[Shop-talk] (old ass) powered antenna question

[Randall]

> I've tried to make an antenna from wire and all kinds of other stuff and
> still get crappy reception.

Back in high school, my Dad suggested an antenna design that was
surprisingly (to me) effective.  Basically two folded dipoles, made from 300
ohm twin lead and roughly 1/4 wave long (ISTR there was a correction factor
for some reason); spaced apart by about a foot and linked by a section of
twin lead with a half twist in it.  The feed was from the center of the
twisted section.

Fairly directional, I tacked it to a small piece of plywood for aiming.

Unfortunately, I can't recall the name, or find it on Google.  Does that
description ring a bell for anyone else?

I hope your amplifier works out; but sometimes the problem is in-band noise,
either natural or man-made, that is already present at the antenna (which an
amplifier can't help).  In that case, you need an antenna with gain to
attenuate the noise while keeping the signal.

-- Randall