[VHFcontesting] Loops

[BEAMAR at aol.com]

A couple of comments on various posts. First off I mentioned that a loop is 
 about 1 dbi. When you take a dipole and bend it, you lose a little. So, 
you are  down  slightly from a dipole. Also the M2 loops are not quite omni  
directional. The Par loops, from what I am told, seem to be truly omni,  
however. 
 
The Par loops supposedly have a built in balun. I do not own a Par, so I  
can't say for sure. The M2 loops seem to work better with a current balun. A 
few  beads of the appropriate grade of ferrite is all it takes. 
 
The tuning on an M2 changes with the presence of a metal mast. Other than  
that, I do not know if the mast affects pattern or gain. But, the tuning  
definitely changes. 
 
The tuning of M2 loops is affected by rain. Even M2 admits  that. I paint 
all my antennas with ZNCRO4 metal primer. That seems to be a  big help.  I am 
told that the Pars are unaffected by water.
 
Buddy WB4OMG