Commercial antenna for my wideband SWL project

[JacksinPA]

AH Systems in CA produces the ideal antenna for my area of interest, which is 29-88 MHz. This includes the Amateur Radio 10 meter band & the military 30-88 MHz tactical communications band.

The attached pix show the SAS-540 bicone antenna which covers 20-330 MHz. It mounts on a tripod & I have an area near me in my basement office for it. One problem: the antenna & its tripod mount cost over $2K. These antennas are intended for lab type measurements so they should do well inside my home & close to my computer & SDR receiver.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Extremely overpriced. There is no way to justify spending two grand on a rig like that, even if you're a lab.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Gimme a little space and I'll hook you up with a quality antenna for what you need.

 

[JacksinPA]

Extremely overpriced. There is no way to justify spending two grand on a rig like that, even if you're a lab.

I agree. I found the design equations for a bicone that can be made from just copper antenna wire, some insulators & a couple of N-connectors. Probably less than $50.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I'm so bummed right this moment because Henry Radio used to be an ideal place to get custom manufactured antennas right here in West LA. Now they've left the antenna business and they're focusing mostly on RF linear amps and related gear.
But I'll keep looking. I said that I'll find you retail solutions and I intend to do that.

But bear in mind that this really is a simple HF antenna, and as @JacksinPA just said, it's something most people with a grudging acquaintance could assemble themselves for about fifty bucks.
And I would separate out the HF-VHF-UHF anyway, into different antennas, to be honest.
A simple analog type UHF omni TELEVISION antenna should serve you very well for the range up near 330 mHz for the simple reason that 330 mHz used to BE analog television territory, and if you want to get more specific, much of what's below that is one and two meter band.
And ten meter is close enough to 27 mHz that if you can't pull in anything with an ordinary CB antenna, something's wrong with your rig.

 

[JacksinPA]

I'm so bummed right this moment because Henry Radio used to be an ideal place to get custom manufactured antennas right here in West LA. Now they've left the antenna business and they're focusing mostly on RF linear amps and related gear.
But I'll keep looking. I said that I'll find you retail solutions and I intend to do that.

But bear in mind that this really is a simple HF antenna, and as @JacksinPA just said, it's something most people with a grudging acquaintance could assemble themselves for about fifty bucks.
And I would separate out the HF-VHF-UHF anyway, into different antennas, to be honest.
A simple analog type UHF omni TELEVISION antenna should serve you very well for the range up near 330 mHz for the simple reason that 330 mHz used to BE analog television territory, and if you want to get more specific, much of what's below that is one and two meter band.
And ten meter is close enough to 27 mHz that if you can't pull in anything with an ordinary CB antenna, something's wrong with your rig.

Since I'm restricted to my basement for antennas, I have the room for a discone that will fit. My drop ceiling is about 6'5" & the Diamond D-130NJ is only 5'8". So I have 9" for a mount base. Probably side-mount the antenna to an upright length of 1 1/4" antenna mast.

My house is all wood construction. The signals I'm interested in are reflecting off the ionosphere at a steep angle, so I don't need any elevation.