I also put out radials on my K9AY loop and also did what ON4UN suggested re
common mode - per his book - another grd rod about 8 ft (or so) from the loop
base with coax shield grounded to it. I also used a coax piece w/ ferrite beads
(from DX Eng) to connect from the ant to the grd rod and feedline. It has
worked as advertised for many yrs. If not done, suggest chck it w/ AM bcst
stations for directivity.
73 - Alan K9MBQ
-----Original Message-----
>From: Lloyd - N9LB <lloydberg@tds.net>
>Sent: Dec 7, 2019 4:26 PM
>To: 'N4ZR' <n4zr@comcast.net>, 'topband reflector' <Topband@contesting.com>
>Subject: Re: Topband: K9ay loop not performing
>
>Pete, I had the very same problem here.
>
>I have very poor soil, mostly a painted on layer of top soil, several inches
>of clay, a couple of feet of sand, and then bedrock.
>
>Gary - K9AY told me that for poor soil conditions I needed to put a ground
>radial directly under each loop and attach them to the center ground rod.
>Length of the radials should extend a few feet past the edge of each loop.
>
>73
>
>Lloyd - N9LB
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of N4ZR
>Sent: Saturday, December 07, 2019 3:14 PM
>To: topband reflector <Topband@contesting.com>
>Subject: Topband: K9ay loop not performing
>
>I just put up a K9AY loop, using the Array Solutions control boxes, and am
>pretty disappointed. There is no audible or visible difference in the noise
>level, while the received signal strength is down whenever I A/B it with my
>inverted L. There does seem to be a little directivity, but not much, and
>subjectively I find that weak signals are all heard better on the transmit
>antenna. Judging by results in the current contest, I've got an alligator on
>my hands!
>
>The preamp amplifies by a couple of S units, and I can hear the relays out at
>the antenna switching when I change directions or termination resistances,
>although gain and directivity do not change noticeably.
> From this I assume there's nothing wrong with the electronics
>
>I tried to do my installation "by the book." Ground is provided at the base
>of the antenna by a 6-foot ground rod. There are two common-mode chokes on
>the feedline, one at each end of approximately 100 feet of RG-6. About the
>only deviation from the published design is that the top of the crossed loops
>is at 28 feet, not 25, and the loops have their bases more or less horizontal,
>where the published designs show them tilting upward approximately 15-20
>degrees from the center in each direction. I can make that happen with some
>more rigging, but before I do that, I'm looking for suggestions of other
>places to look for the problem.
>
>--
>
>73, Pete N4ZR
>Check out the Reverse Beacon Network
>at <http://reversebeacon.net>, now
>spotting RTTY activity worldwide.
>For spots, please use your favorite
>"retail" DX cluster.
>
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