Re: Antene

From: Karl Uppiano (karl.uppiano_at_verizon.net)
Date: 12/19/04 

Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2004 19:21:55 GMT

"Robert Baer" <robertbaer@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:41C554B2.F448716B@earthlink.net...
> AssTelescope wrote:
>>
>> Very cool idea, might give it a go. Thanks.
>>
>> Is there some sort of a 'signal amplifier i could get or just hook it up?
>>
>> Thanks again
>>
>> "Karl Uppiano" <karl.uppiano@verizon.net> wrote in message
>> news:Jr5xd.446$_62.43@trnddc01...
>> >
>> > "MG" <nomail@please.net> wrote in message
>> > news:Af4xd.2991$9j5.2341@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>> >>
>> >> "AssTelescope" <mr@mr.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:41c37608@duster.adelaide.on.net...
>> >>> Howdy
>> >>>
>> >>> I have an Antene here and I know it can be used for something. It
>> >>> would
>> >>> be good to be able to pickup other stations (free to air) from around
>> >>> the globe or simply just look for video streams.
>> >>>
>> >>> What equipment would I need to make something like this useful
>> >>> (besides
>> >>> a tv set).
>> >>>
>> >>> Many thanks,
>> >>>
>> >>> Ive attached three pics
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>
>> >> Do not mean to be picky but the correct spelling is Antenna
>> >> (singular).
>> >> As Robert explained, that antenna is for TV and at those frequencies,
>> >> the
>> >> receiving antenna must be almost on the line of sight, no
>> >> obstructions.
>> >> Whatever station you can receive you can easily drive to visit in a
>> >> few
>> >> hours, no hexotic stuff around the world.
>> >> MG
>> >
>> > Back in the late '70s, I used to pick up very distant FM stations (with
>> > much fading, but at times in perfect stereo) for a period of several
>> > hours
>> > on summer afternoons. I was in southwest Idaho, and the stations I
>> > picked
>> > up tended to be in Texas and Oklahoma. There is some sort of
>> > atmospheric
>> > refraction that allows this. When this was going on, I could also pick
>> > up
>> > distant TV stations from the same areas, as well.
>> >
>> >
>
> A *tuned* amplifier for the station of interest is best; the bandwidth
> should be just enough for the signal type but no less.
> The reason is that any such amplifier is likely to be about as noisy
> as an FM receiver or a TV receiver - meaning the signal to noise ratio
> will not be much better, and may be worse.

I was using a simple Radio Shack "S" omnidirectional dipole and a Heathkit
AJ-1214 tuner. Nothing exotic. As you might imagine, the FM dial was rather
empty in rural Idaho in the late '70s. So I'd just tune around looking for
signals that weren't from the three or four "local" (Twin Falls) stations I
could normally pick up. When the skip was happening, the dial would be just
full of signals.

I was in college at the time, FM and DX-ing wasn't my primary objective; I
was just searching for some decent rock'n'roll -- anything but disco. So I'd
stop when I found a song I liked, and then I'd stay tuned until the station
faded out, played some disco, or identified itself. After a while, I started
keeping track of frequencies and callsigns.

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