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G4HPE
United Kingdom
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 24 ก.ค. 2023
Thank you for calling by! I'm Steve G4HPE, and from time to time I make videos about amateur radio equipment and related matters. I'm not sponsored by any manufacturer or retailer, and the opinions expressed are mine alone. Opinions vary, E&OE etc! I hope you find these videos informative.
Volvo radio frequency interference
When out operating HF mobile, I noticed that certain models of Volvo trucks and some high-end Volvo SUVs were radiating significant amounts of radio frequency interference. Many other operators are noticing this. This video demonstrates the interference as I drive past a Volvo truck.
มุมมอง: 227
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MFJ 1026 demo
มุมมอง 4.7Kปีที่แล้ว
The MFJ-1026 is a radio frequency noise cancellation device. Your main station antenna passes through the device, and it also has an auxiliary 'noise' antenna input. The noise antenna is deliberately sited to pick up the man-made noise from nearby sources. By careful adjustments it is possible to phase out at least some of the noise element, leaving the wanted signal which then passes to the ra...
Falklands invasion contact reconstructed
มุมมอง 471ปีที่แล้ว
On 2nd April 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. One of the first ways that the UK found out about this was through a chance amateur radio contact between Bob VP8LP (in the Falklands) and Laurie G3UML who was operating the BBC amateur radio station in London. Exactly forty years on, on 2nd April 2022 in the BBC's centenary year, the BBC Amateur Radio Group used the special callsign GB...
Ciro Mazzoni Baby Loop
มุมมอง 31Kปีที่แล้ว
This video takes you through the unpacking, installation and on-air comparative testing of the Ciro Mazzoni Baby Loop antenna.
I appreciate the time you took to make this video. I know you have the very best intentions. I have looked at this item and it is costly. It's expensive. 'In my opinion' it isn't worth it. I understand you could now hear people speaking because of the drop in noise. But, you won't be able to communicate with them because, no doubt, they have approximately as much noise as you. 'In my opinion', for the $400 CDN this is going to cost me, this is not worth it, at all. Turning down your receive gain will get you further because, at very least, you'll be able to communicate with the person you're hearing.
Hello. Does it give good results ?
Thank you very much for this presentation! I am contemplating the same antenna. But I'm also contemplating the DX commander vertical antenna. So a critical question I would have from you - is if you had a choice between the loop antenna and a DX commander vertical - which one would you choose - and why? Sincere thanks!!!
Great video! Thanks for sharing this information and "73" to you.
I do wonder about using a conductive mounting… surely this affects the loop? Would an insulated mounting make any difference. ?
Can we have an update on the loop please?
I've got to say a massive thank you for doing this video. It's the best Baby loop video out there and it's so informative. Over the next few days I'll be setting my own baby loop up so I'm sure I will watch this video several more times I suspect🙂
Dear Steve, 28:32 Have you tried swapping the wire connections to the SO 239 socket that came attached on the baby loop, may be manufacturer soldered it crosswired at the factory?...that my guess. 73 VU3FXD
Best demo video I've found so far! Thanks for your effort 👍
very nice video thank you 73, OG4U
Hello from Switzerland, congratulations on an excellent presentation, I just had to watch this twice. I am located in a situation that cries out for a Baby Loop; small plot, potentially dangerous neighbors ! I am almost convinced that this is for me but may I ask about your findings since this video was made 10 months ago ? Grateful to you. Kind regards, John HB9IMG
A friend of mine built a 10 to 20 Meter Loop which worked great on all five bands, it too had a very high Q, guess it's the nature of the Propagation Beast...However! The Tunable 20 to 150 Picofarad clamped plate capacitor could only handle 30 watts anything over that it was just a conductor....Thank you very much for this presentation. Well done 73's KC3ZDW
Nice garden big enough for a array of antennas
Steve, at 5:20 min you are talking about the height the antenna should be above the ground. As an absolute newbie, I would like to know if this antenna is supposed to be mount more or less close to the ground (like in your garden), or if it is also OK to mount higher up, like for example on the fence of a balcony ~10 above the ground.
Absolutely excellent video, thank you. What is the performance like on TX? (Compared with your other HF antenna?).
Can I ask you, how much is the real life SWR 1:2 bandwidth ?
Do you need a second antenna to use this device? If so, how serious does the second antenna need to be?
is the pole steel or aluminium ?
