My new Win8.1 box, and old ATS-909 soon to be introduced to an outdoor longwire.

My home office in October 2014.

I secumbed to Woot once again and bought a new box - Win8.1, 1Tb HD, 12Gb RAM, a couple USB3 ports, plenty of USB2's. It's a refurb, but I've found that I have very good luck with HP refurbs off Woot. They last forever if you take care of them.

The new box is on the left. A 10-year-old 32bit Vista box (also from Woot) is on the right. Once I have my new Win8 configured the way I want and all my data accounted for, I'll reformat the Vista box with Ubuntu or Lubuntu.

Below the component TV is my best radio, a Sangean ATS-909. I'll eventually run a longwire antenna outside through the same hole I run my Mohu Leaf. Not sure how I'm going to do it. I'm tempted to run it along the wood siding, but I could also run it along a wooden fence. Will try to do 70 feet.

Watching videos like the one below and reading all the comments is how I learn (along with making lots of mistakes, but I don't want a fry my ATS-909, that was a $250 radio in its day and Christmas gift from my wife). FibsRadio deserves credit for experimenting and posting and asking for feedback. Radio people are usually kind to humble newbies experimenting and sharing their results.

FibsRadio: A Simple Longwave Antenna (for shortwave listening)

[2014-10- 06]

c0