Re: RP2100 Antenna Hookup

In article
<87831e53-e0a1-46f8-84bb-993aa2644947@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
garthpdm <garthpdm@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Mar 7, 11:52 am, Telamon
<telamon_spamshi...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
In article
<c776aa5a-9319-4b42-a3ec-6c1a6bcec...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,



garthpdm <garth...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Mar 6, 2:19 pm, Telamon <telamon_spamshi...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
In article
<b5431b08-c527-43b9-9352-ac4ba263c...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,

garthpdm <garth...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Mar 5, 1:13 pm, garth...@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
Hi,

I have a Redsun RP2100 and have been trying different antenna
setups
to try to get reception here in S Korea. I have had a little
success
but it hasn't been great. I am able to get reception on SW1 but
SW2
and SW3 have virtually nothing when I listen at night. I have a
question about my RP2100. Recently I attached a longwire antenna
to
the radio through the external jack on the back. There was no
noticeable improvement in reception for SW2 and SW3. But, when I
changed the switch on the side from external to internal and
touched
the whip with my finger suddenly the longwire worked from 10000 -
30000. If I unplug the longwire from the external jack and
continue
touching the whip the reception in gone. If I connect the longwire
directly to the whip, again the reception is great. This is all
while
the switch is set to internal antenna. Is the external jack is
broken? Strangely, I have tried using a small Degen DE31 with the
external jack and the switch set to external and it seems to
work(but
not on SW2 & SW3). My knowledge of antennas is low and perhaps I
am
doing something wrong. I am using 20m of 50 ohm RG-58 coax lead.
Unfortunately I can't get the antenna any closer to my house and
shorten the coax. I am going to try grounding the antenna next.

On a side note, does anyone know where you can receive service for
a
Redsun product? I have tried writing to many different email
addresses and have had no response.

Thanks for any help
Regards

Garth

Hi again,

I used a multimeter to check the line and it certainly is shorted.
But the short is on the transformer/balun of the longwire. Is the
outside of the SO239 jack supposed to be connected with the center
hole of the SO239? ie. when I touch one lead to the center hole and
one to the circumference of the jack, current flows. This is how the
antenna is shorting I guess. Is the transformer/balun supposed to
work this way? The antenna is the World-Listener SWL End-Feed
purchased from Northwest Antennas at this site
http://my.tbaytel.net/mccourts/homepage.html

Thanks for any help,

I'm not quite sure what you have there but chances are the S0239
connector is across a transformer winding and will look like a short
with a multi-meter at DC but it should not be a short at RF
frequencies.
Check the coax for shorts or opens. If the coax looks OK then the
antenna UNUN might have a problem. Make sure you are connecting the
antenna to the proper jack on the radio. I looks like two jacks on the
back of the radio are are similar looking.

Thanks Telamon,

One thing I enjoy about this hobby is that there is so much to learn.
I checked and it is connected to the correct jack. Is it possible
that since I have not yet grounded the antenna it is behaving this
way? Thanks

Generally these UNUNs work better with a ground on the right terminal
but from the web site I can't tell if this unit even has a ground
terminal.

Another thing to look at is the Local/DX and INT/EXT switches. The
switches set in the wrong combinations could be causing you problems.

Here you would start with DX and EXT.


It does have a ground terminal. I'm going to a scrapyard today to
find some copper or ss bar to put into the ground. I'm very
interested to see if that makes any difference. I'll let you know how
it goes. Reception has been pretty good these last few nights. I
found about 5 new dprk stations between 2000 - 4000. Also, a few days
ago I came across one of those numbers stations where it is just a
voice speaking numbers. Have you heard those? Have a great weekend.


Yeah, a lot of people have heard those numbers stations. These are meant
for spies. You got to have the code to know what they mean.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: RP2100 Antenna Hookup
    ... to try to get reception here in S Korea. ... the radio through the external jack on the back. ... the switch is set to internal antenna. ...
    (rec.radio.shortwave)
  • Re: RP2100 Antenna Hookup
    ... I am able to get reception on SW1 but SW2 ... Recently I attached a longwire antenna to ... If I unplug the longwire from the external jack and continue ...
    (rec.radio.shortwave)
  • Re: RP2100 Antenna Hookup
    ... to try to get reception here in S Korea. ... the radio through the external jack on the back. ... the switch is set to internal antenna. ...
    (rec.radio.shortwave)
  • Re: RP2100 Antenna Hookup
    ... to try to get reception here in S Korea. ... the radio through the external jack on the back. ... the whip with my finger suddenly the longwire worked from 10000 - ... the switch is set to internal antenna. ...
    (rec.radio.shortwave)
  • Re: RP2100 Antenna Hookup
    ... to try to get reception here in S Korea. ... the radio through the external jack on the back. ... the switch is set to internal antenna. ...
    (rec.radio.shortwave)