Well done Steve, a very detailed demo with some very good tips. I have a baby loop and a midi loop here. I did some trial tests on the baby loop over a 2 week period and was happy with the results. I used the keypad to alter frequencies and found the forward and reverse directions to be very similar in signal strength. I did some tests on the 40m band on our local radio club net and found the baby loop to be omnidirectional and and rotating the loop had very little effect. I assume that was because the radio club boys were within 40 Km of my location so I guess that means the 40m band NVIS propagation is omnidirectional and DX propagation or more directional. I added Fair-Rite mix 31 suppression torroids on all cables - the coax, the rotator cables and the DC motor cables. Those ferrites were added at both ends of each cable to ensure they were all adequately choked. I'm using the same rotor as you and I would be delighted if it would rotate at double the speed to get to the target direction quicker. Thanks again, 73, Jamie VK2YCJ
An interesting experiment... What do you actually mean that the loop is more effective than a normal dipole?
Excellent video.
How can I say... Just perfect. The one of the best presentations I've ever seen on YT. Full of clear, straightforward, useful information. No empty chit-chat on a negligible topic. Very well done! Congratulations! 73 de HA5CST
Blimey. Over complicated. Just simple things suits me as now I am an old guy with my memory isn't good. George
I didn’t think people still said things like blimey, I wish we could sit for a coffee somewhere as you sound damn interesting. Take care of yourself sir, safe travels.
This was a great video! How are you finding the loop?
What a wonderful review. Thanks. One question: When using the scope on the Icom in a wider view (like 250Khz or 500Khz), are you able to receive the whole spectrum, or is the filter so tight that you can't see adjacent stations on the scope?
Thanks for the video, very intteresting. I wish I could have one. I can only dream. M0AYO
Hello Steve, this is by far the best video about this baby loop. Although extremely clean English is spoken. I didn't fully understand a small point because I speak German. If the antenna is in fully automatic mode and I scan the frequency for stations on the Icom with the VFO, the tuning of the antenna is also fully automatic, did I understand that correctly? Sorry if I'm asking such a stupid question?😢
Piss Poor welding on the Aluminum at the price those sell for.
Its 6060 aluminum TIG welded. Should hold together though. My example was done a bit better.
They should at least try and heat the aluminum before welding, cold weld. I'm not much of a welder myself but have a welder and understand what it takes to weld aluminum. There's AC polorazition shift/bias offset settings to clean as you weld. Shouldn't look loke that at those prices. They'll probably improve over time.@@jasonpalmer5437
If you have a scope in your rig, and a "tuner tuner" (palomar 340) you can tune a magnetic loop dead on freq, huge null on the scope. I've done it. @@jasonpalmer5437
I checked the coaxial connection with volt meter on the baby loop It shows a direct short between center pin to screw connected is this normal for the loop.
@@williamjohnston8775 Test the coax first un-connected from the antenna to eliminate any doubt. Then check again connected, it is likely normal. Remember "Radio Frequency" is Alternating Current so there is no reason to have an open circuit in the driven portion of the loop. I'd need to have a hands on understanding of the antenna to speculate any further. "73"
hardly to hear any difference. not worth any single penny
And I have watched many video's about it, because that things are expensive, but for me it is worth every penny, because else I can't listen hf, when all neighbours are awake with all their tv's and power supplies :), really
@@sanderverweij Yeah, but the people speaking at the other end have -presumably- just as much noise as you. Therefore, you will not be able to communicate with them. Therefore, it is a complete waste of money.
Good Grief! Just about all aspect of this unit and it's installation must baffle and scare the daylights out of beginner hams!
Hi Steve. I was parked in a layby activating a bunker the other day and noticed a similar noise. I had activated from that layby before with no issue, but this time I had S7 noise across all of 40m. The only difference was that there was an Artic right behind me. I moved a bit further along the layby and the noise decreased. The noise disappeared when the truck left the layby. I didn't think to check the make of the artic, but Rob G7RFO suggested it could have been a Volvo and pointed me in direction of this video. Many Thanks G8XDD/P
Buenas 73s desde Canarias que tal funciona la antena loop magnetica
Great video with a good explanation of how the antenna works and performers good luck and enjoy.. thanks George MW0SWR .
And when it's freezing or snowing... What's happend ?
right, I would really love to know the answer to this because I live in Maine and with the amount of snow we get I feel like I would have to build a small shed over the antenna.
Does the loop tuner have memories so it can recall them quickly or does it retune each time?
Thank you for the excellent video on the Ciro Mazzini Baby Loop.
