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Author Topic: MLA-30 Loop antenna  (Read 22625 times)

Offline Jim Bee

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #15 on: November 09, 2019, 1458 UTC »
I sent my MLA-30 back because it could hardly receive any stations on medium wave

Matt285

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #16 on: November 09, 2019, 1836 UTC »
Thanks for the feedback. I haven't heard anything in regards to that portion of the spectrum.

Offline Josh

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #17 on: November 19, 2019, 1926 UTC »
Comparing Four Wideband Magnetic Loop Antennas on HF
Over on YouTube the Scanner and Sdr Radio channel has uploaded a video comparing four different brands of HF wideband loop antennas using an SDRplay RSPduo. The loops he tested include the cheap Chinese MLA-30 (~$40), the Cross Country Wireless (CCW) loop ($70), Bonito ML200 (~$442) and the Wellbrook 1530LN (~$305).
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/comparing-four-wideband-magnetic-loop-antennas-on-hf-with-an-sdrplay-rspduo/
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Offline Treehouse SWL

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #18 on: November 19, 2019, 2133 UTC »
Based on Jasmine's results not too far away from where I listen, and the fact that I've seen other overall good reviews of the antenna, I'm getting an MLA-30 as soon as we can move back into our regular house and I can settle in again at my usual listening post there.

I go in with the expectation that it probably won't perform as well as the expensive loops, but for a technically challenged DXer like me who can't easily build his own loop and who also has to feed three kids and pay a Seattle-area-sized mortgage, it seems worth a shot!
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Radios: Eton Elite Field, Sihuadon R-108, Eton Grundig Edition Satellit
Antennas: 60-foot-long end-fed wire, MLA-30+ loop

Offline Josh

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #19 on: November 20, 2019, 2352 UTC »
After watching the vid, pretty sure a MLA is going up. That is unless Smolinksi Heavy Industries rolls out a loop and has me alpha test it.
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Offline JimIO

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #20 on: November 21, 2019, 0335 UTC »
Found a place in NJ that sells them. Mine should be here by Dec 4.    8)

~

Matt285

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #21 on: November 23, 2019, 1641 UTC »
Awesome. I have to wait until Christmas for mine. Im looking forward to all the feedback on how the antenna can be improved, although with all the components being encased in epoxy it may be tough. I have complete faith in you guys though to come up with new ideas. Im also down for Chris to come out with a kit or finished product of a similar antenna. I have no doubt he could make it happen. Josh will be held accountable also of course.

Offline Josh

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #22 on: November 23, 2019, 2341 UTC »
Lol! Anyway it woulda been nice if the guy what made the vid tests coulda mentioned how long he made the loop replacing the stock MLA loop. I assume he made it identical to the rest to even the playing field.
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Matt285

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #23 on: November 24, 2019, 1431 UTC »
Assuming your talking about a Youtube video. Did you try leaving the question of measurement in the comments or possibly some type of direct message? If your able to. Provide a link for the particular video. Thanks

Offline Josh

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #24 on: November 25, 2019, 2149 UTC »
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRhDHHpLoaM&feature=emb_title

"Comparing the MLA-30, Cross Country wireless, Bonito ML200, and the Wellbrook 1530LN magnetic loops on HF the length of the wire used on the ccw, mla30 and the bonito is 5m and not the diameter of the loop which will be approx 1.6m"

" Les Norton G4JNW
1 week ago
Would have liked to have seen a comparison with a Wellbrook ALA-100 as thats meant for wire rather than the 1530LN is a fixed loop that way you could have tried the same length, the CCW is meant to have 3m wire too so a better comparison would have been 3m with all. Just a thought


Scanner and Sdr Radio
1 week ago
Hi Les I have had some time with all the loops and tried  different  lengths of wire for the loops 1m, 3m and 5m (wire length not the diameter of loop)  the results across the bands on hf were all similar whichever length of wire loop I used, the difference was that the longer the wire the better each loop performed at LF but the actual noise snr etc was pretty much identical as in the comparisons, as the video was already long I did not show the comparisons with the shorter lengths of wire as it did not show anything differant if it had it would of been included "
« Last Edit: November 25, 2019, 2151 UTC by Josh »
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Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #25 on: November 25, 2019, 2157 UTC »
After watching the vid, pretty sure a MLA is going up. That is unless Smolinksi Heavy Industries rolls out a loop and has me alpha test it.

Sorry... I'm too busy at the moment planning the installation of a 120 ft T2FD antenna.  :)

I did have an LZ1AQ amplifier on the crossed parallel loop for a while. I since removed the amp and found that many SDRs (AFE822x for example) have enough sensitivity that they can use the loop passively.  Maybe something people want to consider - build a large enough loop and you don't need an amp and all the associated problems that come along for the ride.  The crossed parallel loop is 2m x 2m, made of four 1m square loops. Quite directional on MW and LW, not on HF but then loops rarely are.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2019, 2210 UTC by ChrisSmolinski »
Chris Smolinski
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netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline Josh

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #26 on: November 25, 2019, 2226 UTC »
Is there s schematic of this crossed thingy you speak of?
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Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #27 on: November 25, 2019, 2229 UTC »
Is there s schematic of this crossed thingy you speak of?

There's a post right here in the Equipment forum, along with a link to my blog post with construction details.
Chris Smolinski
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netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Matt285

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #28 on: November 26, 2019, 1858 UTC »
I had posted on the equipment forum about an adapter for hooking up a MLA-30 to a standard portable receiver such as a PL-660,880, Grundig G5 etc. Josh posted a question about overloading this type of rig and it made me think. I have seen a few videos posted using the MLA-30 with these type of rig without a noticeable issue. Any thought?

Offline chanito

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Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna
« Reply #29 on: December 02, 2019, 1513 UTC »

Just got mine Friday. It's a $30 antenna. It is not something I would put outside unless inside a weatherproof enclosure. I tried it for a bit connected directly to a RSP1A to exclude the potential for USB power noise from the power injector. Hanging in a closet on the second floor, it picks up all the noise just like any other antenna indoors at this locale.



See comparison with Sigma 18' HF vertical and a $600 widebanded Belar LP-1A shielded amplified MW loop. Ignore the S meter as it is showing what the radio is actually tuned to, so we'll use the scale on the left as reference. Radio is the RSP1A with the AM/FM notch filter ON because of 1350kHz station about a mile away.


If you look at signal peaks, on MW you can see it is about 6dB down on local station 1350kHz, and about 11dB down at 7490kHz compared to the vertical, and to give a fair comparison on MW, only about 6dB down at 1350kHz from the commercial MW Belar loop located in the same room, both oriented E/W.


MLA-30
Vert
Belar
« Last Edit: December 02, 2019, 1520 UTC by chanito »
PCR-1000, PCR-1500, RSP1A, RSP1, VR-120D, HDT-1, Accurian HD, Royal 3000
Caras HF-315, Belar LP-1A, SuperAntenna MP-1, RatShack 20-043 discone, MLA-30, 100' wire

 

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