Tutorial for making a long wire antenna for a shortwave radio. This covers some very basic soldering,
Video Rating: 4 / 5

25 replies
  1. natacus2007
    natacus2007 says:

    It is an antenna. There are many many different type of antenna, this one
    “the long wire antenna” is probably the easiest to make. Infact most radios
    use a whip antenna – which is very similar to a long wire. In the end of
    the day, the above long wire will increase your ability to pick up a weak
    signal – which almost anyone would take to be the definition of a reception
    antenna.

    Reply
  2. rudiphoto
    rudiphoto says:

    Why not just solder the speaker wire directly to the plug? This would
    eliminate one solder joint (and a potential problem / weak link), not to
    mention that it would be easier!

    Reply
  3. Alan Rudd
    Alan Rudd says:

    good vid mate, oh and if HOWARD was so good he would have a camera,,nobody
    is interested in negativity unless it is friendly and constructive,,so to
    Howard build some great antenna’s sell em, buy a camera and show how its
    done ;p

    Reply
  4. natacus2007
    natacus2007 says:

    thanks for your comments! ya there is no need for second solder, but in my
    case i had a reel of speaker wire ( which is pretty thin and weak stuff ),
    so i wanted to have a firm copper wire soldered to it, since that wire was
    going to be plugged in/out more often. Basically i was just trying to
    ensure it would not break after a few uses – probably no real need for it.

    Reply
  5. natacus2007
    natacus2007 says:

    Hello Howard ( and everyone else ), its my video so i will take it down if
    and when i want, second you have made your point very clear, many many many
    times – we get it, i dont know how to solder. Could you please stop
    posting?

    Reply
  6. natacus2007
    natacus2007 says:

    Hi Howard, thanks for the reply! Being crap at soldering, I think a video
    reply would be really helpful to make clear the points you make – I will
    put a link to your video reply in my video if you like.

    Reply
  7. JohnnyX50
    JohnnyX50 says:

    It IS an antenna. FM radio on HIFI;s use same principle, just a long loose
    wire for FM. Impedance matching is only critical to TRANSMITTING, not
    receiving. There are loads of ways to get different results. I use a long
    wire, one end on a concrete clothesline pole in my garden, the other end
    wrapped many times round a rubber antenna with bnc connected direct to my
    Icom. It works a treat and no direct electrical contact, it works by
    electromegnetic transference into the rubber antenna! Great vid!

    Reply
  8. natacus2007
    natacus2007 says:

    An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into
    radio waves, and vice versa. Do my long wire do this in the best possible
    manner-No, is it very efficient-no, is it the best-no. But there is also no
    hard and fast rule to say is must have so much impedance. What you mean by
    “real antenna” i dont know, perhaps you are referring to one to made to
    certain specifications. My video is a just a very basic “how to” for making
    a quick/cheap/easy antenna that improves weak signals

    Reply
  9. wodlldow
    wodlldow says:

    You do a nice job of showing how to use solder and heat shrink materials to
    make a nice looking wire. There are always Ham know-it-alls who are going
    to quibble with non technical use of vocabulary, but I wouldn’t worry about
    whether it is an antenna or longwire or random wire, which is probably the
    best term to use, as long as it works. My only question is why did you
    solder twice. It seems that you could have simply soldered the plug to the
    lampcord wire and saved yourself a step.

    Reply
  10. longwire1
    longwire1 says:

    Sorry, but it isn´t an antenna, its only a wire if you use for recieved
    signals. a real antenna have the right impedance of 50 OHM your ” longwire”
    have sometimes an inpedance of over 100 or 1000 OHM.thx

    Reply
  11. natacus2007
    natacus2007 says:

    Wow, who knew a small piece of solder could cause so much anger! please
    please please post a video of the above done by an expert – after that i
    will take my video down and post a link to yours? deal?

    Reply
  12. natacus2007
    natacus2007 says:

    Thanks for the feedback Howard. Sorry about any Oxygen stealing on my
    behalf. Would you be so kind to help the rest of us understand some basic
    soldering, and or antennas? Perhaps a link or two? Books , websites what
    ever you feel is best for a “pratt”. Talk soon Howie!

    Reply
  13. SolsbaryStouvre
    SolsbaryStouvre says:

    Thanks for posting this. I just bought a G3 and am brand new to SW and not
    at all good with electronics. I have read about longwires but nowhere did
    it explain how to make one. I suppose to most people this is easy stuff but
    I didnt understand how the wire connects to the plug. Reason being I bought
    (was suggested) 18 ga speaker wire. It is two wires stuck together. Should
    I seperate all 100 feet then? Just use one wire?

    Reply
  14. copteralien
    copteralien says:

    You need to pre-tin you wire and also you’re suppose to attatch wire by
    putting it don onto the grounding tab then bend the 2 pointed tabs around
    the wire.

    Reply

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