Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again

Posted by AbeCollins (A) on April 7, 2008 at 17:40:23

After a few decades of inactivity as a HAM radio operator and letting my license expire, I decided to unpack my Yaesu FRG100 shortwave receiver, install some upgrades, and erect a small long wire antenna in the backyard. I'm also studying up to take my license exams again.

Since I enjoy CW reception and copying Morse Code, I installed an optional 250Hz narrow bandwidth CW filter. For better overall stability (to minimize "drift" and having to retune), I installed a high stability Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator (TCXO) frequency reference.

I would normally just buy some wire and put up my own long-wire antenna but a kit by RF Systems caught my eye because of their special MLB balun that they include in the kit. The design reduces noise as static is discharged via the balun to ground while still coupling the signal to the receiver. There's a slight (0.5dB) signal loss through the balun but the reduction of static noise more than makes up for the RF signal loss. The 40-foot wire antenna is draped from my house down to a fence post in the backyard. The coax is about 35-feet of RG8U.

I was listening in on some HAM radio operators from New Hampshire and Jamaica the other night. Yah mon!

A link to the wire antenna kit is shown below.

Yaesu FRG100 Receiver - recently discontinued

Bottom removed. Standard ref oscillator shown

High Stability TCXO Installed in place of standard oscillator

Top removed. Space for optional filter

Narrow 250Hz CW filter installed in the 455-KHz IF stage

RF Systems Wire Antenna Kit with MLB balun (Open in New Window)

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Topic - Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - AbeCollins 17:40:23 04/7/08 (28)

Great thread! I'm partial to my 1939 Hallicrafters Sky Buddy... - crooner 00:44:28 04/17/08 (1)

Cool video clip! Thanks - AbeCollins 12:37:38 04/17/08 (0)

Sounds like... - Jim in Blacksburg 18:39:59 04/14/08 (1)

My Last Field Day - AbeCollins 22:04:33 04/14/08 (0)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Mike27 10:20:42 04/10/08 (2)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - AbeCollins 22:07:14 04/10/08 (1)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Mike27 09:45:00 04/11/08 (0)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Awe-d-o-file 09:36:39 04/10/08 (2)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - AbeCollins 22:15:58 04/10/08 (1)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Awe-d-o-file 12:08:26 04/15/08 (0)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Marantzguy 18:28:03 04/9/08 (4)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - AbeCollins 22:16:56 04/9/08 (3)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Marantzguy 16:27:43 04/10/08 (2)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - AbeCollins 22:13:43 04/10/08 (1)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - ari dubov 20:39:07 04/14/08 (0)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Brian Levy 17:14:43 04/9/08 (1)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - AbeCollins 22:34:22 04/9/08 (0)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Michael Samra 14:45:30 04/9/08 (1)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - AbeCollins 22:37:00 04/9/08 (0)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - FRG7SWL 08:27:40 04/8/08 (5)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - AbeCollins 13:17:39 04/8/08 (2)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Jim in Blacksburg 13:58:37 04/9/08 (0)

RE: Century Frog vs. ICOM R-75 - FRG7SWL 22:07:59 04/8/08 (0)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Jim in Blacksburg 09:30:38 04/8/08 (1)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - FRG7SWL 22:19:23 04/8/08 (0)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Jim in Blacksburg 19:47:50 04/7/08 (2)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - AbeCollins 20:04:02 04/7/08 (1)

RE: Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again - Jim in Blacksburg 22:53:24 04/7/08 (0)

Firing up my Shortwave Receiver again

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