Loop on the Ground Antenna - Part 1 of 4

[@GateKommand]

I found it quite therapeutic watching you wind those turns!

[@ianxfs]

Funny.

[@johncolumba7945]

Thanks mate for uploading the process, much easier to grasp KK5JY's design this way.

[@ianxfs]

@@johncolumba7945 Great, thanks John. You’ll see in part 4 it’s a keeper. Many years on now and it’s still a good option to have in your armoury on the lower bands 👍🏻

[@johnratcliffe6438]

We were discussing beverage antennas last night at our club meeting; great timing Ian and thanks for the upload! 73s, John

[@ianxfs]

John Ratcliffe Thanks John! I’m going to tinker to see what I can achieve with this or something based on it....watch this space...

[@robg3545]

Excellent instructional video Ian.

[@ianxfs]

Rob G Thanks Rob! There’s a few more in this series too 👍🏻

[@OldSal-d8h]

Thank you for this very informative video. Will be constructing one soon. Very 73 de N9NY

[@ianxfs]

Great and thanks!

[@MikeM0XMX]

Hi Ian. Callum suggested I research LOG antenna as I have same problem as you. Is there a follow up have this? Did you succeed? Great vid by the way just wasn't the positive outcome I was hoping for. 73

[@ianxfs]

Yes Mike. Four-parter video series. I still use this on 40/80/160 as original build and no external pre-amp. All good. Use in second VFO and lower noise to signal ratio in many cases 👍🏻

[@G1WHP]

Hi Ian. I am going to try a low noise amplifier. About £4-5 of eBay to see how it improves performance. I will power it from a pp3 9v battery. I will let you know how it goes. Paul

[@superconductorchip9072]

You will need a BPF, you will hear the whole of the HF Bands including lots of Noise.

[@ianxfs]

Thanks Paul! I’ll experiment this end too...

[@G1WHP]

@Superconductor Chip Yes a wide band amp will amplify the whole bandwidth but I still think EMI noise will be reduced as the loop is not picking it up in the first place. I have also read that a good ground to the coax braid at the feed point helps. My lawn is turning to mud at the moment as it’s so wet I need to keep off it until it either freezes or drys out a little. 👍 Paul Anyone who has any experience with this type of antenna please comment

[@ianxfs]

G1WHP Just had a search. Yes loads to choose from by the looks of it...😀

[@M0JHN]

Parts are on their way for this project, thanks for sharing Ian. Any updates in 2023 for this? Still working? Any improvements?

[@ianxfs]

Great Morgan. Still working, still using. It’s on my second VFO (& RX only input socket) for 80 & 160m 👍🏻Have fun 😀

[@robertchortek1944]

Great instructional video! Loop does NOT seem to improve the S/N ratio AT ALL!

[@ianxfs]

Keep going Robert! There’s three more videos in this series. I now use this original version all the time. Got used to working worth it and it’s my second VFO on 80m, 160m and sometimes 40 👍🏻

[@G1WHP]

Just a point I’m using satellite cable 75ohm but it’s low loss with good shielding. And best of all it’s cheep. I am going to run another loop at 3ft off the ground around the whole garden to see how that works. This may be called a beverage antenna or something similar, I have seen so many I loose track. It keeps me occupied anyway Paul

[@ianxfs]

G1WHP Yes Paul. I will try raising and lengthening too. I read what seemed a knowledgeable article that said don’t bother with beverage unless you can put up hundreds of feet of wire. Will dig it out...

[@ytr734]

hello, complimengi.you can tell me what thickness is the wire and how many turns you make in the ferrite thanks I always follow you

[@ianxfs]

Hi, see duplicate comment/answer.

[@murilorodrigues776]

Thank-you for video, very didactic and explanatory, congrats! PY2DS

[@ianxfs]

Thanks Murilo!

[@OldSal-d8h]

Hi. What is the box made of? Assume PVC / plastic? Thanks de N9NY

[@ianxfs]

Hi. Yes.

[@richardtwyning]

I've got some telephone type wire. Will that be OK for the transformer wire?

[@ianxfs]

Should be fine Richard and small enough to get the required turns 👍🏻

[@richardtwyning]

@@ianxfs thank you 👍🏻

[@M0SZT]

Thank you Ian, really well presented video and thanks to G1WHP for starting the exploration. In theory would a bigger loop increase the receive?

[@ianxfs]

2E0EZT amateur radio Thanks Carl. Yes, possibly? I’ll experiment and see where I get to with this...Ian.

