Flat Spiral Loop VS Box Loop
Flat Spiral Loop VS Box Loop
I am going to build a couple of PVC loop antennas to listen to some HF and MF when we have the RV out next season. I have been researching designs and was wondering which is better a flat spiral loop antenna or the box style wrapped loop antenna. I have seen plans for both but no discussion of which performs better or the differences in the way they act if any. I did see where I can jumper out sections of a box design to change band range but then again as cheap as they are to make I could just make a couple different sizes of flat spiral loop.
Re: Flat Spiral Loop VS Box Loop
Im am not familiar with your description flat spiral loop antenna or the box style wrapped loop antenna, can you explain them or lik to them?
Do you intend to tune the antenna with a capacitor or not?
Which frequency range do you want to cover with a single antenna? Only active antennas would cover MF and SW.
A single magnetic loop antenna is directional like a dipole, as discussed here in detail before, can give you about 2 octaves in bandwidth, e.g. you can use it between 10m to 40 m. However you have to switch capacitors to achive an octave of bandwidth since the available variable range and min. capacity limits the tuning range.
For MF or lower I would use a ferrite antenna out of an portble AM radio, since winding a flat antenna with fine threaded wire is work intensive but can be done too.
Do you intend to tune the antenna with a capacitor or not?
Which frequency range do you want to cover with a single antenna? Only active antennas would cover MF and SW.
A single magnetic loop antenna is directional like a dipole, as discussed here in detail before, can give you about 2 octaves in bandwidth, e.g. you can use it between 10m to 40 m. However you have to switch capacitors to achive an octave of bandwidth since the available variable range and min. capacity limits the tuning range.
For MF or lower I would use a ferrite antenna out of an portble AM radio, since winding a flat antenna with fine threaded wire is work intensive but can be done too.