16
Equipment / Re: LOG Not Performing Well
« on: September 15, 2021, 1956 UTC »
... turned it around at the antenna feedpoint. Not sure what you mean.
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Dumb question ... how do I determine if noise is *actual* common-mode noise?
I am in North Georgia, the ground is red clay, very hard and compacted.
Chris, I have a large amount of CAT 5 cable. Please explain 'with all the conductors wired in parallel', meaning, all pairs connected together?
Chris, I am using a Yeasu FT-950.
RobRich, I also have the Balun One Nine (1:9) and a Palomar Engineers Bullet 9LF (9:1) UNUN. Would either of these two be suitable? Your 148' LoG, how did you arrive at 148 feet, trial and error or planned?
~SIGINT~, the wire is jacketed. I will replace the wire. I had no idea that cross-connect wire wasn't suitable for antennas.
Did grounding help with the mini whip?
Have a link, I searched but didn't find 'Wayne Green Lazy Loop' results.
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17
Equipment / Re: LOG Not Performing Well
« on: September 14, 2021, 1534 UTC »Start with a basic RF choke if you have *actual* common-mode noise.
Dumb question ... how do I determine if noise is *actual* common-mode noise?
18
Equipment / Re: LOG Not Performing Well
« on: September 14, 2021, 1531 UTC »
I swapped the DXE Beverage transformer with the Nooelec Balun One Nine, connecting both wires to the Nooelec using the same thing cross connect wire. The change in transformer didn't seem to do much but I am having good results with the 60 foot LOG now.
It is less noisy than the Pixel and PA0RDT mini whip (both amplified) and is working surprisingly well. Perhaps there was something else going on on day 1 testing, but it is working now and in some respects, on par with the Pixel and Mini Whip. Time of day or other conditions must have had an influence.
The 60 foot diameter does nothing for NDB hunting < BC AM, it is completely dead there. Last night for example, I could pickup WWVB @ 60 kHz on the Mini (strongest) and Pixel (weakest) but not on the LOG. 60 feet may be too small. I am by no means an antenna expert, I dabble with antennas and only understand the basics.
I would like a LOG that is capable of pulling in signals < BC AM and would like know a suitable size to get there.
It is less noisy than the Pixel and PA0RDT mini whip (both amplified) and is working surprisingly well. Perhaps there was something else going on on day 1 testing, but it is working now and in some respects, on par with the Pixel and Mini Whip. Time of day or other conditions must have had an influence.
The 60 foot diameter does nothing for NDB hunting < BC AM, it is completely dead there. Last night for example, I could pickup WWVB @ 60 kHz on the Mini (strongest) and Pixel (weakest) but not on the LOG. 60 feet may be too small. I am by no means an antenna expert, I dabble with antennas and only understand the basics.
I would like a LOG that is capable of pulling in signals < BC AM and would like know a suitable size to get there.
19
Equipment / Re: LOG Not Performing Well
« on: September 12, 2021, 1416 UTC »Yet another consideration is your soil conductivity
I am in North Georgia, the ground is red clay, very hard and compacted.
20
Equipment / Re: LOG Not Performing Well
« on: September 12, 2021, 1356 UTC »I used unshielded CAT 5 (or was it CAT 6?) for my 1000 ft LoG, with all the conductors wired in parallel, seems to work fine as well. Granted, it's a *large* antenna, so that helps.
Chris, I have a large amount of CAT 5 cable. Please explain 'with all the conductors wired in parallel', meaning, all pairs connected together?
21
Equipment / Re: LOG Not Performing Well
« on: September 09, 2021, 1417 UTC »What receiver are you using?
Chris, I am using a Yeasu FT-950.
RobRich, I also have the Balun One Nine (1:9) and a Palomar Engineers Bullet 9LF (9:1) UNUN. Would either of these two be suitable? Your 148' LoG, how did you arrive at 148 feet, trial and error or planned?
~SIGINT~, the wire is jacketed. I will replace the wire. I had no idea that cross-connect wire wasn't suitable for antennas.
22
Equipment / Re: LOG Not Performing Well
« on: September 08, 2021, 1255 UTC »
~SIGINT~, thanks for the feedback. I wasn't aware that the small gauge wire could be the culprit. Interesting.
This is 60 feet. Is it enough to materially affect the signal?
What surprised me was the day/night testing. During the AM testing, the bands were quiet on the LOG but active on the Pixel. I commonly listen between 7-9 AM ET and get a lot of APAC stations. It was as if the LOG wasn't connected, it was so quiet.
The evening however was a different story. The same stations received on 160/80/40m by the Pixel were also received by the LOG. Albeit not as loud, the same stations were present, including Israeli CW @ 4133 Khz.
Day or Night, the LOG at 60 feet is dead to NDBs below the Broadcast AM band. The Pixel does a so-so job < 500 Khz and I can tune a NDB @ 415 Khz. The log received nothing.
This is 60 feet. Is it enough to materially affect the signal?
What surprised me was the day/night testing. During the AM testing, the bands were quiet on the LOG but active on the Pixel. I commonly listen between 7-9 AM ET and get a lot of APAC stations. It was as if the LOG wasn't connected, it was so quiet.