[@TheGmr140]

good stuff, i made a 6ft x 6ft loop connected to a 9:1 balun, then direct into my HF+ Discovery SDR by airspy, works well, any pros and cons of having a large loop area? also wondering if two loops, one on the ground, and one vertical, and a switch to see how the snr changes between the two V and H loops. 73s

[@ianxfs]

Thanks. The larger loop picks up more noise, so there’s a trade-off in size at some point. I’m not sure a vertical would work very well as effectively you’re into normal loop antenna territory there? What about two on the ground fed at different corners or the same one with some sort of switching setup to achieve the same? Different directivity then. Have fun experimenting 👍🏻

[@xentxent3400]

Exelence tutorial. Big thnx, friend.

[@ianxfs]

Thanks.

[@Steve-GM0HUU]

Interesting and thanks for sharing. Obviously disappointing. If you have a manual ATU you could try that to see if makes any improvement. In terms of QRM-busting, I was thinking about building an RX antenna for HF. Had been considering a ground loop like this or possible an active receiving loop.

[@ianxfs]

Hi Steve and thanks! Watch the series through as it’s a lot better by part 4 👍🏻😀

[@13HN870]

Hello, so 2 turns on one side and 4 turns on the other side of the ferrite?

[@ianxfs]

2 & 6 as described from 08:09 onwards…

[@tzm1843]

Seems like the LOG is worse?

[@ianxfs]

@@tzm1843 Keep watching the series. I eventually figured out how to use it best and to concentrate on signal-to-noise ratio alone. Years on I still have this antenna in its original configuration and use it on the second VFO for 160, 80 & 40m. Easier listening on longer QSOs and can help at times on DX when the main antennas are too noisy for whatever reason. Thanks for commenting 😀👍🏻

[@yaesuicomkenwood]

well, I see, that you hear on the loop almost nothing :-(

[@ianxfs]

Martin, watch parts 2 & 3 👍🏻

[@techiefan1986]

I may be stating the obvious, but you are just makring a RF transofrmer to match the antenna's impedance to the feedline, no?

[@ianxfs]

Techie Fan Yes. A loop needs around a 6:1 transformer (50 Ohm feed) and in this case a very small one as it’s not for transmitting.

[@IZ0MTW]

@@ianxfsHi Yan, but this transformer is 9:1 ratio, not 4:1, right? 6 turns divided by 2 then squared. 6/2^2=9. Anyway I don’t think it makes much of a difference.

[@ianxfs]

@@IZ0MTW Yes, correct 👍🏻

[@Andy2e0ree]

I just use a 4=1 and 66 feet of wire in a loop

[@ianxfs]

Andy Cowley How do you get on with yours Andy?

[@Andy2e0ree]

I got it 2 feet of the ground and it drop my noise from 10over to lose them 2 so I think it’s great 73

[@ianxfs]

Sounds good! Do you earth it at the feed point or just connect to the feeder?

[@Andy2e0ree]

ianxfs no I just connected the feeder 73

[@luckydubeinrc5165]

signal to noise ratio is not any better, they work marginally...not worth it

[@ianxfs]

Hi! There’s four videos in this series. I kept on with this setup and find it really useful. I use it as a second receive on 80m mainly, but also 160 & 40m bands. 👍🏻

[@rivit90]

great video , i think you may have counted the loops around the core wrong , heres a link to a youtube video of a chap buliding the transformer , he counts his loops differently , Either he or you are wrong ,, just ordered a core to have a go myself ,,,, other vid kzbin.info/www/bejne/rX7FaZxrhsadjZI

[@ianxfs]

Hi and thanks for the comment. I’ve used standard binocular core winding as you’d find on circuit boards. If you Google binocular core winding and focus on the electrical/electronics side of this you’ll see the standard approach. Good luck with your build 👍🏻😀

[@superconductorchip9072]

Try a dummy load !! you may get better results.

[@ianxfs]

Superconductor Chip Yes it felt like that! I will keep trying....

[@Sadiq254]

@@ianxfs I found mine to work well on 40m more than any other band. Will try a 400ft version of it in a few days. 73 - A92HK - Fabien.

[@ianxfs]

@@Sadiq254 Good luck Fabien! There’s three more videos in this LoG series if you haven’t seen them already 👍🏻

[@bobkozlarekwa2sqq59]

I built one as well. Total waste of time, it was deaf!

[@ianxfs]

Shame Bob.

[@ytr734]

hello, complimengi.you can tell me what thickness is the wire and how many turns you make in the ferrite thanks I always follow you

[@ianxfs]

Hi and thanks. 28awg/0.08mm2 ptfe silver coated wire. 2 turns and 6 turns.

[@ytr734]

@@ianxfs sorry but you do not understand. the translator does not make me understand. you just tell me how many laps,?. then I'll use telephone wire

[@ianxfs]

@@ytr734 2 & 6