HAM RADIO: Magnetic Loop Capacitor Build New Mag-Loop build figure of 8

I have been thinking about remaking the Figure of eight Loop for quite sometime now and as the nights are closing in I decided to give it a second look, First of all I'm going to take my time and build from scratch, that means new Capacitor and Loop, coupling loop and Coax.
Items used on this project so far are:
Capacitor Parts ( I made mind but you can get them from Etsy.com) just look for Erhan at SnowistCorner or search Capacitor.
You may need to purchase a 3D printer for the Capacitor Ends and motor Plate. I will upload the files to www.thingivers...
www.thingivers...
www.thingivers...
Still have fun and give it a go...
Please subscribe and like.
Cheers and Many thanks for watching
Mike - M0MSN
P.S. do not take my word for it, give it a go for yourself.

[@seanwieland9763]

I’m a simple man. I see magloop. I click like.

[@jimlosh3305]

One of the best videos I’ve seen on KZbin. Great work.

[@Paddy_Roche]

100% agreed

[@mike-M0MSN]

Wow thanks guy’s

[@OH8STN]

Well done! Was also a very pleasant video to watch. 73 Julian oh8stn

[@fnordhorn]

The motor control setup - I would have done a Big plastic gear to a worm gear setup 90% .. by using this worm gear setup you are able to fine-tune the cap don't want to figure the ratio as don't have the Worm gear setup but I bet you could get a 20:1 so 20 turns on the motor is 1 turn of gear connected to the Cap's plates. right now it 1:1 ratio. Just my thought on it

[@richardpowell723]

The creative juices are flowing… Looking forward to the next one. Thank you. M0DSK

[@mike-M0MSN]

Cheers Richard.

[@michealbell5042]

Can't wait to see your figer 8 up and running good luck👍

[@greasydot]

Kinda curious how much voltage the vari-cap can handle before it flashes over. Looking for alternatives to the costly vacuum caps in my amplifier applications.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Good question! around 3-4KV maybe, I have put 400Watts into it with no issues

[@greasydot]

@@mike-M0MSN thanks that good to know. Happy New year.

[@pd9rd]

Fantastic! Work of art. 73

[@mike-M0MSN]

Many thanks 😊

[@stephenwade8093]

Great work there Mike.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Thanks 👍

[@MakeDoAndMend1]

Hi matey. Just got back into the hobby. Made a few Baluns but having problems with a 49.1 and half wave aerial on 20metres. Although 10.2metres long its swr is high at 4. But low on 7mhz and 21mhz doesn't make sense. Balun tests out ok on 2.5k resistor load and nanovna. Vswr is around 1.2 to 1 from 5mhz to 30mhz. It's a single band aerial. Very puzzling. Cheers from old George.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Hi George, sound to me like you need to solder a 200pf capacitor across the so239 this will bring the phasing back into play. :)

[@MakeDoAndMend1]

@@mike-M0MSN Tried all that. Didn't work. Baluns are ok. Combination of aerial that's the problem. I reckon I have found the cause. But too cold to prove it. Update video soon.....

[@mike-M0MSN]

@@MakeDoAndMend1 ok please keep me in the loop.

[@AmRadPodcast]

Nicely done! Speed looks right on. Looking forward to the results on 40m.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Hey Derek, good to hear from you, yes I thing the speed is about right, next bit is the hard bit, making the project work.

[@keithedwards2e0xsz56]

An axle coupling that Heath Robinson himself would be proud of Mike :)

[@mike-M0MSN]

Lol😂😂

[@anthonypeet474]

Looks the business work of art Mike

[@mike-M0MSN]

Cheers Tony :)

[@markramsay6399]

Very enjoyable watch Mike. Mark, 2E0MSR

[@mike-M0MSN]

Cheers Mark

[@W4TRI]

Thingy is being its usual crabby self. I'll check back later when the files are indexed. Thanks for sharing!

[@mike-M0MSN]

yep maybe tomorrow...

[@R2AUK]

Great project, many thanks for sharing! I wonder what are pros and cons of "figure 8" magnetic loops?

[@mike-M0MSN]

That’s one of the reasons for making it, it’s a lot of copper for a single band…

[@ianxfs]

Nice job Mike. It’s a beast! 😀

[@Anemalwozere]

OHwa learnt something today. possible by linking both stators I could increase the PF enough to drop it to 160mb band via a sol switch

[@Paddy_Roche]

Outstanding Mike, seriously good video. Can’t wait to see the rest.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Cheers Paddy

[@kitcartel9390]

Hi Mike , work of art what are you using to cut out the rotors and plates is it cnc or water jet I made I meter loop 10m-40m for my mchf got 7pf -111pf and cut the rotors and plates using 3018 cnc using RS design spark mechanical but even on the slowest speed your plates are smooth regards terry

[@mike-M0MSN]

They are cut by laser.. I need to purchase more

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Mike, Nice assembly. No doubt it will perform as expected. You and the family stay safe. 73 WJ3U

[@mike-M0MSN]

Hey Don, many thanks, same to you and yours.

