My unboxing and first test of the Tecsun AN-200 loop antenna for better AM reception

[@baneverything5580]

I wrapped 17 turns of aprox 24 AWG magnet wire (slightly spaced) on a 16 inch diameter cardboard pizza box and connected a 450 pf air variable tuning capacitor. I connected both sections of the capacitor with wires with clips on each end to make it easy. This homemade loop is far more powerful than the AN-200 which I also have. Tunes the American AM broadcast band 520 to 1700 khz.

[@jimratter5561]

Using computer ribbon cable is also a neat way to do it, staggering the joint to make a coil as big diameter as you like, providing various taps.

[@skinnyblinddude]

I’m wondering if you have tried another TECSUN AN-200. It sounds to me like the one in this video is not functioning well. Along with the scratchiness when adjusting its tuning capacitor, which should not be there, its gain sounds quite weak.

[@swlistening]

Thanks for your comment. Since this video I have used the AN-200 much more on many different radios and it actually works wonderfully well. There are some newer videos on my channel where I used the AN-200 with my Qodosen DX-286 and I picked up stations from Europe, the Middle East, North Africa... I have a feeling the day I made this specific video conditions were just not good.

[@johanleroux179]

Thank you for a very useful introduction. Two requests, (1) when you pair the antenna with the XHDATA D-808, can you please show the effect of the antenna as reflected on the Signal to Noise indicator, and (2) can you please share the medium wave chat group(s) that you referred to? Thanks for the home-grown content.

[@swlistening]

Hi Johan, sure, I will do this when I make my full review video of the antenna. Some of the groups I have joined are the Ultralight DXing group, here: ultralightdx.groups.io/g/main, as well as the World of Radio group, here: groups.io/g/WOR and the Reddit shortwave group, here: www.reddit.com/r/shortwave/ The World of Radio group is very strong on MW DXing, but most members seem to be based in Europe or the US. They also have a great website with lots of resources, here: www.worldofradio.com/

[@johanleroux179]

@@swlistening Thank you. You may find this translated manual useful:

[@spanners73]

Nice review, looking forward to trying the AN-200 I have on order 😀

[@swlistening]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@jimratter5561]

I have the same loop and it seems to have a more definite peak than yours and no crackling. Maybe you have a fault?

[@swlistening]

I have been using the loop extensively since this first unboxing and it actually works really well, it has helped me catch very distant signals. I don't know, maybe during this first quick test it was the surrounding thunderstorms that caused the crackling.

[@danvitale923]

If you have a good radio and you are in the right place to listen, the antenna does not make differences (at least from my side)

[@swlistening]

I agree with you, to an extent. On my XHDATA D-808, for example, the difference is usually small. But where I do see a major difference, even on the good radios, is with weak signals. I have picked up several very distant signals, from Europe, 5000 miles from me, thanks to the antenna. It helps a lot with weak or very distant signals.

[@anupamkar8813]

I frequently hear an swahili radio in india during night in SW. As i dont have digital radio so cannot say the frequency. Can u say from whre its transmitted?

[@swlistening]

This could be China Radio International. They have a Sawhili broadcast. I think Deutsche Welle also.

[@anupamkar8813]

@@swlistening where is DW transmitted from?

[@swlistening]

@@anupamkar8813 I looked this up just to check, Deutsche Welle actually does not transmit in Swahili, but they do transmit in Hausa. I have heard their Hausa broadcasts often. The stations that do transmit in Swahili are Vatican Radio Radio France International, VOA and Iran Radio. But by far the most Swahili broadcasts are from China Radio International. Anyway, to answer your question about DW. They use the transmitters at Issoudun in France.

[@anupamkar8813]

@@swlistening thanks for your information.

[@swlistening]

@@anupamkar8813 I just picked up All India Radio in Swahili! On 15030 kHz, 13:00 UTC.

[@Albert-zl3zd]

about this loop antenna, on medium wave you have to tune with the tuning knob on the loop antenna. greetings Albert the Netherlands 📻🇳🇱

[@swlistening]

Thank you! I have been practicing more and I have had some success! Just uploaded a new video today comparing some receivers with and without the antenna.

