[IRCA] Correction: Loop antenna question and comments

[Walter Salmaniw <salmaniw@xxxxxxx>]

>

I've decided to repost this message, as the subject line was misleading. Thanks!.............Walt.

>It really was a weird morning....just processed the propagation monitor for that date, and the real peaks that morning were closer to their local sunset...around 1015 to 1045 UTC on 594, 612 and 1566...stronger then, than at sunrise.
>
>best wishes,
>
>Nick
Glad to hear that it was as strange as I had thought.  The A/K indices are falling, so who knows what tomorrow morning will bring.  By the way, there's an excellent little browser extension that works on Firefox.  It gives real-time solar indices which I find very useful.  It sits in the browser status bar.  Information can be found at:  http://www.n0hr.com/Propfire.htm    .  Highly recommended.  Now with all the excitement about morning conditions, and recent discussions on coax, matching transformers, chokes, etc, I decided to do a bit of an overhaul in the back yard.  I replaced a few of the older coaxes with RG-6, and changed some of the ground arrangements to mirror presently accepted best techniques (I'm ashamed to say, mine had been all linked together!).  This morning I re-read some of the articles on matching transformers and decided to build a few 16:1 transformers.  Alas, no Type 75 or J torroids, only a few of the tiny type 43 which are way too small to wrap 16:1 types with the wire I have.  Another day!  Colin kindly came over to scout  out the backyard.  I've decided to erect a couple (perhaps 4 later) terminated broadband corner fed loop arrays (http://members.aol.com/amhits/termloop.jpg) after studying the options I had:  EWE....I decided against due to the complexity and need for ground.  The soil hear is too dry 6 months of the year being sandy soil on clay.  Pennant and Flags....considered, but I didn't want the matching transformers at height, but rather at ground level.  Colin gave me a great idea to trial run these antennae using the existing 60m horizontal loop which is essentially unused.  I simply unhooked it from the house and ran one end to the South-West corner of the property where I pulled it down for the vertical component.  The same was done at the north-east side, and then I pulled the center down for the 2 other vertical portions of the 2 arrays.  The wires were cut here, of course.  I proceeded to place 2 470 ohm resistors in series and placed them at the appropriate ends.....T
he  north end for the antenna favouring to the south., and the same at the east end, for the antenna favouring to the west.  Since I don't have any 16:1 matching transformers, I've substituted for now 2 4:1 transformers which I made last fall (presumably for the EWEs).  I'll be replacing these with proper 16:1 transformers as soon as I can make them.

The very first station heard, incidentally was one I've been trying for for a while:  1490 CFWB in Campbell River, crystal clear at 04:00.  Alas, I hadn't turned on any mp3 recorder, but I did hear them at lesser strength IDing 30 minutes later.  An auspicious start, I'd say!  The dimensions are little different, having to work with what I have in the yard.  The N/S (actually 64/244 degrees) is quite broad measuring about 19' vertical and 75' horizontal, while the E/W (actually 154/334 degrees)  is much smaller and closer to classic dimensions of 15' vertical and 25' horizontal.  

I welcome comments on how this arrangement sounds and what I should watch out for.  I have the option of raising the E/W loop much higher to closer to 50 or more feet, but the horizontal component can only be extended perhaps to 35' or so.  Clearly this is nothing at all like the classic dimensions of the broadband loop.  Comments please!!!!.  Also, does the bottom horizontal wire need to be above the ground, or is resting along the ground all right?  Also I have not placed any chokes on these antennae as yet (I only have one left at home).  Should it be used here as well?  I can also raise the N/S Beverage so that it's about 40' high, with the horizontal possibly being able to extend another 5' or so.  

This is a lot of fun.  Thanks to everyone for the inspiration with the plethora of great articles, comments and questions on the various groups.

I now await your comments, PLEASE!  ...........Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC  


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