The evening however was a different story. The same stations received on 160/80/40m by the Pixel were also received by the LOG. Albeit not as loud, the same stations were present, including Israeli CW @ 4133 Khz.
Day or Night, the LOG at 60 feet is dead to NDBs below the Broadcast AM band. The Pixel does a so-so job < 500 Khz and I can tune a NDB @ 415 Khz. The log received nothing.
24
Equipment / Re: LOG Not Performing Well
« on: September 07, 2021, 2353 UTC »
Interesting, at night, the LOG is different. I am picking up Israel 4XZ @ 4133 Khz with the LOG and Pixel. Also found conversations @ 160 and 80 meters. Not sure why day/night makes a difference.
25
Equipment / LOG Not Performing Well
« on: September 07, 2021, 1447 UTC »
I built a 60 foot LOG yesterday using a DX Engineering BFS-1 at the feed point. The wire is solid core thin telephone cross-connect wire.
The LOG is very quiet and barely picks up distant signals. Compared to my Pixel 1B mag loop, this thing is practically dead.
I have watched numerous videos and read a lot about the LOG and mine is not as effective as others. This LOG is deaf on160 and 80 meters.
Any suggestions on what to do?
The LOG is very quiet and barely picks up distant signals. Compared to my Pixel 1B mag loop, this thing is practically dead.
I have watched numerous videos and read a lot about the LOG and mine is not as effective as others. This LOG is deaf on160 and 80 meters.
Any suggestions on what to do?
26
Equipment / Re: Best MWDX antenna?
« on: August 24, 2021, 1917 UTC »Now grounded to the top of the mast, too. Did the same thing I did at the bottom of the mast. o
Did grounding help with the mini whip?
27
Equipment / Re: Long Wire RX Antenna - How Long is Too Long?
« on: August 24, 2021, 1443 UTC »
I ran tests last night and this morning and have to say, I am surprised that the 500 foot wire and Pixel 1B were nearly identical. The antennas are connected to a Palomar 4 port switch box.
Yaesu FT-950 > RSP2 (panadapter) > HDSDR with auto-gain disabled to keep settings constant between both antennas.
Tuning from LW through HF, both were comparable in signal strength (audibly/visually in HDSR). The Pixel at some frequencies was a slightly better or worse than the wire. This I attribute to the position of the loop being static and nulling some/improving some.
At LW, I can routinely pickup a NDB @ 415 khz. It was slightly better with the Pixel.
I thought the 500 foot wire would outperform the Pixel. It did not ... and I would like to know why.
How can a 4 foot loop, 4 feet off the ground, perform as well as 500 feet of copper 14 feet off the ground?
Yaesu FT-950 > RSP2 (panadapter) > HDSDR with auto-gain disabled to keep settings constant between both antennas.
Tuning from LW through HF, both were comparable in signal strength (audibly/visually in HDSR). The Pixel at some frequencies was a slightly better or worse than the wire. This I attribute to the position of the loop being static and nulling some/improving some.
At LW, I can routinely pickup a NDB @ 415 khz. It was slightly better with the Pixel.
I thought the 500 foot wire would outperform the Pixel. It did not ... and I would like to know why.
How can a 4 foot loop, 4 feet off the ground, perform as well as 500 feet of copper 14 feet off the ground?
28
Equipment / Long Wire RX Antenna - How Long is Too Long?
« on: August 23, 2021, 1926 UTC »
Is there a point of diminishing return when it comes to the length of a long wire RX antenna?
In other words, does doubling the length provide measurable benefits?
I ran a 500 foot spool of 14 gauge wire through the woods this weekend. Run through screw-on insulators at a height of 14 foot. 500 foot is a long run, I underestimated just how long it would be.
So ... will this 500 foot long wire 'capture' more signal say a 250 or 100 footer?
In other words, does doubling the length provide measurable benefits?
I ran a 500 foot spool of 14 gauge wire through the woods this weekend. Run through screw-on insulators at a height of 14 foot. 500 foot is a long run, I underestimated just how long it would be.
So ... will this 500 foot long wire 'capture' more signal say a 250 or 100 footer?
29
Equipment / Random Wire or Large Loop and Height?
« on: August 12, 2021, 1441 UTC »
I have the space to run a random wire (+500 foot) and would like advice whether the same length configured as a loop would provide benefits?
Does the same length of wire configured as a loop provide any value vs. running the wire in (semi) straight line?
Also, I can easily add ceramic insulators to my trees at a height of 15-20 feet. Higher than that will be problematic.
Does a height of 15 feet vs. 30 feet provide a perceivable impact?
Does the same length of wire configured as a loop provide any value vs. running the wire in (semi) straight line?
Also, I can easily add ceramic insulators to my trees at a height of 15-20 feet. Higher than that will be problematic.
Does a height of 15 feet vs. 30 feet provide a perceivable impact?
30
Equipment / Re: Loop or Longwire?
« on: April 04, 2020, 1342 UTC »f you can get it to match at 15 ft. you're into Wayne Green of "'73 Mag's" Lazy Loop territory. It's a single loop of wire that works from the upper part of the commercial AM radio band to the top of 20 meters.
Have a link, I searched but didn't find 'Wayne Green Lazy Loop' results.