[@mirko9a6kx32]

nice looking croissants Mike :) gr8 job

[@mike-M0MSN]

They tasted good too.

[@RC-Heli835]

This is the nicest capacitor yet Mike! I'm wanting to see an air capacitors effect on an oscilloscope but so far have only found fixed, sealed capacitors.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Well it pretty much the same, just you can vary the charge time and capacitance..

[@jest.s50si83]

An interesting project. But still a little too strong for me. How I wind the spool, maybe end fed this and that. Thanks Mike 73 Bostjan

[@M0JBM]

Top banana. Keep at Mike.

[@RechargeableLithium]

EX-TERM-MIN-ATE! Oh, wait - it's a capacitor. Missed a good opportunity, mate!

[@mike-M0MSN]

Lol

[@EveryUserName]

Maybe a little CA-PA-CI-TATE!

[@frederickwise5238]

Sitting here looking at this while company was visiting I thot to mention a right angle way of reducing motor speed. Guitar tuner gears. The ones I have for SW radio tuning are 14:1 and :"hey aint got NO backlash". LOLOL

[@mike-M0MSN]

Lol, great idea

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

Is there a reason for the butterfly style over a normal style capacitor vane shape? Also are the end caps printed in PLA as its hygroscopic with ight cause issues later?

[@mike-M0MSN]

Hi, yes it is PLA, but I’m not worried about longevity, most if not all of the antennas I build are experimental (two, three years of life) plus I am putting the capacitor inside a water tight container. I’m using the butterfly as I have more choice of connections and it is easier to build, the biggest reason is no moving electrical connection to the rotor.

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

@@mike-M0MSN Hi mike, I was thinking more about the posibility of the PLA absorbing water vaper and the impedance falling to where a high voltage might flash over. the reson why they used cermic plates. will be good to see how it performs .

[@mike-M0MSN]

@@TheEmbeddedHobbyist ah yes a very good point, fingers crossed

[@thomasmaughan4798]

The RF current in a loop of this kind can be very high, 20 amps or more. You don't want that kind of current crossing a "wiper" that contacts the rotor. So the rotor is electrically isolated and serves as a capacitive bridge between the two sets of stator plates. The current flows through the butterfly plates. It would be slightly better to feed the stator plates in the middle of the stack.

[@Nortesport]

That's cool Mike, I second the comment about upgrading your Ender mother board, I did mine & it's unreal pal. Oh & your wife either loves you too pieces or doesn't know you do this in the kitchen hahahahahahaha

[@mike-M0MSN]

Cheers

[@aliadnan4906]

I want to purchase this

[@32_bits]

Love your cap and loop building videos. Quick question, is a figure of 8 better than a double wound loop (where one loop turn is behind the other loop)?

[@mike-M0MSN]

Don't know that's why I'm building it. :)

[@waynedavies3185]

Nice loop. Might try building one later in the year. I do have a question to ask, have you ever tried putting a small active antenna near your receiving loop, and see if it draws in loads of stations? Seeing the Mag loop draws in stations, could not the active antenna not pick up those stations as well a lot cleaner, and clearer? Just a thought... Be interesting in finding out if reception to a SWR Receiver is far better. Should try it with a Coupling loop as well.

[@charlesshearer3591]

Mike, Question - you clearly have skills in CAD and use a 3D printer. Why is ityou didn't design and print a coupler for the motor / capacitor? I was going to print one in PETG - do you see an issue with this material ?

[@stewartrv]

Don't know if I'll ever get to make one myself, but is sure therapeutic watching you make it, and I imagine even more so for you doing it! Great work. Can you give us an approx cost for this in the end? I'm curious if it's a lot cheaper than the Russian variable vacuum capacitors? In any case I don't think that they have as much capacitance as you have here.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Yep will do, I will have a tot up and put it in the next video. 👍

[@stewartrv]

@@mike-M0MSN Thanks much appreciated!

[@stevenelmes8361]

Not capacitor related but a BTT sir e3 mini motherboard for your ender 3 will be the best £65 you will spend. Makes the printer silent. Anyway nice looking capacitor.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Thanks for the tip!

[@PortableRadio]

Nice! 👍

[@klintkrossa6885]

Hmmm? what would the capacitance be if is was in a vacuum? Cap the tube off and vac-pump out the air.

[@Kermode-qn1bf]

Fabulous Mike. I am looking to buy capacitor parts from Erhan. Did you use 1 or 1.5mm plates and 5 or 6mm spacers?

