SSB receiver antenna

[shamrock]

Samrock here,

Does anybody have any experience with SSB. I want to add a SSB (receiver only) for getting weather info but I'm having difficulty figuring out the antenna requirments. Metz makes a whip for use in the 2-30 Mhz range and I'm wondering if that will work for receiving weather info. Any comments?

[Auspicious]

It should work fine, but so will a random-length wire hauled up the mast and plugged into the external antenna jack on your SSB receiver.

[shamrock]

So the wire doesn't have to be tuned or cut to a certain length ??? Will an old 7x19 halyard wire work?

[Auspicious]

Should work okay. Copper is better than steel, but should be a good start.

[s/v Faith]

I have talked to a couple of people using small SSB receivers to listen to Chris Parker for weather in the morning.  My kaito 1103 actually receives better then the installed Icom 700pro that is aboard.

One thing I do when I am having trouble receiving his broadcast is to touch the whip antenna to either the back stay, or to the dodger frame.  Works much better then the 30' wire you raise up the halyard....

Try it if you are having trouble receiving the weather... Works great for me.

[CharlieJ]

One thing I found with my Kaito- the speaker is NOT the best. In hard to hear areas, a set of ear buds work really well- improves the sound a LOT.

[Captain Smollett]

One thing I found with my Kaito- the speaker is NOT the best. In hard to hear areas, a set of ear buds work really well- improves the sound a LOT.

Agree with that.  I listen to my Kaito with some frequency to listen to overseas "news."  It's pretty much always with headphones or at least ear buds.