How to Install an Antenna for Shortwave Listening

Listening on the shortwave bands can provide hours of entertainment and information. An outside antenna helps receive low-power shortwave signals.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Center And End Insulators - Ham Radio Supplies
• Ground Wires
• Shortwave Radio Receivers
• Copper Rods
• Morse-code Instruction Software
• Aluminum Push-up Pole
• Corrosion-preventive Sprays
• Ropes
• Phillips Screwdrivers
• Cable Ties
• Copper Wire
• Electric Drill/assorted Bits
• Electrical Testers
• Metal Brackets
• Needle-nose Pliers
• Nut Drivers
• Pulleys
• Slotted Screwdrivers
• Solder
• Soldering Guns/irons
• Wire Nippers
• Wire-insulation Strippers
• Needle-nose Pliers

1. Check for zoning regulations and neighborhood covenants regarding outside antennas.

2. Decide where the antenna wire can be strung without crossing electric service lines or interfering with other services.

3. Consider stringing antenna in house attic to avoid the possibility of lightning striking and other weather damage.

4. Plan to bring antenna coax into area where shortwave radio will be kept. An attic gable or a crawl space vent will work.

5. Trim antenna wire into two elements of 23.5 feet each, which will make an antenna resonant at approximately 10 mHz (midpoint in active shortwave band).

6. Obtain a 30-foot push-up pole, if needed, to use as support mast.

7. Attach pulley to top of support mast.

8. Feed rope through pulley.

9. Erect support mast.

10. Secure support mast to dwelling.

11. Coat center insulator connection points with anti-corrosion treatment.

12. Attach coax to center insulator.

13. Attach antenna elements to center insulator.

14. Raise center insulator to mast peak with rope and pulley assembly.

15. Tie end insulators to end of antenna elements.

16. Stretch antenna elements out and affix to end supports.

17. Tie off end insulators to end supports.

18. Feed coax through opening and into dwelling.

19. Use cable ties to secure coax on its run to radio.

20. Attach coax connector to radio.

Tips & Warnings

• Because a shortwave antenna is a receiving rather than a transmitting antenna, it can be constructed of lighter-gauge wire.
• Many shortwave listeners stretch wire along house gables and avoid putting up a center support mast.
• An attic antenna can be a workable compromise.
• "More is better" or so many shortwave fans think. You can experiment by stretching out a longer length of wire. Simply disconnect the end insulators, solder (or tie) on an additional length of wire and reinstall the end insulators.
• Consider grounding your receiver to reduce radio-frequency noise.
• Remember to disconnect an outdoor antenna during thunderstorms. No ground is perfect protection against lightning.
• Always keep any antenna away from electric service lines.

[arbyrd01]

on 6/3/2008 Thanks for a really well put together article. I have been collecting old tube-type antique radios for about two years, and just bought a nice Hallicrafters SW 500 that needs an antenna. Of all the mysteries of DXing, the antenna has always been the biggest, most puzzling for me. Your how-to makes it simple enough for even me to understand. I'll share it with my friends.