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Unkle Buck
11-30-2015, 12:26 AM
I found an old base station about a year ago and had an old mast on top of the barn, so I hooked up a small magnetic truck antenna to it and have had no luck. The mast is about 35-40 feet above the ground.

Met a guy who told me what to get for an antenna (Solarcon A99) and I found an old Varmit 350 watt linear amp and a few other things in the barn. I am waiting on the antenna to arrive and then we'll install it all.
I am mainly interested in listening to others talk... I guess I think I am a boring kind of guy. Lets see where this takes me. I am also interested in maybe getting in to the shortwave stuff.

222FL
11-30-2015, 05:11 AM
If you like listening get a SW radio and hang a long wire outside. I have an HF radio (Icom 746), which has a lot of freqs. I find myself listening more and more to aircraft traffic locally and even enjoy listening to the amateur bands as well even though I don't have a license. The radio is used on 11m SSB most of the time, but it's nice to be able to mess about and just listen. Nothing boring about that. You'll get the bug LOL! Then you'll be asking about HF (ham) radios before long!! Enjoy your new antenna and get it up as high as you can. Also use some decent coax like Belden, Jefa Tech, Andrew, Times Microwave and so on. At Jefa Tech they sell some pretty nice looking rg8x/lmr240 type coax for $.49 a ft. For 100ft that is only $50. Great deal for better than truck stop coax!!! Anyway. Have fun and enjoy yourself. And be safe installing the antenna!! Good day.