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hydrogenhead
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 227
Good Answers: 1

Best Way to Ground a Software Defined Radio?

08/03/2012 3:40 PM

I have a USB software defined radio. Normally I can pick up the weather satellites using a long piece of wire but today when I tried, the signal was really bad. I then tried grounding the radio using a 1 metre long piece of wire with one end connected to the outside of the aerial coaxial socket and the other connected to a long metal spike which was in the ground. This helped a bit, but the only way to make the signal even better was if I licked the side of the coaxial connection. Holding it with wet fingers did not help. Is there something else I need to do? All the connections are soldered and not simply twisted on.
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SolarEagle
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#1

Re: Best way to ground a software defined radio?

08/03/2012 4:23 PM
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lyn
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#2
In reply to #1

Re: Best way to ground a software defined radio?

08/03/2012 5:16 PM

That's quite the dongle you have there!

Reminds me of this:Is Anyone Having Trouble With Their Blackberry?

Be prepared to laugh.

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SolarEagle
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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Best way to ground a software defined radio?

08/03/2012 6:35 PM

That's hilarious, very clever...BBC has some great stuff

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Wal
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Phnom Penh
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#4

Re: Best way to ground a software defined radio?

08/03/2012 11:20 PM

Something like this?

Attach your ground to the screen of the coaxial cable. Solder works.

Make sure your ground wire is reasonably straight, no tight bends, no curls..

At the electrode make sure that the connection is electrically sound...clean, tight, etc

Urinate on the electrode.

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Tom_Consulting
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Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member Fans of Old Computers - PDP 11 - New Member Technical Fields - Architecture - New Member Hobbies - HAM Radio - New Member

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Location: Maine, USA
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#5

Re: Best way to ground a software defined radio?

08/04/2012 8:09 AM

Also remember that atmospheric conditions have been pretty erratic lately. I repaired something in my HF radio and thought for sure I had messed it up, until I realized that it was just bad conditions that day...all the fun of ham radio!

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hydrogenhead
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#6
In reply to #5

Re: Best way to ground a software defined radio?

08/04/2012 8:56 AM

Strange that, I went out to record a pass of Noaa 19 on 137.100 and the signal was quite a bit better but still not great. Has the sun been causing interference lately?
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Wal
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Location: Phnom Penh
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#7
In reply to #6

Re: Best way to ground a software defined radio?

08/04/2012 9:09 AM

Google it and let us know.

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ronseto
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#8

Re: Best Way to Ground a Software Defined Radio?

08/04/2012 2:02 PM

Could be sun spot flaring.

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Tom_Consulting
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#9

Re: Best Way to Ground a Software Defined Radio?

08/04/2012 5:06 PM

There have been some flares lately.

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Users who posted comments:

hydrogenhead (1); lyn (1); ronseto (1); SolarEagle (2); Tom_Consulting (2); Wal (2)

Previous in Forum: Does Anyone Have a Diagram of Hi-Pro USB?   Next in Forum: Wireless Transmitter-Receiver


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