[@mike-M0MSN]

1mm plates 6mm spacers but next time 5mm spacers

[@wfwtheradioguy3414]

Outstanding work, Mike. That turned out really nice. Looking forward to seeing it in use.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Yes next step is the loop and how to mount it all.

[@mevlutkc]

bu kapasitoru. bir yag haznesine koyarsak. daha stabil ve dış ortam sıcaklığından korunurmu?

[@mike-M0MSN]

Evet, yağ güç kullanımını artıracak ve stabilize edecektir.

[@johnpeterson7264]

Very interesting - the capacitor is not at the “ends”of an open loop in fact the loop is uninterrupted ?

[@mike-M0MSN]

Yep, goes against reason!!!

[@PE1GVK]

Love it! 73's de PE1GVK .

[@mike-M0MSN]

Thank you

[@TA2WK-TR]

Cool

[@mike-M0MSN]

🍌🍌

[@k2icc]

What's the power handling of this one? Thanks.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Not sure, but around 400 Watts. 3mm air space between plates.

[@MegaCadr]

Sorry if I missed this, but do you have a video making the stators/rotors? You mention in the description that you made them. Cheers!

[@mike-M0MSN]

No sorry, they are laser cut, see Etsy.com

[@michaelm1keyhardy865]

Brilliant job has all ways! looks too complicated for me, don't know how you get away with doing these projects in the kitchen lol last time I did some soldering I had to buy a new cheese board. 73 Mike M1KEY M0FCG

[@mike-M0MSN]

lol

[@Anemalwozere]

I gone belt drive toothed type. where did you get the 160mm tubing from.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Ventilation duct from Amazon!!

[@fisch1968]

👍 DC6KA 73

[@mike-M0MSN]

👍👍

[@itsonlyme9938]

I very much admire your tuning cap. A few years ago using 18mm copper pipe I needed a way to making it round. I have a bycycle wheel clamped kit to a Black and decker work mate and using the wheel and bending the pipe around it to the desired shape I made to half sizes and joint them up to make the mag loop.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Great idea Thanks 👍

[@charlesshearer3591]

Very nice build!! I've built my loopwith 3/4" soft annealed copper pipe - soit was easy to get a good circular loop. I was going to use a stepper motor and Arduino / TMC 2209 driver with microstepper for fine tuning, but I do like the simplicity of what I assume is a d.c. motor you are using. Could you advise the model /source for this motor? With regard to the capacitor - What do you thong the rating would be with 5mm spacers / 1mm thick plates as opposed to your 6mm spacers ?

[@mike-M0MSN]

The motor was sourced on eBay and is simply a 3 turn per minute 12volt dc motor, I also use 5mm spacing with another Capacitor and it works fine, 150Watt. Thanks

[@mevlutkc]

heliax kablo ile magnetic loop 40-80 mt bir proje örneği varmı. tesekurler

[@mike-M0MSN]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioOalXuHZsuJndE

[@josephbustamante3984]

Top notch! Love your vids. Been working on homemade butterfly caps for a few months, and a couple of issues I'm running into are: 1. rotor nuts loosening up (arduino/stepper motor gives me counter-clockwise tuning) 2. Making a good (permanent) connection with the (rotating) rotor shaft.

[@mike-M0MSN]

Yep been there, lock nuts or serrated washers. Use a gear ⚙️ and the last one is still under test….

[@mevlutkc]

spacer nereden temin ettiniz?

[@mike-M0MSN]

Lütfen Etsy.com "snowistcorner" bölümüne bakın

[@ohyeawhosurpoppy]

No 3d printer, but cheap plastic cutting boards, jig/scroll saw a drill and tada, instant end plates. I am going to try my own but not quite so big, my radios only put out small bananas. 🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌

[@mike-M0MSN]

Cutting board great idea 💡

[@robertbobbitt8448]

should have printed a coller instead of that hose

[@Joe-KN4IFI]

WoW !! Look how big it is !! 😲🍌🍌

[@mike-M0MSN]

😲🍌🍌😲🍌🍌😲🍌🍌😲🍌🍌

[@mevlutkc]

videolarınızda altyazı icin türkçe secenek bizim icin güzel olurdu.

[@mike-M0MSN]

rahatsızlıktan dolayı özür dileriz

[@mevlutkc]

@@mike-M0MSN ben sisin lisanınızı bilmiyorum.😥.hata bende. ama. eger teknik arak sizi yormaz ise, multi altyazı guzrl olur. tesrkur ederim

[@W4TRI]

Rated for 100+ Bananas?!

[@mike-M0MSN]

lol. 4000 Volts plus 1 or 2 bananas 😲🍌🍌