Re: [IRCA] Antenna Projects (Crate Loop) MORE QUESTIONS

["HASCALL, DAVID CIV DFAS" <DAVID.HASCALL@xxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Chris.  I'm more reassured now, as it sounds like an amp is not a
major necessity.

Kevin, Chris and Everyone: 

1. Where would be a good source of 16 or 18 ga single conductor,
stranded wire?  Since I'm not very handy I don't hang out at Home Depot,
Menards or Lowes :) but I'm sure that type of store would be a best bet.
How much would 120' or so run?

2. Where is a good place to find a "fine tuning" variable cap, if
needed?  I see some trimmer capacitors at All Electronics, 2 for a buck
but they of course, do not have a long enough shaft.   Here is another
one: it's 0-160 / 0-60pf (combo, I guess) for $2.47 but it's tuning
shaft is in the same boat.
http://www.scitoyscatalog.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product
_Code=VARICAP&Category_Code . Chris provided a link for ordering a 365pf
variable cap.  Unfortunately I disposed of two inoperable AM radios over
the Summer and those would have surely led to a good main variable cap
(and probably nice sized ferrite loopsticks).  D'oh!

3. Again I'm not tech oriented so how do you determine the value of a
variable cap?  I don't think I have a VOM meter, if that can even be
used to check but my son-in-law has a digital meter.

I found what looked to be a good crate at Goodwill (my favorite store
for finding neat DX stuff) but it was more like a milk crate - too
heavy.  I'll try to pick one up this weekend.

Thanks for helping a low (no?) tech guy out.  73,

Dave in Indy

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Knight [mailto:chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 10:21 PM
To: HASCALL, DAVID CIV DFAS; irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Antenna Projects (Crate Loop)

Dave,

I used a Sanserino Loop many years ago. If I remember right, the
amplifier
had 2 FETs and a center tap. The amplifier delivered really good gain,
but
the "Q" was wide. This was problematic for receiving TPs on adjacent
frequencies.

Amplifiers typically raise the noise floor with the desired signal and
drop
the "Q" a bit. That being said, my 4-foot Box Loop beat the socks off
the
Sanserino Loop even though signals were weaker.

73.

Chris


-----Original Message-----
From: HASCALL, DAVID CIV DFAS [mailto:DAVID.HASCALL@xxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, January 05, 2009 7:54 AM
To: Chris Knight; irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Antenna Projects (Crate Loop)


>>Thanks Chris:

I will archive your email.  The only true "communication receivers" that
I have are a 20 year old RS DX-400 and a Grundig S-350.  Both have built
in ferrite bar antennas, so that complicates things somewhat in terms of
directionality.  Also both are perfectly setup for using the sense coil
setup.  The RS has screw terminals and the Grundig has spring loaded
ones.  I had an old Sanserino loop and right out of the little amplifier
was more of the same type of wire that was used in the loop - one side
to A1 and the other to A2 or whatever the DX-400 says on the back.  So,
I had no connecting cable, of another material at all.  It worked good
and as I had said before I added something like 7 new ones during the
day, the first day and that was at high noon with no skywave.  So I'm
confident that the Crate could be similar but would a small amp kick
things up a bit?


73,
Dave in Indy<<



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