Ira,
I'm curiously watching this message for any replies
you may get that will help you out. I made a similar
antenna (a 4' box), and I am getting similar results
that you are getting. It seems to work a little
better when I use my Terk loop between it and my
radio. I made sure I followed directions correctly,
and hooked up the capacitor the right way. I was
expecting a huge difference with this, but so far I am
not impressed. Hopefully some good tips/hints will
come in!
Mark Stalcup
Chandler, AZ
Sony ICF-SW55, Terk AM1000 Loop
--- "Ira Elbert New, III" <ien3@hotmail.com> wrote:
> and I am not very impressed. Here's the one I built
> from the DXer's
> Toolbox...
>
> First of all cut two pieces of 2 inch X 1 inch
> timber, each piece measuring
> 25 inches long. Half along each of these legs cut a
> piece out of the legs
> exactly the size of the other leg, so that the two
> legs can be screwed
> together in the form of an X. Then cut 4 pieces of
> timber 6 inches long,
> these are screwed on the end of each leg to form
> feet, the primary wire
> coil is also wound around these four feet.
>
> Firmly fix in place one end of the 120 foot length
> of wire to the centre of
> the frame, where the two legs cross, feed the wire
> to the end of one of the
> legs, and wind it around the four feet for 18
> turns, then feed the
> remaining wire back to the centre of the frame using
> the same leg as where
> the wire began, this is most important, both ends
> of the wire must go from
> the winding coil to the frame centre along the same
> leg. Affix a tuning
> capacitor salvaged from an old radio to the centre
> of the frame, where the
> two legs cross, using glue or whatever, I use two
> small nails hammered
> into the legs, so positioned to hold the tuning
> capacitor in place. Then
> cut the wire ends to make a neat connection to the
> tags on the tuning
> capacitor and solder the wires in place.
>
> I used the VC sent to me by Mike Stonebridge and
> used 20 Guage wire.
>
> I tried it last night after I finished it and while
> it does display a bit of
> direction, the signal leaves a lot to be desired.
> Even local stations were
> off by several dB's. I am going to go try it in the
> daytime in a few
> minutes, but I thought I would post this. Any
> suggestions?
>
> Ira Elbert New, III
> Watkinsville, Georgia
> "Proudly Serving You Since 1964!"
>