Just checking to see if you are, how good of reception your getting. Considering one.
Anyone running a loop antenna?
- Thread starter bearcatrp
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I back ordered my MFJ -1886TR loop, still waiting for it, I will use it with my SDRplay RSPdx. I hade a Wellbrook loop several years ago and it worked great, I thought I would give the MFJ loop a try this time.
Steve
cistercian
Member
I have built several for lf use mainly. I also have built large tuned loops for mw dxing that were tuned and not broadband.
They are fun, have deep nulls, and can be very useful. I get better results for dxing with a random wire worked against an excellent ground.
Google Arctic dx. Here is a test he did. Box
They are fun, have deep nulls, and can be very useful. I get better results for dxing with a random wire worked against an excellent ground.
Google Arctic dx. Here is a test he did. Box
Interesting read. Thanks.
Was hoping someone in minnesota would chime in for their input. BTW, do they make a rotor with a wireless remote or do you still have to control it from a control box in the house? Been a long time since I read up on rotors.
MN guy here: I use a wire loop around the perimeter of my attic for HF. It has served me well but the noise floor in my neighborhood is fairly high.
Not in Minn.. But right next door..
What loop? There are many types each with their own characteristics. Are you going to construct your own, or buy a commercial one? If you're buying commercial, what's your budget? See --> Loops - The RadioReference Wiki
FWIW, I have a Wellbrook ALA-100. Very happy with it for listening to non directional aircraft beacons, the AM broadcast band, and the lower shortwave frequencies.. Like citilot, I have a Yagi that covers 14 MHz and up..
What loop? There are many types each with their own characteristics. Are you going to construct your own, or buy a commercial one? If you're buying commercial, what's your budget? See --> Loops - The RadioReference Wiki
FWIW, I have a Wellbrook ALA-100. Very happy with it for listening to non directional aircraft beacons, the AM broadcast band, and the lower shortwave frequencies.. Like citilot, I have a Yagi that covers 14 MHz and up..
Looking at commercial. Saw a inexpensive one for 50 bucks and saw as high as around $550. The MFJ one mentioned above is about as high as I want to spend. Think I saw around $350 for it. One thing I don’t want to do is run power to the loop. Want the power to come from the radio if possible.
With the sdrplay rspdx I need to use the Bias tee that comes with the MFJ -1886TR loop antenna and not the sdrplay bias tee.
Steve
One thing that puzzles me about loops and videos I have watched, all of them were around 5 feet or less off the ground. Isn't higher the better as with most antennas? Was thinking like 20 feet or more in the air. Also, all the loops I have looked at so far require some sort of power amplifier little box. Any reason why the pre amp on a radio won't suffice? Guess I am still not understanding loops. Thought I found the MFJ in stock but nope. They are filling back orders. Must be a popular loop.
I'm guessing the $50 one you're referring to is the MLA30. I have one of those and for a small $50 antenna it does very well. I use it mainly for portable spectrum recording.
yep, the MLA30 was the least expensive. Might still get one since the MFJ is out of stock everywhere.
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
The W6LVP loops are very well regarded, and if memory serves, they're just a touch cheaper in price than the MFJ
Mike
Mike
Loops with attached ampifiers are known as 'active loops'. The extra stage of amplification at the source provides a stronger signal than just using the pre amp in the radio alone. Also, if you amplify the signal at the radio, it's possible to amplify any noise that might have been picked up by the cable leading to the loop.
The ideal height off the ground of a receiving antenna has to do with radio wave propagation in relation to frequency.
Lower frequencies can travel along the ground and follow the curvature of the earth. This is known as groundwave propagation. Since the signal is moving along the ground, there's no need to mount the antenna very high off the ground.
Lower frequency radio waves can also reflect (or more accurately refract) off ionized layers in the extreme upper atmosphere (aka the ionosphere). When you receive these signals, they're coming down from the sky after having been bent back to earth by the ionosphere. This is known as skywave propagation. Since the waves are 'falling' from the sky, you don't require any height to pick them up.
For Very High Frequencies (VHF) and higher, radio waves generally travel in a straight line. They don't refract off the upper layers of the atmosphere and they don't follow the curvature of the earth. In order to cover long distances, antennas must be high off the ground, since the higher you get the further you can see. And since the radio wave can only go as far as you can see, it is known as line of sight (LOS) propagation.
Here's a great primer discussing the subject: --> Difference between Sky wave vs LOS wave vs Ground wave
Thanks for the detailed explanation and link. Makes better sense now.
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