I have three console radios, one AK-40 radio and two communications receivers in a 12' X 12' heated/cooled workshop and have an antenna question. I have run my Sp-600 JX-17 receiver for a few years off an antenna strung around the inside walls of my building where the ceiling meets the walls which equates to about 48' of wire.

That said how would it affect each antenna's performance if I run six antenna wires right beside each other and also one for my FM tuner connected to my stereo?

If you are using them for receive only, the affects would be virtually undectable.

If they are uninsulated wire make sure they are not touching each other. Also if any of the radios are AC/DC transformerless type radios (AA5 type stuff) you might want to use inslulated wire for your antennas just in case. Also, as you tune one radio you might end up hearing the Local Oscillator swish through a frequency you are listening to on another radio, but I doubt that will be much of a concern.

Curtis Eickerman

Unless you are trying to hear microwatt signals from a long distance, you don't need separate wires. Put blocking capacitors from a common point at the antenna and run a different cap to each radio. The caps will isolate any possible shock hazard.
The old way was to make terminal points with brass tacks driven into a piece of wood. Just solder the ends of the cap to the tacks with the associated wires.
An outside antenna has always been best, because the highest-impedance point (the open end) is as far away from noise sources as possible and wet wood acts as an attenuator.
Good luck,
Pat

The antenna wires will all be insulated and are for receive only. All the radios are AC operated. I do have a Hallicrafters S-41W and S-38C, but they will more than likely not be used in my building and if I did use them it would be with an isolation transformer.

I have two 45' wires run U shaped on basement rafters seperated by one joist width of 16". One is used on a NC-240D that is used just for general listening at the workbench and the other for initial testing of repair work. Both have a twisted pair of leads coming down with one being clamped to a water pipe for ground....the pipes are tied into both the main AC ground and a RF ground diagonally across the basement. If there is interaction I havent noticed it and both even work well at 10M when its open. If I looked I might be able hear the HFO leakage but havent bothered.

Carl

My plan is to only use one radio at a time.

Since you said you are only using one radio at a time, what about using your existing antenna and bringing it to a rotary switch. You could select the desired radio by a turn of a knob. Bill

I could, but I'd then have the problem of hiding the extra wires plus finding a spot for the switch to be located. I would then have an extra switch to mess with when listening to my radios. Now sometimes in the past I have turned on two consoles when using my two tube part 15 broadcaster.

I do have a 12 position CB antenna switch that switches one antenna between one of 12 CB radios and also provides switching for the 12 volt power. I suppose that I could try that switch and see if it works.

Either way this project will be a few months down the road as I have to first clean up enough so I can use the step ladder to reach the ceiling so I can attach the wires.

I am thinking that maybe some 24 gauge stranded wire will work or maybe I can use some enameled magnet wire which would be easier to hide then I could connect each wire to its own banana jack somehow mounted to the wall. I would then make a short cord that goes from each radio with a banana plug on the end. That way I can simply unplug the radio from the antenna if I need to move the radio. I would then install a banana jack on my workbench connected to its own antenna wire for use when repairing radios.

The magnet wire itself would be small enough so that I can stick it in most any small crack which will make it easier to hide.

I do prefer to have all radios on a separate antenna wire so that I can run more than one if need be which would be good if I wanted to record a shortwave program from my communications receiver while listening to my two tube transmitter on a console.