing amazing work 😊

  • @spib65
    @spib655 жыл бұрын

    superb demo, many thanks

  • @lendavidhart9710
    @lendavidhart97105 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for posting, i really appreciate it, i am very interested in radio, this is very informative.

  • @DennyJMcFerr
    @DennyJMcFerr5 жыл бұрын

    Great video, thanks for sharing.

  • @TheOpenAirGarage
    @TheOpenAirGarage6 жыл бұрын

    Excellent information!!

  • @void_00000
    @void_000004 жыл бұрын

    Fantastic video

  • @timcollingwood6158
    @timcollingwood61584 жыл бұрын

    Hi well done really enjoyed this Regards Tim

  • @Emanemoston
    @Emanemoston Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the video.

  • @ut4646
    @ut46464 жыл бұрын

    fantastic video.

  • @Ray-VK3CEO
    @Ray-VK3CEO6 жыл бұрын

    Good info for beginners, It doesn't take much effort to receive a good signal, also magnetic loops are bi-directional, the signal can be peaked by turning the loop.

  • @christianredhat
    @christianredhat5 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video thankyou

  • @haythamchannel3553
    @haythamchannel35533 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the amazing video sw frequency antenna

  • @8151noname
    @8151noname2 жыл бұрын

    Great video, thanks very much.

  • @robertl.fallin7062
    @robertl.fallin70625 жыл бұрын

    Well worth watching ! I will say the sdrplay is a very fine swl receiver no matter what antenna and ground you can muster. I would pay BIG for a version with scanning function.

  • @SDRplayRSP

    @SDRplayRSP

    5 жыл бұрын

    We hope to release scanning software in the next few weeks (next release of SDRuno)

  • @sarahjrandomnumbers
    @sarahjrandomnumbers2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this, I've been looking for a video that shows the difference in signal before and after using a ground rod. Too many videos just show them putting a rod in but don't compare before and after. Going to CEF later so I'll grab a rod while I'm there :).

  • @SDR-DXobserver
    @SDR-DXobserver6 жыл бұрын

    High noise floor when using a wire, even if it is connected to a (real) earth or a counterpoise. The loop is the best all round antenna and as you call it "an option" it is far better compared to a simple wire. Also the loop in this version is a wideband antenna. It is the Signal to Noise ratio that gives good radio reception and the loop is always better compared to a wire antenna. As you can see in the video the noise floor of the loop is almost 30 dB lower compared to te wire so it will hear even the small signals on the air. Yes, there is the simplicity and low cost of a wire, but that is its only quality. The loop only uses ample space and is producing superiour signals, but it is more expensive. Nice video Jon but we can barely see the noise floor but lucky for us the S/N ratio indication of SDRuno shows us the quality of the received signals.

  • @02vLxcZF

    @02vLxcZF

    2 жыл бұрын

    How do discones compare to loops? For reception only, they seem to cover larger bandwidth and they also are cheaper

  • @SDRplayRSP

    @SDRplayRSP

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@02vLxcZF Active mag loops are superb for HF and (depending on the design) below - see kzread.info/dash/bejne/k5-tm9WPg5PYhLg.html Discones can work well above 10MHz (depending on the design) and are excellent wideband non-directional antennas for VHF and above. More about antennas here: www.sdrplay.com/antennasuggestions/

  • @rushyashringa
    @rushyashringa3 жыл бұрын

    Simple but very efficient technique Sir

  • @moggridge1
    @moggridge15 жыл бұрын

    Fascinating!

  • @DE-iv8if
    @DE-iv8if5 жыл бұрын

    Interesting Video!

  • @medo123345
    @medo1233453 жыл бұрын

    👍very good work.

  • @Dr_Thamminana_KR
    @Dr_Thamminana_KR5 жыл бұрын

    Excellent

  • @gleep83
    @gleep833 жыл бұрын

    A great, practical video explaining this at last! Why does the grounding improve the signal?

  • @MicheIIePucca
    @MicheIIePucca Жыл бұрын

    Oh.. interesting. We bought some 10ft ground rods for our upcoming antenna system (not sure what we'll use), but will definitely have a good grounding system (and bond it to our home ground).

  • @AnirudhSharma1976
    @AnirudhSharma19764 жыл бұрын

    Thank you sir for this fantastic suggestion,can you please help what to do for portable telescopic counterpoise ànd ground.

