[Elecraft] MFJ-1788 Loop

[Thomas Beltran]

I just ordered the 40 -15 meter loop (it will be here on the 20th).  The
reviews looked surprisingly good (of course, if it looks too good to be
true, it probably is).  I've tried various indoor antennas (such as the
Buddipole), but I have +5 over 9 noise inside.  I've tried whips out the
window, but it didn't work well.  I built a 9' in diameter loop out of #6
copper wire, that I used inside with an SGC-231 tuner.  It tuned up well and
lowered the noise to about S1 - 3, but I was unable to make any contacts.
On SSB last weekend, I was able to copy DX stations on 20 meters, so I think
it wasn't that the loop was so attenuated that the noise just sounded lower.


So after reading the reviews, I bought the MFJ loop, and it is pricey.  I
live on the second floor of a two-story apartment, and I plan on mounting it
on the roof.  In fact, because other tenants have dishes up there, I am just
going to hire a dish installer to put it up to avoid any suspicion.  But
this is only possible because it looks similar to a dish, i.e., I'm not
buying it because I have some notion that I can compete with a SteppIr up
100 feet.   It is the only antenna that I have seen that could be mounted up
on the roof in the clear.   I'm going to try to use a rotator, but I don't
think I'll push it.  If I could put up a dipole or something better, I would
do so.    

Michael,  how do you have (or had) the loop installed?  I saw one ham who
had it sitting on a balcony, under a tarp and claimed that it worked great.
However, the date of the statement is important.  The good results might
have been at the sunspot peak.  

I'll report back when I get it set up.  Tom W6EIJ