WEFAX - Weather On Long Wave Radio

AOR first came to the market with a range of VHF/UHF receivers and soon became the brand leader. One of our sets and suitable aerial and you're away. Too easy.

No, the real stuff comes after the satellite image has been received, weather and location information overlaid and the image forwarded in FAX mode on LF, or long-wave if the radio the AOR 7030 replaced had valves in it.

We hear Prague, signing as OLT21 on 111.8kHz - that's kilohertz, remember - and the two most audible in the UK, the Mainflingen senders on 117.4 and 134.2kHz. Winter season listening can only improve reception but at this point in the sunspot cycle will be subject to deep fades.

You need an efficient antenna at these frequencies. The longest long-wire possible with some attempt at matching. AOR owners already have a WIRE input matching the generally high impedances found with wire antennas and the generally low impedances used in JT's relay-switched input circuits. Electrical noise is he enemy down here, so with AOR's policy of 2-Wire mains connection, you can use the best earth you can without looping into the hash from your house supply.

Go for an earth spike, banging it into frosty ground is the best post-Christmas aerobics session you could wish for. Loop or ferrite rod antennas are worth a try as they only react to the magnetic part of the radio wave, leaving noise, mostly in the electrical part, behind.