Return-Path: X-Spam-DCC: paranoid 1290; Body=3 Fuz1=3 Fuz2=3 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.3 (2006-06-01) on lipkowski.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-2.2 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,DNS_FROM_AHBL_RHSBL, FORGED_RCVD_HELO autolearn=no version=3.1.3 Received: from post.thorcom.com (post.thorcom.com [195.171.43.25]) by paranoid.lipkowski.org (8.13.7/8.13.7) with ESMTP id tABE1GGK018527 for ; Wed, 11 Nov 2015 15:01:16 +0100 Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 1ZwVu8-0006ao-B0 for rs_out_1@blacksheep.org; Wed, 11 Nov 2015 13:57:40 +0000 Received: from [195.171.43.32] (helo=relay1.thorcom.net) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 1ZwVu7-0006ab-UI for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Wed, 11 Nov 2015 13:57:39 +0000 Received: from smarthost01a.mail.zen.net.uk ([212.23.1.1]) by relay1.thorcom.net with esmtp (Exim 4.86) (envelope-from ) id 1ZwVtA-00014e-Tm for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Wed, 11 Nov 2015 13:57:38 +0000 Received: from [82.70.254.222] (helo=OfficeWin7.lan) by smarthost01a.mail.zen.net.uk with esmtp (Exim 4.80) (envelope-from ) id 1ZwVsu-0005ph-HN for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Wed, 11 Nov 2015 13:56:24 +0000 Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2015 13:56:24 +0000 From: Chris Wilson Organization: Gatesgarth Developments X-Priority: 3 (Normal) Message-ID: <9010003300.20151111135624@chriswilson.tv> To: Mike Dennison In-Reply-To: <564342C7.17245.CDAA64@mike.dennison.ntlworld.com> References: <1886523092.20151110195707@chriswilson.tv> <564342C7.17245.CDAA64@mike.dennison.ntlworld.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Originating-smarthost01a-IP: [82.70.254.222] X-Scan-Signature: 290c8768709872f914a4ca71ad6bfe49 Subject: Re: LF: LF receiver Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-SA-Exim-Scanned: Yes Sender: owner-rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group X-SA-Exim-Rcpt-To: rs_out_1@blacksheep.org X-SA-Exim-Scanned: No; SAEximRunCond expanded to false X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.56 on 10.1.3.10 Status: O X-Status: X-Keywords: X-UID: 4967 Hello Mike, Wednesday, November 11, 2015 > 2E0ILY wrote: >> I need to work on my RX, my station seems deaf in comparison to many >> other UK ones, so I am going to investigate what I can do to improve >> things > Chris, What receiver are you using? By how much does the background > noise go down when you disconnect the antenna (ideally replacing the > antenna with a 50-ohm resistor)? Do you have any local QRM? Are you > using a separate receive antenna, or the transmitting one? > Mike, G3XDV > =========== I used to use the TS-590 for RX, but then a friend bought me a gift over, a kit from here: http://icas.to/lineup/idc-136ii-kit-eng.htm I used this new kit with a PA0RDT style active mini whip antenna I built, mounted under the VHF / UHF vertical atop my mast at about 30 feet high. Last night I tried using the TX aerial with this same receiver. I think the results are none conclusive. I am loathe to tie up my HF transceiver 24 hours a day, just listening on LF, and am happy to spend a few bob buying or building something standalone and decent. I will get the noise figures, I run HDSDR as the software to tune and "see" the LF signals. I do know that my TX antenna raises the noise floor considerably over the active one. With the active one the gain of the receiver needs to be at or near maximum. With the horizontal loop / vertical / tuned coil as an RX antenna the gain needs to be at the lower end. I am in the sticks with a fairly low noise level unless someone (sometimes myself...) has an electric fence shorting out. Thanks Mike. -- Best regards, Chris 2E0ILY mailto:chris@chriswilson.tv