SWL Antenna Question...

[sebring38]

I have 4 old Hallicrafters receivers that I want to use. Can I run 1 single longwire, and run the antenna feed through each of the receivers in series. Powering up only one at a time. Trying to avoid an antenna switching configuration. Question #2: Can I do a common ground the same way with the 4 receivers in series. Again, only using 1 radio at a time. The others turned off.
All responses appreciated. sebring38

[K5TEN]

Hi seabring and WELCOME!

First off--I am very envious of your Hallicrafters! Those are EXCELLENT radios and built to last!

Second question first: Yes, you can "daisy-chain" as it were, the grounds for all the recievers one to another then out the window and down to a ground rod or gas company ground or even a cold water pipe--provided that it's metal. While a good ground helps with keeping noise low, it's far more importaint with a transmitter than it is for just recievers. I know some hams who don't even ground at all--there is a debate going on about that.

First Question: I am assuming you are talking about using a longwire antenna. That is, a single wire attached to the antenna posts in the back (or coax connection) then run out the window and then as much wire as high as you can get it outside. You could also daisy-chain it to each reciever as well, but if the reciever has coax connections it's always better to use coax. I don't think there's any problem using more than one radio on at a time with the same antenna as long as your not transmitting.

The most importaint part of any SWL set up is the antenna. Get as much wire up as high as you can get it and it will do just fine!

Hollar back and let us all know how its working and if you have any problems.!!


Bruce

[sebring38]

Hi Bruce, thank you for the reply. I will try the daisy chain configuration and see how it works. None of these old receives has coax connectors.
Thanks for the tip on the ground as well. I haven't grounded any of these, and didn't realize that it could help in the noise area.
thanks much
Keith

[K5TEN]

Grounding (and there are differning views on grounding) is not really a crucial thing but it does help a tad on man-made noise (some) especially in older rigs.

The sunspots are starting to come back, so the 13 to 30 mHz band opening should start to be more frequent...many bands are just plain dead until they come back.

GOOD LUCK, and let us all know what catches you are hearing!

73

Bruce