[Bob]

Hello All
I was wondering if there is a way to improve on the loop antenna? I get a number of stations, and have used the Short Wave trimmer to get the best volume. I noticed that if I put my finger on the antenna screw the volume gets louder.
I was allowed to bring the radio up from the basement !!!!! . So the AM works great, all I had to do was rotate the drum antenna. So short of cutting off my finger , is there a way to make an addition to the SW antenna that can be hidden in back of the radio?
Thanks Bob

[Chuck Schwark]

Use a long-wire type antenna on the ANT screw on the rear and also use a good ground on the GND screw next to it to improve SW reception. The loop is only used fully for the AM band and tapped down for the second bandswitch position (1500kHz to 300kHz). Position three is the 6mHz to 18mHz Short wave band and is switched directly to that ANT terminal. See the antenna switching wiring in the schematic.

Chuck

[BDM]

Hey Bob, did you purchase that set in MI?

[Bob]

Hello Chuck
Thank you. I took a 20 foot length of 18 ga. wire, and ran it out in the living room. The reception was much improved.
Now I need to figure out a way to hide it. I might be able to run it in the garage. I could drill a 1/16 hole in the wall, and I would be real close to the radio. If I would run it in the garage could I make a big loop, or must it be a straight wire? About the ground. The antenna screw is grounded to the chassis, but the chassis is floating, because the L2 of the plug goes to the primary of the transformer only.
I was thinking about using a three prong plug. I would run the ground wire to the antenna ground screw or to the chassis. This would ground the chassis to the ground rods that ground the outlet grounds. I know that the outlet grounds are okay, because I wired the house. Would this cause any problems?
Bob

Hello BDM
I bought the radio at an antique shop in Roscoe, Illinois. The radio was born the same year as I, but I think now it might be in better shape then me.

[Chuck Schwark]

Your long-wire antenna should be as straight as possible, or a big "L" if you have to turn a corner. No loops.

Grounding the chassis through a standard 3-wire cord is ok.

Chuck

[g8wayg8r]

I connected a 75 foot wire to the antenna terminal of my 40-201 and it works great except around 8 Mhz and above 14 Mhz. I ran my wire along the side of the house and terminated it at a fence post so there's a 10 to 20 degree bend about half way along the length.

Interesting idea about an L-shaped antenna. I surely don't know enough about electromagnetic radiation and wires to know if the projected area of the antenna (the hypotnose) that's important or not. Seems like that's so since I'm sure my antenna isn't aligned geometrically with all of the stations I can hear.