Main FM DXing antenna?

[Michael-NJ]

This forums been kinda dead so lets see if we can get some action going in here... What is the main FM antenna you use to DX? (Ill post one about a TV for you folks later or somebody else can ;) )

[Mike-CT]

The main antenna is an APS-13 from Ed Hanlon. It's a good antenna, a little on the long side and too pricey for many people. My phase antenna is an old CM 4408 (stereo Probe 9) what has 3 directors removed so I can hand rotate it and not hit my roof. It's only 13" above ground. I have one more spare Probe 9, just in case.

Anyone who has wanted an outdoor FM antenna has found his choices are VERY limited. I'd like to see just what shows up in this thread. There ARE a couple of available and reasonably priced outdoor FM antennas out there so we'll see if anyone uses them.

[adamrivers]

I bought the Winegard HD6065 from Stark Elec. on sale for $59 plus shipping and it works good so far even though I think that some of the connections are not correct..




Adam Rivers
WILI-FM Weekends
http://www.adamrivers.com

[Russ-PA]

I opted for the APS-9 due largely tto space, since I mounted it 15' off the ground inside the peakedroof of the garage. I tried it fixed-mounted up on the mast below the 2m amateur yagi and found that my proximity to my locals ( 7-10 miles for several of them ) created too much overload and spurs, so the lower elevation made sense. It also reduced concerns about wind load for the two antenna on one mast.

I don't have experience with anything better, but my only complaint is that I get a lot of signal off the back end. Side-to-front rejection is much better than back-to-front. I'm sure, based on my experiences with the ham antenna that this is something which is a function of length.

[GotNEDX]

I've been very happy with my APS-9. I mounted it
on a mast off our back porch; it's about 18' AGL.
With it being on a rotor, even though it's no higher
than the lower roof line of our tri-level (see
attached photo) it's so much better than trying to
use my Winegard VHF as an FM antenna. I couldn't
be happier!

Now, having never used an APS-13, I can't say
how much better things could be, but the TV
antennas are on the tip of the taller roof,
so this was the best option I had for the FM...
and so far it works great for me, even with the
less than optimal setup. How could I *not*
recommend it??

Matt

[KW4RZ]

I live in a high RF area (2 - 100kw and 3 - 3.5-50kw stations 3 miles away)
and need to use attenuation. For the antenna I use a modified TV log periodic array with the elements adjusted to cover everything from 55-180 MHz, mounted on a rotor in the attic. It's not exceptionally directional but due to antenna restrictions on the outside of the house it will have to do. Metal ducting in the attic interferes with the directivity. I have to use the attenuator in the Denon TU1500RD in the 96-101 MHz range pointing anywhere from 90-180 degrees. In addition more attenuation is obtained by splitting the coax 4 ways to feed the TV set, 2 FM tuners and the PRO2004 25-1300MHz scanning receiver.

[KYYZPD]

When I lived in Marks, Mississippi I had a Kenwood 104AR Tuner(I think, I dont recall the exact model) and used a wire antenna that ran along the very top of the wall in my office. It was long enough to go ALL the way around the room and slightly touch at the very end.

When I was at WTIR, I didn't really DX for awhile but then I went to RadioShack and bought a Rooftop Antenna (one they sell for $100) along with tripod, mast and rotor. And heck, I don't remember the model number of that either!!

[John Wilke K9RZZ]

Two stacked Weingard HD6065Ps up 40 ft. It was hard finding the second one (discontinued) but I *LOVE* 'em. Feeds into an Icom R7100 modified with SNR 110khz ceramic filters. SWEEET! Life is good.

[ai4i]

Were I a serious FM DXer, I would have a pair of LP-yagi type antennæ, but in a CP configuration with a four position H/V/LH/RH or H/V/CW/CCW switch. Has any one considered using one?

[John Wilke K9RZZ]

Circularly polarized with two antennas? Would it work? Would it help? It would be BIG! My two 12 footers are pretty big by themselves! :)

[ai4i]

The antenna is made by mounting all the elements from two identical antennæ on a single boom, but in perpendicular planes, and delaying one of the two feed points by 90°. You change the CP direction by changing which set of elements get delayed, or you can use just one set. This requires either two downleads or one, but with a remotely controlled coaxial switch, at the antenna.

A friend lived 200 Km from a CP TV station he enjoyed viewing, but an offending horizontal station was another 150 Km in the same direction, and whenever it got cold, the distant station would cause objectionable QRM. Using a vertical antenna would not resolve the issue because extended propagation always randomizes polarity. He built two CP receiving antennæ, one CW and one CCW and connected them out of phase. They both received the linear station and their combined output was next to zero, but only one of them received the target station. It seemed counterintuitive, but connecting and disconnecting the second antenna had no effect on the strength of the desired station, but connecting it make the offending station go away.