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Re: Topband: Using shielded CAT5 data cable as feedline for active anten

To: Topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Using shielded CAT5 data cable as feedline for active antenna; benefits of multi-turn K9AY loop/SAL/etc?
From: PA3CSG <pa3csg@hoeplakee.nl>
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 2016 17:52:52 +0100
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Hi!

I tried to measure this UTP cable as a receive line. For the results see:

http://pa3csg.hoeplakee.nl/joomla25/index.php/rf-construction/115-0-10-mhz-receive-over-utp

The plan is only slowly moving forward:

To use one twisted pair as a receive line
One pair as the supply voltage
One pair to communicate via a RS485 protocol to control a several RX antennas / K9AY and to control the gain of the preamp as well.
One pair left.

Since the discussion is going this way, how about the above idea?

I have not tried it but would be interested in your comments.

Regards & HNY!

Geert PA3CSG



Op 02-01-16 om 16:45 schreef Pete Smith N4ZR:
I was recently reading a web page by LZ1AQ <http://www.lz1aq.signacor.com/>. It is full of fascinating data and design equations for the use of small magnetic loop antennas. There were two points, in particular, that caught my layman's attention:

1. He recommends using shielded CAT5 data cable with RJ-45 connectors as feedline. The obvious advantage is having three pairs left over for voltage supply and control. See <http://active-antenna.eu/amplifier-kit/> for more information.

2. He cites experimental data showing that coplanar crossed loops and multi-turn quad loops both offer very significant improvement in the recovered signalcompared with a single loop. See <http://www.lz1aq.signacor.com/docs/experimental-comparison-v10.pdf> to check whether I got this right. Anyway, it occurred to me to ask if anyone has ever tried multiturn K9AY, SAL or flag/pennant receiving antennas, and did you see something similar?

Any other critiques of his design would be appreciated. The price is certainly right, and the construction looks good. A couple of 1-meter coplanar loops wouldn't be at all hard to construct.


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