[TenTec] Value of RX Only Antennas

[Richards]

I have used the Wellbrook ALS-100M large aperture loop antenna (costing 
around $250) for many years - originally as an SWL and more recently as 
a receive-only ham antenna.  On this model, you make your own loop out 
of wire, maybe 15 feet on a side or it can be as large as your lot. 
Directionality varies with each location, but in my case, seems fairly 
omni-directional.

I also use the DX-Engineering Active Vertical Receive Antennas 
DXE-ARAV3-1P (costing $250) with equally good results.

I live on a smallish suburban lot and both of these receive-only 
antennas have been helpful at times - not all the time, but sometimes 
one works better than the other, and sometimes either or both work 
better than my transmit antennas.  I notice no problems with noise in 
the neighborhood, so it does not matter that one of them is a "magnetic 
loop" that works primarily on the magnetic side, while the other is a 
vertical working primarily on the electric side, of the electromagnetic 
signal.

These receive only antennas are nice to have, but I figure it is better 
to improve one's transmit antennas if possible - especially if one can 
can replace them with antennas with more gain.  To me, that is the 
better place to spend your hard earned brass, but I recognize that is 
not always possible under the circumstances.

Just MY take.

-----------------  K8JHR  ------------------