Re: [IRCA] Drake R8A MW listening

[C B <bevdxer@xxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings Lenny,

While you are checking out your antenna connections,
it may be worthwhile to verify that they are not
oxidized. De-Oxit works well for this. Impedance
transformers, ICE, Mini-Circuits or hand wound
transformers feeding coax may also help. I am in the
process of gathering materials to put together and
install  RF chokes at termination points of my
antennas to minimize signal pick up from the coax
lead-ins. I also use an RF shielded Isotel outlet box.
You may be receiving noise from the electrical cord
for your R8A. I think you can get ferrite snap-on
chokes for your electrical cord. I haven't tried those
yet. A good ground for your antenna(s) can also help.
After many years of using crummy copper-clad ground
rods, I have switched them out in favor of 1/2" hard
drawn copper tubing which I drive into the ground with
a block of wood to minimize damage to the top of the
tubing. I solder my ground connections with a mini
butane torch as well. I have had my R8A for many years
and IMHO it's the best radio I have owned. IRCA has
published an outstanding series of "IRCA Technical
Manuals" with a splendid variety of informative
articles. If you're comtemplating a phasing unit, I
would heartily recommend Gerry Thomas Quantum Phaser.
It's a great unit.

73 and Good DX

Craig

--- Lenny Silver <len@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Thanks to all who replied -- you are very generous
> with
> your time.
> 
> I walked outside and all around my house with a
> Sangean DT210V,
> a pretty good little pocket radio. I tuned it to
> 740, CHWO from
> Toronto. This station usually comes in pretty clear
> in my car
> (a good Pioneer tuner). In the house the best I can
> get is a
> mumble with a lot of noise behind it.
> 
> >From about 10-15 feet away from the house and out
> into the back
> yard the station came in at medium strength and
> clear. Any closer
> to the house the noise rose up and drowned it out.
> This was early
> in the morning, televisions, air conditioning, most
> of the lights
> were all off.
> 
> My house was built around 1860. The electricity was
> pasted on
> (term carefully chosen) sometime later. At first
> there was one
> large circuit that enters every room. Later other
> circuits were
> pasted on. 
> 
> In short, I have a noisy house. The solution to the
> noise problem
> is to rewire the house -- not likely to happen.
> 
> Next question: given a noisy house, are there noise
> reducers that
> are any help? For example, Universal has an ANC-4:
> 
>
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/preamps/0094.html
> 
> Thanks for any help
> 
> Lenny Silver
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