New MLA-30+ Antenna; What Direction to Point?

[Aremel]

I am mounting a new MLA-30+ antenna in Cheyenne, WY. First, is there some place that shows the direction to point this type of loop antenna for my area? Second, the diagram for the loop antenna is confusing as to the "null" point, etc... I just want to know which direction that big wire loop should point. Which part of the antenna is the "front", if you know what I mean? I am looking at it like the open circle is the front, like looking at a face. Right now, it's pointing north.

Please note that they suggest rotating the antenna, then checking the reception. This means running outside, turning it a little then running back indoors, down the stairs to the basement, then checking it. Then, running back outside, turning it a little, etc... I don't mind this for fine tuning, but I am looking at trying to get in the ballpark to start with.

Thanx!

 

[dave3825]

is there some place that shows the direction to point this type of loop antenna for my area?

Right now, it's pointing north.

What direction is the shortwave your interested in listening to?

Please note that they suggest rotating the antenna, then checking the reception. This means running outside, turning it a little then running back indoors, down the stairs to the basement, then checking it. Then, running back outside, turning it a little, etc..

Yeah, I don't do that anymore. I stick a wyze cam facing the the pc screen showing the spectrum and stream it to my phone. Best way to aim an antenna imo.

 

[Blackswan73]

Contrary to logic, MLA-30 antenna “fires” off the sides of the loop, not the face. The broadsides of the loop are the null points of the radiation pattern

B.S.

 

[prcguy]

Contrary to logic, MLA-30 antenna “fires” off the sides of the loop, not the face. The broadsides of the loop are the null points of the radiation pattern

B.S.

Or another way to say it is looking through the hole in the loop will be the null or reduced reception. The null should be really sharp and when you get just +/- 5 degrees from broadside the signals will come up quite a bit.

 

[Aremel]

Just for grins, let's suppose I am trying to listen to WWV in Boulder, CO. This is generally SSW of me. So, if I understand this correctly, the sides of the antenna should be in line with each other in a SSW direction.

 

[prcguy]

Just for grins, let's suppose I am trying to listen to WWV in Boulder, CO. This is generally SSW of me. So, if I understand this correctly, the sides of the antenna should be in line with each other in a SSW direction.

Yes.

 

[JPowley]

I am mounting a new MLA-30+ antenna in Cheyenne, WY. First, is there some place that shows the direction to point this type of loop antenna for my area? Second, the diagram for the loop antenna is confusing as to the "null" point, etc... I just want to know which direction that big wire loop should point. Which part of the antenna is the "front", if you know what I mean? I am looking at it like the open circle is the front, like looking at a face. Right now, it's pointing north.

Please note that they suggest rotating the antenna, then checking the reception. This means running outside, turning it a little then running back indoors, down the stairs to the basement, then checking it. Then, running back outside, turning it a little, etc... I don't mind this for fine tuning, but I am looking at trying to get in the ballpark to start with.

Thanx!

I have my MLA horizontal at 20' high. Seems to work fine. I live about 10 minuets from Buffalo NY. My reception is limited. When I go 80 miles to the south with the same setup I get almost all day reception from WMRI in Florida and Monticello Main

 

[Aremel]

I now have two MLA-30+ antennas at 90° to each other with the higher one being at about 35'. They are connected and reception seems to be pretty good now with WWV coming in loud and clear.

 

[ka3jjz]

I'm out of the country at the moment and on limited days but 2 points need to be
made. Loops like the MLA30 and many others lose directivity around 2 to 3 Mhz. This is not a fault of the loop. Roughly around here skywave prop takes over and that is something these loops can't handle. Too mount them high and all directivity pretty much goes out the window. Closer to the ground (some suggest no higher than 1 loop diameter others find that 8 foot or so is about as high as you should go. Above that the loop can become more or less omnidirectional. Joe Carrs book on this subject is a good place to start ..Mike in Alberta

 

[mbott]

All my shortwave listening is accomplished with either a Pixel RF Pro-1B loop or a Wellbrook ALA-1530LNP NA antenna. Loop rotation for me is a function of trying to null out local qrm and not signal improvement. I don't see significant signal improvement with rotation. I do see significant QRM reduction with rotation.

--
Mike

 

[ditto1958]

Where can I buy one of these?

 

[dave3825]

Where can I buy one of these?

One of these what? The mla 30, the Pixel RF Pro-1B or the Wellbrook ALA-1530LNP NA?

All 3 come up in Google searches.

