I purchased my Sangean ANT-60 in 2011, 13 years ago. In the intervening years I’ve gotten other similar real antennas included with shortwave radios I bought.
They’re all about the same except for one very important characteristic — how easy the antenna is to reel in. Some of them stick, and reeling the antenna back in is tedious and frustrating. The ANT-60 works pretty smoothly — and a tiny bit of silicone lubricant makes it perfect.
The antenna terminates in a 3.5 mm phone jack, the almost universal connector for portable shortwave radios. For radios with no antenna jack, the ANT-60 comes with an adaptor that clips onto the end of the telescopic antenna.
The ANT-60 also comes with a short strap and a clip suitable for attaching the end to a tree limb or something else convenient.
It’s a piece of wire with a phone plug rolled up in a reel. This isn’t rocket science, but this model works the best. If mine ever got lost or finally broke, I’d buy this model again.
I’ve been on a decades-long quest to find replacements for the clip cables, which break for me every so often.
No one seems to stock them. I’ve asked Sangean, Tecsun, and XHDATA about availability, no joy.
One of the grand disappointments in my life. Yes, I know I could rig something up with an alligator clip. But why settle?