What kind of AM/MW antenna setups are you using for DX?

[stormy01]

For me I am only using the built-in ferrite antenna on my receivers, a loop antenna from the back of an old radio or an approximately 100' long wire.

I would love to have a Beverage Antenna, but that would require a DXpedition for the "real estate":
http://www.w8ji.com/beverages.htm

A box loop would be realistic:
http://www.eskimo.com/~nanook/radio/2007/01/am-medium-wave-box-loop-antenna-for.html

As would be a amplified vertical antenna:
http://www.northcountryradio.com/Kitpages/actant.htm

There's a number of articles on antennas here:
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/
http://www.techlib.com/electronics/antennas.html

Tell us what your setups include, and are you planning to fabricate an antenna?

 

[radioman148]

For me I am only using the built-in ferrite antenna on my receivers, a loop antenna from the back of an old radio or an approximately 100' long wire.

I would love to have a Beverage Antenna, but that would require a DXpedition for the "real estate":
http://www.w8ji.com/beverages.htm

A box loop would be realistic:
http://www.eskimo.com/~nanook/radio/2007/01/am-medium-wave-box-loop-antenna-for.html

As would be a amplified vertical antenna:
http://www.northcountryradio.com/Kitpages/actant.htm

There's a number of articles on antennas here:
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/
http://www.techlib.com/electronics/antennas.html

Tell us what your setups include, and are you planning to fabricate an antenna?

I've always used the ferrite built into the radio. Nothing exotic, but I've managed with it throughout the years.

 

[ddsparxx]

I use just the ferrite loopsticks in the GE Superadio II and CCRadio SW, and the Terk Advantage connected to the latter.

With the Sony XDR-F1HD I just use the homebrew 2 ft AM loop with 3 turns of wire, and no variable capacitor, works well, pulls distant AMs better than the supplied 4x5 loop.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Here is my loop antenna page:

http://www.mindspring.com/~loop_antenna/

I've heard 50 kW stations more than 1000 miles away in the daytime.

 

[Icangelp]

Drake R8B is primary MW receiver coupled to a Worcester SM-2 ferrite bar antenna or my air core loop. I'll soon be ordering a Wellbrook ALA100 as well.
Sony XDRF1HD HD radio coupled with the air loop that came with it.
Eton E100 with the slider ferrite modification.
Radio Shack TRF 12-655 - one with an external ferrite bar antenna and filter modification, and one without.
Sony 2001 and 2002.
Several ultralight radios.
One long wire antenna of undetermined length.

The older you get, the more you junk have collected.

 

[gar hi]

Here is my loop antenna page:

http://www.mindspring.com/~loop_antenna/

I've heard 50 kW stations more than 1000 miles away in the daytime.

Was it in winter?

While the loop antennas can greatly boost a very weak signal that's there, how could they let you here a signal that can't make it that far to begin with?

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Was it in winter?

While the loop antennas can greatly boost a very weak signal that's there, how could they let you here a signal that can't make it that far to begin with?

Various times of the year. The ground conductivity at the listening location (Lubbock, TX) is pretty high, and there are relatively few locals to saturate the loop. Three foot loops were too small, but 4 and 5 foot loops did the job with ease. Daytime reception at those distances is subject to very deep, long period fades, leading me to believe that the loops were picking up a very weak version of skywave that must exist at during the day.

 

[radioman148]

I kinda thought skywave might be involved with those distances.

 

[almaniac27]

A Grundig G6 with a RadioShack AM loop using inductive coupling for now, but going to Universal Radio in Columbus tomorrow to pick up a Sangean PR-D5. Also use a Sony XDR-S3HD with the aforementioned loop, but not as much due to ghost HD signals muting the audio every now and then, which is annoying.