[Lowfer] How the heck does Ralph receive so well ??

[jrusgrove at comcast.net]

Zack

A few questions so I can better understand your setup...

Did you build the W1TAG loop resonator box as shown with the same ferrite coupling transformer?

How is the shielded #22 connected at the antenna? 

How is the shielded #22 connected in the shack?

What transistor did you use in the preamplifier?  Transistor manufacturer?

Where is the preamplifier located?

Jay


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Zack Widup" <w9sz.zack at gmail.com>
To: "Discussion of the Lowfer (US, European,& UK) and MedFer bands" <lowfer at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 12:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Lowfer] How the heck does Ralph receive so well ??


> After playing with my loop for several weeks, I'm kind of disappointed in
> it. I'm not sure what the trouble is.
> 
> My loop is 20 turns of #18 stranded insulated wire on a pvc "X" and the loop
> is 5 ft square. The turns are spaced 0.75 inches. My tuner is the W1TAG
> remote relay-switched capacitor tuner and my preamp is the W1VD preamp in
> the shack.
> 
> The line to the shack is a 50 foot length of shielded pair of #22 stranded
> insulated wire (not twisted). The eight capacitor relays are switched with a
> length of CAT-5 cable and the shield on the other cable acts as the ground
> for the relay switching voltages.
> 
> I can find the definite peaks in the signals by switching the capacitors but
> my received signals from the loop are not very strong on my TS-850SAT. My
> 40-meter full-wave vertical loop (12 ft vertical and 58 ft horizontal
> dimensions) actually receives far better signals without a preamp than the
> LF loop with the W1VD preamp. This is across the whole frequency range of
> about 100 kHz to 500 kHz.
> 
> Maybe I need a preamp with more gain? Any other suggestions? Noise hasn't
> been a problem for me. I am also thinking of building an e-probe. But I
> expected more out of this loop antenna.
> 
> 73, Zack W9SZ
> 
> 
> On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 9:25 PM, Andy - KU4XR <ku4xr at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>> Is it the E-Probe ? or maybe the HP SLM ? location ?
>> He consistently picks up the same stations over and over,
>> including " MP " over 1200 miles, from sunset to sunrise.
>> Unbelievable reception capabilities. I can look all night
>> using any antenna combination I have and never see a hint
>> of a signal. But I do think that my location is very noisy.
>> My signal meter right now at 0317 UTC is showing an S-4
>> with both 500 Hz filters engaged on CW receive. I can switch
>> to A.M. and the meter reads S-9+10. the lowest I've ever saw
>> my S-Meter is about an S 2-1/2....  May need to start looking
>> into building a loop, and maybe even a noise canceler.
>> Good DX-ing everybody ;
>>
>> 73 :::
>>
>>
>>
>> Andy - KU4XR - EM75xr - Friendsville, TN.
>> LOWfer Beacon " XR " @ 185.29866 KHz ( QRSS-60 )
>> Coordinates:  N:  35* 43' 54" - W:  84* 3' 16"
>> http://www.myspace.com/beaconxr
>> http://webpages.charter.net/ku4xr/
>>
>>
>>
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