Re: WCRB signal

["A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@world.std.com>]

On 25 Jun 2000,  umar@nerodia.wcrb.com wrote:

> 1) If you're using a radio with a telescoping whip antenna, try retracting
> it. If you're listening from a concrete and steel building, try moving the
> radio into the interior of the building, away from windows. Either of these
> methods will reduce the amount of RF reaching the radio and perhaps
> eliminate the overloading.

With the layout of my office, I can't think of an alternative place to put 
my radio at the moment, even though it is in the window.  The antenna I'm 
using is a fairly short piece of ribbon wire.  A full FM T-antenna makes 
reception impossible.  Maybe I'll try something even shorter.
 
> 4) To eliminate the intermod product on top of WCRB it may only be
> necessary to notch out one or two of the Pru stations, and you can make a
> notch filter out of a piece of coax by trimming it to precisely one quarter
> wavelength at the frequency of the offending station. 

This sounds like a possibility.  What's 1/4 wavelength of 105.7?


> Connect one end of
> the coax across the antenna terminals; leave the other end open. An open
> circuit 1/4 wavelength away translates to a short, and if you are careful
> you can achieve 40 dB of suppression this way. I have found that two or
> more of these simple filters can be connected in parallel to suppress more
> than one station.

Do I also connect the antenna or do I let the filter itself act as the 
antenna?
 
> 5) If all else fails, listen to WCRB via the Internet.

To do that, I'd have to have a soundcard in my office computer and a 
dedicated phone line.  Not in the cards, I'm afraid.

Thanks for your suggestions.  I think I'll try shortening the antenna and, 
perhaps, the notch filter.  Meanwhile, I seem to be able to listen to WJIB 
in the office -- or at least I could on Friday.   I wonder how long that 
will last.

I take it, from your reply, that nothing in particular has happened to 
WCRB's transmitted signal which might have caused my increased reception 
difficulties in the past week or so.  Right?


===================================================
 A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                        617.367.0468
 15 Court Square                     lawyer@world.std.com
 Boston, MA 02108-2503      http://world.std.com/~lawyer/
===================================================