Great video Steve. Lots of great information well explained. I'd be interested to know how you weather sealed the side of the terminal box where the cable tie attached.
Hi Steve, I never thought I'd be watching a QRM car chase in the morning. Great stuff. Can you tell me what frequency you were monitoring? As we just took delivery of a Volvo ;-)
Hm! Petty the gamma is heavily welded , trimming that would put you SWR in place. I dont know if that paste is good or bad , I would put it together fluss, and then protect it from outside with silicone grease , and then service it from time to time. How is the loop reacting to heavy rain and snow with the non protected capacitor? How are the "nills" in and out of the plane? and are they also offset like the beam heading? Would be nice if the loop was offered as a raw loop , and then you could put together your own controller , eg arduino Just a thought, Tnx es gl
The capacitors is just fins of alum in air space... I could see water or snow changing values as it would take up space but pretty hard to harm the ant.
Good day Steve, thanks for the nice review. Due to the high Q of the antenna, I tend to tune the frequency of the antenna 1 kHz higher than the radio, when I'm in USB and tune the antenna 1 kHz lower when I use LSB. (I have the MIDI-Loop). I noticed that this gets my reading of the SWR exactly the same on the Loop-tuner and my TRX. On the part of issues with the tuning box of the loop, I recently got many times the fault: "Motor fail - no load". Initially, I checked all connections on the tuner, on my radio and on the antenna itself. I found some moist inside the tuning motor cable connection box, at the base of the antenna. It also partially corroded the wires of the connections there. I ended up getting rid of the terminal blocks there and soldered the wires together of the incoming and outgoing side of the RF choke that is housed inside that box. But it didn't solve the issue with getting "Motor fail - no load". Only after I swapped the + and - connection of the tuning motor, on the side of the "tiny little" plug that goes into the back of the tuning unit, it was solved. To this day (3 months later) the fault hasn't returned and I can enjoy the antenna again. 73 from Holland de PC7H - Roy
Hello Steve, as mentioned by many other enthusiasts you have made indeed a very comprehensive and informative video. Well done! I am a former user of the babyloop antenna and I used it intensely for many years with success. Later on I sold it to a very good friend of mine which I regret till this day. However it is my intention to buy the loop again since this is the most ideal antenna in my space limited situation. The most remarkable fact of your findings was, at least for me, that the babyloop in your situation was more sensitive for DX signals in the opposite direction in comparison what is explained in the antenna instruction manual, i.e. not in the direction of the gamma match but the other side. At the time I used the babyloop I was not aware of this property or behaviour I simply followed the instructions give by Cirro Mazzoni. I would like to you see, and with me many other radio amateurs I presume, If this also is also the case on your transmissions. Could you do some other experiments for us and share these with us? I would recommend you to make use of the Reverse Beacon Network or RBN for short. You do not need any additional equipment connected to your transceiver. You just use your computer to monitor your results. You only have to give CQ in { CW / RTTY / PSK31 or PSK63 } on a certain frequency repeatedly by sending the following sentence "TEST de G4HPE TEST". Make it last for a few minutes or so and observe your results on the RBN main page. Turn the babyloop in exactly the opposite direction and repeat the same procedure again. I am looking forward to you reaction ( and your findings of course! ) Sincerely Erwin, best 73 de PA3FCB
Terrific demonstration and thorough. Your installation is working very well and I'm surprised given the size of the loop. Unfortunately, for this level of performance, the price is high.
This video has the best illustration on the importance on how to ensure approximating the input levels between the signal to noise antennas. So many MFJ-1026 owners over the years didn't know about this fact and ended up saying things like this was a piece of junk, and etc. Most of them do not know the tuning process but starting by wildly spinning their knobs in search for a null. Little that they know that would not have worked. 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for sharing Steve, very interesting video.
What a wonderful and most enjoyable presentation. Thank you for taking the time to document and film your work. Subscribed… HI HI
Interesting. I wonder if this is Volvo covertly phoning home, or maybe a future self-driving vehicle comm system that is being field tested unbeknownst to the owner.
It’s always a pleasure to enjoy a proper British review. Thank you for sharing. Enjoy your superbly- performing new antenna. 73s de KO6ARA
Great video pls do another and include some tx so we can see the performance at differing power levels. Well done ! Excellent stuff
Great steve, exactly what i was looking for, greetings from brazil
Why in the world did you put the antenna so far away from your house?
Noise