 

[ka3jjz]

Actually Wellbrook went out of business some time ago, although I am sure you might find one floating around somewhere. As for the Pixel and the MLA30 plus, our loops wiki has the answers you seek

MLA30+

MLA-30+ Upgrade Loop Antenna Active Receiving 0.5 - 30MHz for Short Wave Radio | eBay

Common radio antenna plug. Stainless steel fixing screws. This version is specially improved for radio enthusiasts. Compared with the standard version, it has increased gain and is suitable for indoor use.

tinyurl.com

Pixel

DX Engineering DXE-RF-PRO-1B DX Engineering RF-PRO-1B® Active Magnetic Loop Antennas | DX Engineering

Free Shipping - DX Engineering RF-PRO-1B® Active Magnetic Loop Antennas with qualifying orders of $99. Shop HF Receive Antennas at DX Engineering.

www.dxengineering.com

There are a great many other loops out there...

Loops - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Mike

 

[ditto1958]

One of these what? The mla 30, the Pixel RF Pro-1B or the Wellbrook ALA-1530LNP NA?

All 3 come up in Google searches.

I’m sorry, I should have been specific. The MLA 30+ is the one I’m interested in.

 

[OHDXER]

I have an MLA-30 mounted about 7' off the ground, about 25' off my house perimeter. I get significant nulling and directional effects depending on which way I point (rotate) the antenna. Just one data point, but thought I'd throw it out there. I do live in a fairly quiet noise environment out in the country, so that likely plays into it.

For those who have to rotate, check their signal, then repeat...try getting some bluetooth headphones. You can then listen AS you are turning your antenna. I am in this boat. Have looked for any sort of wireless antenna mast rotor, but have not found any. I would love to get one though, so if anyone knows of one for less than one of my kidneys, let me know please! The ones that say remote control mostly just mean you can change the channel on the base station--but the rotator must still be hard wired to that. Simply would not work with my setup.

 

[xX_NightShift_Xx]

I have an MLA-30 mounted about 7' off the ground, about 25' off my house perimeter. I get significant nulling and directional effects depending on which way I point (rotate) the antenna. Just one data point, but thought I'd throw it out there. I do live in a fairly quiet noise environment out in the country, so that likely plays into it.

For those who have to rotate, check their signal, then repeat...try getting some bluetooth headphones. You can then listen AS you are turning your antenna. I am in this boat. Have looked for any sort of wireless antenna mast rotor, but have not found any. I would love to get one though, so if anyone knows of one for less than one of my kidneys, let me know please! The ones that say remote control mostly just mean you can change the channel on the base station--but the rotator must still be hard wired to that. Simply would not work with my setup.

Bluetooth is a great idea! How I determined best direction for my location was by using Facetime.

Unfortunately due to HOA regs I had to put mine in the attic. So, I had the ipad facing my monitor, me looking at my phone in the attic, while rotating the loop for the best reception while actively receiving HF signals.

Next competition, when there are far more users on the bands, I plan on hopping back up there and doing it again. Needing to check connections on my discone anyway.

 

[shirsch101]

Is the MLA-30 a good short wave antenna

 

[ka3jjz]

You should do some Google searches and be looking at the MLA30+, which has slightly better frequency coverage and response. Personally I don't have one, but this antenna uses a wideband video amplifier which would be the last thing I would use on HF due to noise issues (and that's confirmed in some of the reviews). A somewhat better choice, especially if you are restricted to using the antenna indoors, is below. There has been a couple of anecdotal comments on this one, and they seem to like it over the MLA30+

HFDY 50K-500MHz Wideband Active Small Magnetic Loop Antenna LZ1AQ Amplifier HF AM FM VHF UHF SDR Receiver Radio Tescun Malahitea

Only US$32.49, buy best hfdy 50k-500mhz wideband active small magnetic loop antenna lz1aq amplifier hf am fm vhf uhf sdr receiver radio tescun malahitea sale online store at wholesale price.

tinyurl.com

Be somewhat careful about using these antennas on cheap portables; depending on your RF environment, it may cause overloading

Mike

 

[bearcatrp]

For an indoor loop, been having great success with a you loop.

YouLoop Magnetic Antenna - AIRSPY

High Performance Magnetic Antenna for HF and VHF

airspy.com

 

[ka3jjz]

If you are using an Airspy SDR or other SDR with a very hot front end, yes that can work. It is not for portables or desktop / HF transceivers without adding some amplification.

You can build one yourself if you have the stuff in your junk box. Here's a few links where you can get that information

Loops - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Mike