Room loop improvements

[philipus]

Hello everyone

I'm looking for a good way to extend my room loop which consists of a copper wire I recovered from an old transformer. I have run the cable along the ceiling of my third-floor room. There is a dormer window on one side which means that the loop is not entirely horizontal, as can be seen below. About half of the cable runs along the ceiling's three sides. Towards the dormer window the cable slopes 45 degrees and then runs under the windows across the fourth side of the room. In total it is 16m long. I normally connect it via a Nooelec 9:1 to my Qodosen DX-286 and the antenna gives me really pretty good reception.

I am playing with the idea of running more copper wire along the walls on the floor, which would add approx. 15m, but am wondering where the floor part of the loop should best be connected to the ceiling loop part.

I'm also wondering if having two loop parts like this – one about 2,5m above the other – would affect reception negatively.

I'm happy to tinker and try but since I would need to put the cable behind various bookcases and other furniture I thought I should ask first.

Cheers
Philip


Thank you

 

[popnokick]

There is not likely to be any one single "best be connected to the ceiling loop part". Nor is there likely to be any negative affect on reception by having a 2nd loop. What is most likely is that depending on where you make the connection(s?) between the two loops will result in directivity of reception... and may / may not favor the particular station you are trying to receive. Since this is (apparently) a receive-only antenna, remove the insulation at several points along both loops directly above / below each other on each loop. Make yourself one or more jumper cables with small alligator clips at each end. Tune the receiver to something you want to hear, then connect the jumper(s) between one or more of the bare spots in the upper / lower loops. See if the signal gets better or worse and whether it is better or worse based on location of the jumper, and based on how many jumpers you use. Tune to a different frequency and station of interest, then "rinse and repeat" the jumper connections. To avoid having to move bookcases or much furniture, locate the bare spots in the loops so that they are not behind furniture.

 

[philipus]

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply and for the practical suggestions which were very helpful. Yes this is receive only, apologies, I should have mentioned that initially.

I went ahead and created the extension and will be testing it during the coming several evenings. The wire is fairly thin, coming from a transformer, but it works well and my first impression is positive. The antenna is now just over 30 meters and pulls in a lot of stations. Perhaps not many more than before but usually with slightly better quality. So having the antenna loop in basically two overlapping big circles has no negative effect on reception. Very exciting indeed. Man, I love radio

Thanks again for your help.
philip

There is not likely to be any one single "best be connected to the ceiling loop part". Nor is there likely to be any negative affect on reception by having a 2nd loop. What is most likely is that depending on where you make the connection(s?) between the two loops will result in directivity of reception... and may / may not favor the particular station you are trying to receive. Since this is (apparently) a receive-only antenna, remove the insulation at several points along both loops directly above / below each other on each loop. Make yourself one or more jumper cables with small alligator clips at each end. Tune the receiver to something you want to hear, then connect the jumper(s) between one or more of the bare spots in the upper / lower loops. See if the signal gets better or worse and whether it is better or worse based on location of the jumper, and based on how many jumpers you use. Tune to a different frequency and station of interest, then "rinse and repeat" the jumper connections. To avoid having to move bookcases or much furniture, locate the bare spots in the loops so that they are not behind furniture.