Looking for a good receiving antenna

[AE7UT]

I just built a K3 and am looking for a receiving antenna. Of course this comes with certain caveats.
Mostly my wife is not happy with "Another antenna???"  So aesthetics or stealth are mandatory.   

I'm using an OCFD at 35 ft.  I also have a Zero-five vertical.

I have a rather large back yard to put another antenna in.  It's 120' deep X 180' wide.  Not huge but not postage stamp.  I have a 6' vinyl fence around the yard.  The yard has a huge playset, extensive lighting, a waterfall and stream running through the middle of  it and a very large lit raised deck.  I'm in a pretty new area with no mature trees.  So I'd have to use a support structure for any height.

I've looked at the DX engineering package.
 http://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-arav3-2p
Could I put a beverage type wire on top of the fence?
I know neither run is long enough for a "traditional" beverage.

I just don't want to spend a lot of money on something that doesn't work better than just using the vertical on dual receive.

Thanks for any thoughts or help.

73
Stan AE7UT

[N4CR]

How many radials on the vertical? How long?

[WB3CQM]

I just built a K3 and am looking for a receiving antenna. Of course this comes with certain caveats.
Mostly my wife is not happy with "Another antenna???"  So aesthetics or stealth are mandatory.  

I'm using an OCFD at 35 ft.  I also have a Zero-five vertical.

I have a rather large back yard to put another antenna in.  It's 120' deep X 180' wide.  Not huge but not postage stamp.  I have a 6' vinyl fence around the yard.  The yard has a huge playset, extensive lighting, a waterfall and stream running through the middle of  it and a very large lit raised deck.  I'm in a pretty new area with no mature trees.  So I'd have to use a support structure for any height.

I've looked at the DX engineering package.
 http://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-arav3-2p
Could I put a beverage type wire on top of the fence?
I know neither run is long enough for a "traditional" beverage.

I just don't want to spend a lot of money on something that doesn't work better than just using the vertical on dual receive.

Thanks for any thoughts or help.

73
Stan AE7UT

What purpose would you want a receive antenna other than what you have ? The OCFD would seem perfect to me. As far as using the vertical I can understand your reason for receive antenna for the low bands. I would suggest you look at small loop antenna and peanuts as well as flags .

I think vertical receive antennas would be to close to your transmit antenna if you are thinking 160 or 80 meter band ? You would have to ask DXE that .

I use Beverage receive antenna from 550 to 1050 feet long . I understand there are people using what is called a bog . Or Beverage on the Ground . There are also some using short Beverage But I would not waste my time on a Beverage shorter than 500 feet. Actually one of my better Beverage is 580 feet long. But I have special purpose for that . You can also get answers to Beverage on Top Band Reflector where there are many experts.

I would believe your yard is way to small to even think Beverage , unless neighbors would let you go across their yard with one.

73 , JIM

[KQ0C]

I have a K9AY which uses a tree as the center support and which is nearly invisible. At another QTH I have a Wellbrook loop. Both receive better than my transmitting antennas on the low bands. You can also run a wire through your lawn as a Beverage on Ground. These work pretty well.

[W0BTU]

I use Beverage receive antenna from 550 to 1050 feet long . I understand there are people using what is called a bog . Or Beverage on the Ground . There are also some using short Beverage But I would not waste my time on a Beverage shorter than 500 feet. Actually one of my better Beverage is 580 feet long. But I have special purpose for that . You can also get answers to Beverage on Top Band Reflector where there are many experts.

I would believe your yard is way to small to even think Beverage , unless neighbors would let you go across their yard with one.

http://www.w0btu.com/Beverage_antennas.html#If_theres_no_room_for_a_Beverage

[AE7UT]

Thanks for the input guys.
I'm going to look into the BOG.

Stan AE7UT

[AD4U]

Given the size of your yard I doubt that anything short of a directional yagi will give you any NOTICEABLE increase in receive performance over what you have now.

Dick  AD4U

[W8GP]

You didn't mention which bands you are interested in. One wavelength is an effective length for a beverage so running one along your fence will be perfect for 40m and down, and will still be somewhat usable on 80. I've used a BOG but the signals are MUCH weaker than a traditional beverage and will probably require a pre-amp. Good luck.

[AE7UT]

Thanks again for all the replies.

I work during the day and am so busy on the weekends I rarely see my rigs by sun light.
So I'm 99% on 80/75, 40, 30.  I would say roughly 50/50 SSB/CW.  I prefer CW for DX work.

It was during the ZL9HR DXpedition that I really got frustrated with not hearing weak signals.  Also as I do more DX work I'm having trouble with weak signals.  It seems when the band noise clears for a moment or two I can make them out and make the contacts.  I was just hoping a receive antenna would help.  I'm a really new ham so maybe I just don't understand the reality of the situation.  It wouldn't be the first time.

I'm going to measure the exact distances on my fence and see what you think.
I'll get back to you guys ASAP

73
Stan AE7UT

[K8ALM]

I built a reduced sized rotable flag similiar to the flag design N3OX has on his website but mine uses a fixed termination.  It does quite well for me on 160/80/40/30.  I also have a Pixel technoligies active loop on a rotator which also receives well for me and is great for nulling local noise.  I tend to use the flag more often which almost always receives better than my transmit vertical.  I tried a couple of DXE active verticals in various configurations around the yard with their phasing controller but they did not work well on my city lot.  They are very well made as is everything that comes from DXE but these antennas really need a large open area to be an effective receive system. 

73,
Tony

[N6AJR]

check out Pixel Technologies  Rx loop.  small, and around 400 bucks, works well, and neat easy install.

[KF7DS]

check out Pixel Technologies  Rx loop.  small, and around 400 bucks, works well, and neat easy install.

I second that on the Pixel Tech Loop RX Antenna. I have a 6BTV Vertical that does well, but the noise on 80m, and occasionally 40m, was hard to tolerate. The loop RX antenna has made 80m fun again.

Don KF7DS

[WB3CQM]

N4IS has some good information on Waller Flags that fit in the back yard .

http://www.n4is.com/

73 JIM

[KA5N]

I wouldn't use the ZL9HR dxpedition as a guide to how well your antenna is receiving.
Just about everybody on eham had difficulty receiving them.  Whenever their signal
broke out of the noise it was quite readable.  I am using a hex beam at 25 feet and
have been able to work all but a couple of this years'  dxpeditions with little problem
WHEN the noise allowed.  So don't expect too much from small antennas, as the
guys with fantastic signals and can hear a flea bat it's eyes usually have fantastic
arrays at hundred or more feet.
Good Luck
Allen KA5N

[K0OD]

Am I correct that the nulls on these costly small loops (Pixel, Wellbrook)  just work on pinpoint groundwave crud like powerline noise or a bad switching power supply in a neigbors house. I don't think they're even effective in reducing static from distant storms. 

I've never used one but I've known low band DXers who have soon abandoned them.