Topband: LOOP ANTENNA update

Dan dcbc@ipa.net
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 20:35:45 -0600


Hello ALL
Thankyou for the return letters about my loop antenna.
Since I wrote that letter I have found that the loop is much larger than I
thought.
I guess the local AM BC station is making my swr analyzer goofy.
I unrolled the last of the wire off the spool and found the loop is about
460 feet.
I am guessing the the loop is around 2.2 mc.
I dont have a modeling program to see what the loop might be doing.
I am feeding the loop with coax through a 30 turn coax balun wraped on a
coil form.
I noticed that the loop seems to work on 80 and 40 meters but when I tune it
up on 30 meters the band just goes dead. SWR analyzer says over 25 to 1 swr
on 30 meters. I am thinking that the load the loop is giving the coax I have
a lot of swr loss in the feedline.
I probably would be better off by feeding the loop with open wire feedline.
This loop is like a big oval. I have 2 big hedge trees about 50 feet tall
that the loop is strung over. Top wire is 50 feet high and bottom is 10 feet
high.
I have plenty of room here to put up different antennas, but I dont want to
run radials on the ground. So I am looking for an antenna that does not have
to use radials.
My lot is very brushy and I would have to do lots of work to beable to get
the wires on the ground. Lots of deer run through here.
I am just too lazy for all that work HIHI.
The replys I received from my first message seemed to be split half said
that the antenna would be a good one the other half said no it would not be
a good preformer.(since everyone thought the antenna was only 300 feet of
wire)
So my questions are
1 Since this loop is closer to the 160 meter band will it be better for DX?
2 Will it work on 80 and 40 and 30 meters when I get some open wire feed
line?
3 If still the answers say that I would have better luck with other types of
antennas is there any antenna types that I can get good results and not
require a lot of radials? Prefer no radials.
4 Where is the best place to put the feed point on the loop? Half way up on
of the vertical sides? Or top corner?
I hope I am not boring you guys. But I am a newbe to 160 meters.
My Dad always told me if you want to do something right find the people that
have been doing it for awhile and find the right way to do it.
Thanks
Dan W0VD
w0vd@arrl.net
www.clevengercreations.com/w0vd.htm