[@oz_dx]

It really helps. But it seems like your loop has some tuning problems. Too much crackling when you try tune it on exact frequency and no visible results.

[@swlistening]

I do get some good results on some weaker signals, I think the effect is much smaller on strong signals. We have many thunderstorms here now, it is rainy season, perhaps that is the reason for the crackling? I'll keep testing it.

[@jimrudolph1582]

Antennas! Man these waves are harder to catch than the ones you need a big floating board for. Now I can for the most part understand the basic principles of waves and forms and electron theory have read all of sparky neutrons books but! Always a but. I just like listening to the radio, rolling through the am dial as a young individual was so fascinating, how can this be? Hundreds of miles even more. Fade in and out etc. Then finding these little waves and holy cow! The whole world. Now I have to take my globe when I hide in the closet in the middle of the night..(now he said Singapore? Ok where is that?) well you get my drift. I just need someone to tell me what I should attach to the wire hanging out of the radio labeled antenna and a screw marked ground. My receiver is a has three frequency choices,little, medium and broadcast. It is a 1936 Westinghouse Canada unit. What should I use for an antenna?

[@swlistening]

Thank you for your comment! Unfortunately I don't know the radio that you are talking about, but maybe you can just attach a longer piece of wire to that little wire hanging out there? I am just guessing though.

[@skynet8574]

What about shortwave. You showed all am stations

[@swlistening]

This antenna is only for AM, it does not work on SW. For shortwave you can try the XHDATA AN-80 wire antenna, I have one and it works quite well. I still plan to demonstrate that one some time.

[@harryholden9045]

You shouldn't be getting the scratchiness when you tune the loop. Bad variable capacitor

[@swlistening]

Thanks Harry, yes, that scratchiness was quite noticeable when I first used the loop, but since then it has disappeared. I don't know what caused it, but I have been using my loop often since this first unboxing and I do not hear the scratchiness anymore, thankfully!

[@matealdi]

On the video, you never connected the antenna to the radio. That's a nono. A passive antenna means it doesn't require a power amplifier. You still have to physically connect it to the external antenna input or, at a minimum, connect the center pin to the belt in the telescopic antenna of the radio. What you witnessed was a reduction of interference only but no increase of signal strength. Lol😂

[@swlistening]

Hi Mateo, thank you for your comment! However, this is a passive antenna, which means it couples passively with the internal ferrite antenna on radios that do not have dedicated MW antenna sockets. No physical connection is required. So, as I did here, what you need to do is place the antenna near the radio and move it around until you find the best coupling position and the best signal. On radios with dedicated MW antenna sockets, like the Qodosen SR-286, you can plug it in. You can see me doing that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jICkh595oMeihbc There is a manual from Tecsun about the AN-200 here, where they also explain this: www.servicedocs.com/zoek/download.asp?key=21352

[@matealdi]

@swlistening thank you. That night, I saw more videos, and they did the same thing you did, and I realized I don't fully understand the physics behind it. I imagine electromagnetic waves through the air passing through the antennas... but somehow, the loop enhances the signal picked up by the internal antenna!? How is this possible if the electromagnetic waves through the air passing through both antennas remain unchanged? How is the loop modifying the signal before it's picked up by the radio's internal antenna? This is the stuff that makes ham radio fascinating 👌.

[@swlistening]

@@matealdi Hi Mateo, I don't understand how it works either. But it works 🙂 Indeed a fascinating hobby!

[@DCDura]

I have this Loop and have successfully used it to listen to New York City area stations from the Caribbean. You must make sure you are inductively coupling to the radio's ferrite antenna properly. This is a very good video on the antenna and it's use: kzbin.info/www/bejne/joSQqIlveLB8gLs

[@swlistening]

Thank you Dennis, and thank you for the link. I agree that this loop does really work. I have been using and testing it for a while now and I have been able to pick up some very distant stations, even from Europe, about 5000 miles from me. Here is one, from Hungary: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHeTpYKNgZaprac