Loop Antennas - Ciro Mazzoni - Hamvention 2023

Rod, K8RR chatted with Loop Antennas, Wolfgang, IU3QKV at the Dayton Hamvention, 2023. Wolfgang gave us a closer look at the Baby Loop antenna, as well as the Stealth Antenna.
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[@HamRadioLiveShow]

Love the video. Been interested in a Ciro Mazzoni loop for awhile. Was hoping you’d show and talk about the “Stealth Antenna” You didn’t disappoint. Thanks for the video guys.

[@kc8wvg]

In a few weeks, I will have been using the Baby-loop for one year. Here a some of my DX QSO'S with the loop: DO1KRT, 4078 miles on 15m SSB; 4U1A, 4511 miles on 10m SSB; PV8AL, 2947 miles on 17m SSB; 6Y5HM, 1586 miles on 12m SSB; ZR1ADI, 3556 miles on 30m FT8 all of the SSB QSO were with 100w, FT8 with less than 45w. Numerous others on 20m. And this one is to KP4PUA, 1760 miles on 10m SSB with 7w using my Xiegu G90. I have it currently at about 8' on a Yaesu G450 rotator. It worked fine through the Winter and in rain. The only mechanical problem was when a squirrel dropped a walnut right between the bottom of the arms that caused a motor error. Which was easily fixed 😅. My lot is an average size city lot, and this has helped me get some ability to direct my signals. KC8WVG

[@alandigiovanni5282]

I live in a development with an HOA so an external antenna is not an option. I’ve been running my HF rig with the Ciro Mazzoni Baby Loop in my attic for 6 months and it works great. It is an expensive antenna but it really does a great job covering the bands from 40 through 10 meters. I’ve made contacts around the world with 100 watts or less. The diameter of the tubing used for the radiator and the large air variable capacitor are what makes this antenna worth the price since it improves the efficiency of the antenna dramatically compared to other loop antennas. It’s worth every penny based on my experience with it.

[@tommasocastelli91]

I'd love to buy the same antenna but I'm worried the iron railing surrounding my balcony could create problems to the swr.. What do you have in your surroundings? Thanks

[@douglaswhite9223]

I second that, allow the person being interviewed to talk about their product, not what you know and understand about it.

[@Professzore]

True... True... Switched off before halfway through the video due to the terrible sound quality and the inpatient behaviour of Rod... Sad.

[@TingILi]

I love it. Baby loop

[@ThinKkBIGG]

What about those who would like to install it on a flat surface? Can the height to be respected at ground level be applied instead at roof level? Is there a minimum roof size that makes the effect similar to the ground so that the swr is corresponding? At the Xenia hamfest, Ciro announced that there would be a new Bluetooth controller. Do you have any news on when they will be available?

[@JCB12345]

how can use this atenna with a linier amplplifier and it ATU such as ACOM 1200S with ATU 06AT?

[@ThinKkBIGG]

How does the antenna behave in snow and ice? Is it not recommended?

[@larrypicard5969]

Have used the Baby Loop through the Canadian Winter. It works FB. No problems with the antenna due to climate per se. The Q is very high and the tuning razor sharp. You may have to touch up the tuning every few hours with changes in temperature, orientation and humidity. This is no problem. The antenna controller (ATU) works like a charm. It will track your radio's VFO and retune automatically, or you can hit the enter/return key on the included keypad and it tunes up. Retuning is quick either within one band or when changing bands.

[@ThinKkBIGG]

@@larrypicard5969 Exactly, I'm in Canada. I was wondering if it could fill up with snow and ice and cause transmission problems or even breakage? I just see the problem with our dipoles when it's icy and our aluminum beams and I was thinking the capacitor at the top must fill up during the cold season. Did you add a box over the antenna to limit the intrusion of water, ice and snow? Is the tuner able to realize, even though there has been no frequency change, that the conditions have changed outside and the SWR being affected that there must be readjustment or do we have to go and check manually?

[@raydavidsonm0ray.777]

A nice antenna, but I would have prefered to hear More fron the who was showing & demonstrating them, rather than having to put up with the guy from dx engineering gabbing on all the time.

[@michaelrosebud]

I just checked the price, why is it that manufacturers of items like this , think people have thousands of dollars to spend ? This is America, dripping in poverty, during an economy that is headed downhill, driven by politics, and backed by the fact that there is no end in sight. Not many ham radio operators can afford to spend $2000.00 for a ham radio antenna, it doesn't matter how good it is, the bottom line is the ham world is trying to recruit new operators, not scare then away with prices over the moon. Granted, there are people that can afford high ticket equipment, BUT, remember, there is still a huge market out there, that would buy Ham Radio equipment, IF, it were reasonably priced....this will drive people to Ebay, and to make their own equipment....something is wrong with the high cost of enjoyment, and equipment pricing....!!!!

[@michaelwdunedinnewzealand2993]

its actually not difficult to build one yourself. It may not have the bells and whistles as this but it will work and preferably monoband. This antenna's claim is not 100% correct due to its diameter limiting it to a specific band for highest efficiency. The capacitor allows the antenna to tune outside of the optimim band at the expense of losing effiency. I built 6 of my own each with its own optimum diameter for highest efficiency: 10,20,15/17,20,40,60/80. ZL4MBW

[@larrypicard5969]

@@michaelwdunedinnewzealand2993 I have built several permanent and temporary magnetic loops as well. The Ciro Mazzoni has great build quality and appears to be more efficient than my homebrew antennas. Loops have inherently low radiation resistance and great attention to detail is required to get them to work well on transmit. The Q of any mag loop is very high and they need to retuned before transmitting even if you only move a few KHz. Furthermore, especially with loops tuned with air variable caps, tuning will be significantly affected by ambient temperature and humidity. The great benefit of the CM loop lies in its antenna controller (ATU). It interfaces with your radio and will put the loop on frequency very quickly (seconds). Most homebrew loops are tuned manually. This can become very tedious and it is one of the reasons mag loops are not more popular.