New old radio

[Domeguy]

I picked up a Grundig field radio S450DLX at a yard sale today for $20. I guess I’ll keep it in the RV to alert me to the impending nuclear arsenal headed my way...or I could use it to squish a spider 🕷 ...either way, I’m good with it.

[bacpacker]

Grundig made good equipment back in the day. I assume they still do.
Is that one a digital radio, or dial type? How large is it?
Great price if it works at all. Really great price if everything works.

[Domeguy]

How big is it, big enough to squish a large spider, and that’s what’s really important, but if you really want to know...It’s a dial type, about 13 in wide, 6 in high, and 3 in thick.
I will have to relearn a bunch of stuff to use it properly. So far I can get Huntsville really well, but that’s fairly close.

[bacpacker]

I'll try to find the formula for calculating antenna length based on Frequency. But truthfully a good long wire ran out would work wonders for picking up distant signals.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

So if I found the correct radio, this would be a receive only. So as to what BP said, SW radio and a long wire. You should be downtown like cooter brown. So you could be listen to Russian radio in no time.

Copied from an article, website provided below........this is KISS so it shouldn't be to hard even for the Navy mind. Hope this helps!
http://hamuniverse.com/shortwaveantenna.html

THE LONG WIRE SHORTWAVE ANTENNA

The simplest multiband shortwave antenna for shortwave listening is probably the longwire for most newcomers to building antennas. It is literally, a random long length of wire stretched out from the shortwave receiver antenna connection and attached with some form of an insulator on the opposite end.
No bells or whistles and usually very easy to do.
Your shortwave radio probably has either a short telescoping (pull-up) antenna and or a connection point for an external antenna usually on the rear.
A very simple method of drastically increasing the signal strength to your shortwave radio is to simply add about 50 to 70 feet or more of insulated wire of small diameter, (size not critical, it must support it's own weight), attached to either the telescoping antenna with an alligator clip or a suitable connector to the rear external antenna connection and stringing it out across or from the house to the appropriate support as high as possible on each end with some form of insulator along the entire length, (a non-metal device that will not pass electricity). In other words, don't run it along a water pipe, conduit, metal house siding, rain gutters, etc. It can be tacked along the ceiling or snaked up into the attic or around the roof. Just don't run it close to metal. Use your imagination. Make sure that you have removed the insulation when adding the connector or alligator clip.

DANGER! DO NOT STRING THIS ANTENNA OR ANY ANTENNA OVER, UNDER or NEAR ANY ELECTRIC POWER LINES OF ANY TYPE! YOUR LIFE WILL BE IN YOUR HANDS, NOT MINE and I assume no liability. Repeat....never OVER, UNDER or NEAR POWER LINES! This includes the service drop wire from the utility power pole to your electric meter! Have adequate space allowed to insure that if a power line falls, it will not fall on your shortwave antenna! Use this rule of thumb....
If it is under the power line......the power line WILL FALL! If it is over it,
the antenna WILL FALL! You don't want either happen!

Now back to shortwave antennas.
The longwire type of antenna is a compromise as ALL antennas are. Don't expect the same reception 100% of the time from the same station. Mother nature and man-made variables will surely destroy your expectations.
This type of antenna generally "picks up" stations better in the direction of the wire, so if you live in the U.S.A., you can string it in a Northeast Southwest direction and get the European stations somewhat better. Don't worry if your layout is not perfect....just put it up and have fun listening.

[bacpacker]

Perfect link BWRR. The formula of 486/frequency gives you the right length of the antenna. But a single long wire will work, just not quite as good.

[Domeguy]

Many many thanks to the both of you my amigos. Tomorrow I will run a wire from the inside top of the dome to downstairs through the closet into my bedroom by my bed. This will give me 40-50 ft of wire, and give me something to play with while I am in bed recouping...as I can think of nothing else to play with while in bed.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

So are we on the mend here now or what? Tried to call and check up on ya.