Re: [IRCA] My Loop Antenna is complete...

["Steve Ratzlaff" <steveratz@xxxxxxxx>]

I was motivated to build the same loop from the URL, and got it finished and
tested today. My results were even worse than Bert's. It's just far too
small a loop to directly connect to a radio. It needs to be amplified. After
looking at the various Reprint article loops, and the Technical Guide loops,
this became clear. All of those small loops are amplified. I may build an
amp for this loop and try it again, but mostly I wanted to try this loop for
myself, as specified in the article.
But the neat thing was the loop was almost exactly the correct inductance to
use with the standard 365 pF tuning capacitor. Mine measured 270
microhenries (I used #18 gauge enamel wire, spaced 5/16" between turns).
That will cover 530-1700 kHz with the tuning capacitor, perfectly.
The loop is very sharp-tuning, but as Bert says, signals are way down in
level, and any decent outdoor antenna will far outperform it, in its
unamplified state. I'm surprised the author of the original article gave
such glowing reports of his results with this small unamplified loop. I
would call that article as very misleading! As someone on the list pointed
out, one needs to build a much larger loop to get decent results, unless you
build an amplifier for the loop.
Steve

-----Original Message----

From: irca-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:irca-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Ira Elbert New, III
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 11:07 AM
To: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [IRCA] My Loop Antenna is complete...


Here's the Link to the Loop I built...

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Underground/8585/

It's small, but it was easy to build. I wanted to start small so I could
prove to myself I could build one. Now that I know how easy it is, I might
try a bigger one  in the future.

I have it hooked to my Drake R8B with a run of coax.

It peaks on every station I hear, but it doesn't pick up every station I
hear on the 135' Wire. Signal gains is less, but so is the noise. There's a
huge difference in what I expected. I thought the stations would just jump
right out, but they don't.

I also tried it with my SANGEAN ATS 909, but there wasn'r much improvement.
The SELECT-A-TENNA works much better.

I'll keep digging.

Bert

Ira Elbert New, III
Watkinsville, Georgia
"Proudly Serving You Since 1964!"


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