  • @Kamakzie1976
    @Kamakzie19766 жыл бұрын

    Hello thank you for the video first off. I'm setting this up tomorrow hopefully and I'm using a 9 to 1 balun from an eBay seller named lowbander. He uses a separate built-in ground connection and I am going to use 125 feet approximately of wire running down my neighbors 7 foot tall stockade fence. I got his permission of course LOL. I'm looking forward to this. I also bought a ground rod and some 8 gauge wire to ground it once the authorities mark the natural gas line. I'm starting out with a RTL-SDR v3 but I am either getting a RSP1A or and RSP2 soon.

  • @mikepeirson1150
    @mikepeirson11504 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the video very helpful as a newbie to SDR. I have just had my RSP 1A delivered yesterday. I am always mucking around with random wire antennas into my Tecsun S2000. I am looking forward to using this piece of apparatus, looks really interesting. Just wondering whether the use of a 9:1 Unun would be needed here, or my homemade ATU both which I use for my receiver, sorry for my ignorance on this. Thanks again.

  • @TheGmr140
    @TheGmr1403 жыл бұрын

    that would of been a great test to compare the wire and ground , with a loop antenna. from my trials, the loop always wins, cause i can lower noise.

  • @mhappy01
    @mhappy016 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the demo. What about on a plastic/fibreglass/carbon boat? is the size of the magnetic loop a factor?

  • @catalinalb1722
    @catalinalb17224 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for this informative video, still I have some questions: 1 with the longwire antenna by using a 9:1 balun will increase the reception or this js mainly used for transit purposes? 2 using the grounding connector from the outlet will induce any risks? 3 using a tuner unit like the Yaesu FRG 7700 will help or isn't needed for RSP1A? 4 I have a DIY magloop from a 2m copper (18mm in diameter) pipe and a 1000pF variable capacitor connected to the RSP1A. Is there the risk of burning the RSP1A (front-end)? Thank you Catalin

  • @Ei2iP
    @Ei2iP Жыл бұрын

    Excellent, folk really don't understand the importance of ground the outer coax of an antenna, it makes a huge difference in signal to noise.

  • @rjinnh3933
    @rjinnh39334 жыл бұрын

    Illuminating!

  • @chuckyzzz
    @chuckyzzz6 жыл бұрын

    Very good, I am off to experiment.

  • @EastAngliaUK
    @EastAngliaUK4 жыл бұрын

    would you like a station playing music on short wave and would it go far?

  • @bigkamran
    @bigkamran3 жыл бұрын

    Is 100 feet an optimal length for majority of SW bands? And if so what should be the size of the counter poise? Btw a great video and thanks for sharing ( I have more space if needed to add to the length +100 +? )

  • @saxmusicmail
    @saxmusicmail2 ай бұрын

    The counterpoise is the missing half of a half wavelength dipole. Quarter wave in the air, the other side, counterpoise, quarter wave on the ground.

  • @anulearntech
    @anulearntech6 ай бұрын

    Thanks, is there anything i can do if my radio doesn't have an antenna socket? It has AC in, 12 volt dc in, headphone jack, audio in and battery compartment.

  • @jeanphi0078
    @jeanphi0078 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you very much for this very interesting video and the need of ground connection. It is simple and obvious. By the way, I am seen some people using balun 9/1 or 49/1. Why you do not propose such balun ?

  • @SDRplayRSP

    @SDRplayRSP

    Жыл бұрын

    Baluns do add additional benefits with matching but the improvements are secondary to what you get by having a good ground when using wire antennas.

  • @deenunya7735
    @deenunya77354 жыл бұрын

    Just what ive been looking for as not licenced yet , My cave is Box room on 1st Floor , throwing the Wire up n over the Rooof be ok?, Also coukd it be Earthed to a Radiater or Water Pipe to the Rad?

  • @Soupie62
    @Soupie62 Жыл бұрын

    Loved this! The only thing missing was a Balun / Unun.

  • @SDRplayRSP

    @SDRplayRSP

    Жыл бұрын

    You are right... although it is of secondary benefit. :-)

  • @Soupie62

    @Soupie62

    Жыл бұрын

    @@SDRplayRSP True, it only becomes important when you have a transmitter, and start to worry about SWR.

