Hi, I received my Radio Shack shortwave and SSB for Christmas, I am sitting here listening to Manana Net now (boats enroute to Mexico). I need a couple of things: (1) a better antenna. I hardly can receive any strong signals. Can anyone tell me how to construct a decent rooftop dipole for the 4 to 12 MHZ bands? The radio is at home for now. When I get everything working I will move it to the boat. (2) From Bruce Van Sant's "A Gentleman's guide to Passages South" I have a list of frequencies for the Carribean. From Downwind Marine's web site I have some limited frequencies for the Pacific. I would like to find the frequencies for the national weather service offshore reports for the West Coast (Pacific) and I would like to find frequencies for weather info available for the Great Lakes. (3) Weather Fax info. I can hook this radio up to a modem and hook the modem to my computer and receive weather fax. If anyone out there can help me I need some information : (a) what kind of modem? It has to be an external modem, (b) what are the frequencies and times for weatherfax? I will share everything I learn about this and give anyone who wants it instructions for turning your laptop computer and fax receiveing software plus a radioshack receiver and modem into a weatherfax. Jim Baumgart <")))>>< (760)749-4257 San Diego

baumgart@starrstuff.com writes: >Hi, I received my Radio Shack shortwave and SSB for Christmas, I am >sitting >here listening to Manana Net now Me too - albeit I got a receiver only for now. I got the Grundig YB400PE. What is yours? Any information about good frequencies for listening, please share or if you feel it might not be suitable for the net, please copy me via e-mail.directly. I'll do likewise. TIA-George of Scaramouche

> > (1) a better antenna. I hardly can receive any strong signals. Can anyone > tell me how to construct a decent rooftop dipole for the 4 to 12 MHZ bands? > The radio is at home for now. When I get everything working I will move > it to the boat. > On the rooftop - and for just a receiver, I wouldn't fool around with a dipole cut for a mid-frequency. Just a random length longwire will do the trick nicely. Just insulate the ends from anything that might connect to ground and run your lead-in wire from the closest end to your receiver. Tell me something about your boat - sail, power, length, etc. and I'll be happy to pass along what I am doing to transmit/receive on the Salty Dog. Regards - Mick (N4GTC/6) M/V Salty Dog (Krogen Manatee) Port of San Francisco