equipping my Cyberdeck with RADIO

Licensed radio operator here. You have to put the antenna on a metal piece that is magnetic. For better results Use a dipole for the radio frequencies you want to pick up. That doesn’t need anything else to mounts. Look for polarity of the antenna, horizontally or vertically. A proper dipole might help a lot. If you only want to pick up certain stations, consider a yagi antenna. You have to know where the radio transmitter is because that one is directional.

Since you haven't attached an antenna, when you touch it, you become the antenna.

Licensed radio operator here also When you touch the receiver module you become the ground which improves the antennas reception. For better reception it's more advisable to have an external antenna that is grounded properly.

My brain went to static trying to find an answer

Electrical engineer here, what you added was a MSI wi-fi antenna. Its not designed to run on those frequencies. Every antenna has a frequency range. So still, when you touch it you become the antenna, because the human body with its irregular structure acts like an antenna for a wide band of frequencies.

Seems to not be grounded properly

That’s probably because your body was acting like an antenna/ground. Those tiny USB radio dongles often need a proper antenna, and when you touched it your body boosted the signal enough for it to work. Without touching it, the signal was too weak so it was just static. He could try: * plugging in a proper antenna if the dongle supports one * moving it away from the mini PC because electronics create interference * using a USB extension cable * putting it near a window * checking if the frequency/station is correct If touching it fixes it instantly, it’s almost definitely an antenna/signal issue.

Maybe it's pressure, maybe it's not the physical touch, maybe just the pressure that you have to put on it to make it work.Maybe put like a little weight on it

Hello, I'm here again.

Now we know..... He's the chosen one of the PC world......

Obviously didn’t spend his childhood with a rabbit ear antenna for the tv.

The WiFi antenna uses a reverse SMA connection, but the SDR uses a standard SMA connection. The center conductor in the cable is never touching the connector on the SDR

Have you ever wondered why radio towers are so tall

Probally an earthing issue

so it only works when you touch it? weird static ghost in the machine fr 😭

To make your antenna work you need a low pass filter or you can connect a high value resistor from the antenna to GND/ground. That's exactly what you are when you touch the antenna

I have the same problem with my radio; you should keep it away from the electrical outlet. Or you need a device to place in the home to reduce interference from electronic devices.

Try tape maybe?

Disrespect to the person who said first

Its a ground issue