  • @harrystevens3885
    @harrystevens38854 жыл бұрын

    You can get 20m washing line strong plastic coated steel core for £1.50p.from ASDA at the time of writing. It's whats going on my 4 band valve radio for SW listening.

  • @FrancoDX
    @FrancoDX3 жыл бұрын

    Really helpful. Maybe a silly question as I’m new to SW but on a portable radio receiver where would I connect a ground? I’m currently using a wire antenna with a crocodile clip on the radios telescopic antenna. Thanks.

  • @SDRplayRSP

    @SDRplayRSP

    3 жыл бұрын

    Often, a portable shortwave radio's headphone socket is also coupled to the Radio's RF internal circuitry and is also RF Signal Ground. I found this article which tells you how to exploit this: groups.google.com/g/rec.radio.shortwave/c/sIpVAaOAHx4

  • @FrancoDX

    @FrancoDX

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the help. I’ll have a look at the link.

  • @JamesJames-um5xq
    @JamesJames-um5xq2 жыл бұрын

    Hi, could you please advise on this setup ? II have a (properly terminated) coaxial connected to the antenna port of my mains fed receiver, this coaxial goes up into my loft, at the loft the centre wire of this coaxial is connected to a long single wire (clipped around the roof space); do i still need to earth the coaxial ??. Bear in mind my receiver is earthed at the mains and so the coax connected into it is also earthed yes, so no need to earth it again with a stake or purpoise. Great vid btw, easy for us novices to understand.

  • @SDRplayRSP

    @SDRplayRSP

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi James, ideally you would connect some kind of counterpoise to the outer of the coax at the point where the other wire starts. It depends a lot on the frequencies of interest. For HF and above, because you are a significant portion of a wavelength away from ground, you can't really provide an RF ground in a loft situation. Hence why it's a counterpoise. The purpose of this is to create as big as possible a differential instantaneous voltage at the point where the coax starts. The job of the coax is to bring that signal to the radio without adding more noise. (The radio earth doesn't really do anything to help) In the real world you also have to make the counterpoise run well away from the other (centre-fed) wire for it to contribute and this in turn may cause a headache in the same roof-space and since it may need to run near say house wiring which is a terrible source of noise! Regarding impedance matching, this tends to be of secondary benefit for receiving set-ups. Use of baluns is a whole topic in itself but first and foremost it will be about signal strength and signal to noise. (Again I'm thinking about HF and below - please note that for VHF and above the length and quality of the coax becomes very important). Best of all, I recommend asking these questions and sharing your set-up with others in a forum where they can give real practical comments, suggestions and advice: www.sdrplay.com/communitylinks/ (these are SDR and SDRplay-related but much of the knowledge is radio receiver agnostic)

  • @LaeeqKhan01
    @LaeeqKhan015 жыл бұрын

    Great job. One question, can we use the ground wire of domestic electrical wiring instead of stake in the ground or long counterpoise? Is it advisable? Are there any dangers?

  • @ralphwilmot6351

    @ralphwilmot6351

    4 жыл бұрын

    Laeeq Khan Not a good idea as too close to mains likely to introduce hum

  • @keimahane
    @keimahane4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you. This a great info as I am beginning my SWL adventure and live in an apartment. Is it possible to ground to something inside the apartment?

  • @SDRplayRSP

    @SDRplayRSP

    4 жыл бұрын

    Yes - metal pipes and radiators can be good if they are not close to noisy mains wiring AND continue as metal for a substantial distance (to act as a counterpoise). Even better, if you are close to the ground then a direct pipe connecting all the way to the real ground could be effective. For safety reasons you shouldn't connect directly to the mains wiring ground ( again, if this is a direct and short route to a purposeful ground stake it technically would work but would be prone to electrical noise generated along the way !) The ground (earth) pins on you mains wiring are there as a safety feature and a fault condition could cause the ground to become live! (e.g. no RDS and a grounded metal appliance has an internal short to live. A more expensive soultion is to consider an active magnetic loop - these are so much better at reducing electrical interference pickup. Check out other videos links on antennas here: www.sdrplay.com/apps-catalogue/

  • @vampolascott36

    @vampolascott36

    4 жыл бұрын

    I use a counterpoise for both receiving and transmitting in my 3rd floor apartment.

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