Please read the description section above for additional information about this antenna. Also, scroll down and read the viewer comments as many have had excellent suggestions on this.
Thank you, Andy. This likely will not defeat a K9AY loop or the like in a head-to-head RX contest, but for the money, and for the ease of install, I think KK5JY is on to something here. Thank you for your kind words and 73! de WX0V
Good demo! Good basic design explanation on the transformer. Of necessity, I’d keep mine on top of the ground...no lawn, no moisture, no mowing...New Mexico dry soil. I have lots of space, acres, and the temptation to make it big is really tempting. KE5TJ.
Great video. This is really well done. Thanks for the explanation on the build as well. I host a TH-cam podcast that helps to encourage people to come into ham radio as well as teach them various methods and means to be more effective. I’d like to use this video as well as one of your other ones that shows another “A to B” comparison so I can help explain the benefit of using this antenna. I believe it has a tremendous amount of value to people in the amateur radio community as well as the shortwave community. I’ll be sure to credit your channel and put a description link to it in the description portion of my video. Thank you for taking the considerable time to produce this as well as advance our hobby to people all over the world. Keep up the terrific work mate! Larry de K7HN
Sure, you can use the video, or any others here (none of this stuff is protected/has a copyright). I will ask you to NOT oversell the antenna, however. The LoG works well, but is no miracle antenna, and in some cases, it has not worked at all for some ops. For an A/B comparison, I suggest this video: th-cam.com/video/heI9ZemDdaE/w-d-xo.html Same disclaimer; this was only one example. Recently, I have had some situations where the TX antenna was better than the LoG. Overall, the LoG has been great, and I have many DX video examples here using that RX antenna. ZL1BQD and G0CNN ("Ianxfs") also have fine build videos on the LoG. Check those out, as well. However...my LoG build video was the first. :-) 73! de WX0V
12:3 turns ratio is 4:1 turns ratio, which is a 16:1 impedance ratio, which seems kind of high. Of course, the impedance ratio could change depending on the length of your loop and the particular band of interest. Very thought provoking experiment!
Thank you, Kurt. It would be interesting to try additional transformer variations but for now, I am decidedly in the "if it ain't broke..." camp. I do appreciate your input, however, as this is all experimental. Thanks for stopping by and 73! de WX0V
I hope it works for you, Jeff. It's no miracle antenna but it works very well here. I use it almost exclusively for my low band RX. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Miracle or not, it’s great to lower the noise level on the lower bands. I may end up putting one on the gentle slope behind our house where the inside shack is.
Thanks for a great instructional video!!! I'm looking for the winding experiments/tests suggested by K0SR - can you share a link or more info? I will start with 2:5 and see what happens but was curious about the 3:13 windings, as well. I only have 1 core to experiment with.
Sorry, but I do not have a link for more info on the K0SR transformer (it was shown to me live, by him), but I show how to wind it in this video. You can always order more cores, which is a good idea anyway as then you can experiment. Also, see the note about how to count "turns" in the comments here, as K0SR counted his differently than others (and that is what I went with on this video). Thank you for your kind words and 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing I did note the turn comments and will be experimenting! Thanks for the info. Explains why my search results were not getting me anywhere.
I'm a bit confused by what you call 1 loop through the core. That appears to be to be two loops, as all technical documentation for wrapping a bino core on the inside suggests 1 loop is considered once through each side, whereas yours is twice through each side, calling it 1. Including the video you linked to G0CCN.
K0SR came up with the transformer and wire ration I use, and that is how he counts his turns. However, as I wrote in the description..."Do not get concerned about how the the windings ratio is counted. It doesn't matter if it is 12:3 or 24:6...follow the directions as I indicate on the video, and you will be fine.", and I'll stand on that. 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Thanks for the explaination! You're right, I should have read the description more carefully. I ended up making two anyways, (1 for backup + experimenting) but instead of two of the same, I did 1 as 2:6 and the other 12:3 counting 1 loop as you described it. Both work great! Thanks again.
@@TheMrDrMs Great to hear! Yes, definitely experiment as you may find a ratio that works better for you than what I, or others may say. Enjoy and 73! de WX0V
One comment, put the SO-239 on the outside and put bead of silicon around the base of the SO-239 so when you bolt it in, it will make a gasket seal. On the eyebolts use flat washers on the inside and outside with the same bead of silicon around the washer so when pulled up against the box it will also make a gasket seal. Just finished working with another ham that had a purchased OCF dipole go nuts, turned out there was not a single seal on the hardware going into the transformer box and water had seeped in.
Yes...excellent suggestions! I drilled a drain hole which helps, but the less water getting in the better. Thanks for your sage comments and 73! de WX0V
Hi Scott. Thanks as always for the videos! Long comment but here's the question: how much experimenting did you have to do with wire length? Sorry for the super long rest of the comment Tonight was my first 80/160m POTA activation since last winter/spring. For context, I'm SSB/Digital, no CW yet, and last winter (February timeframe) I was told I had a 160m SSB pileup that I couldn't hear. So today I brought along my kit build Easy T/R switch from Pacific Antenna and a LoG transformer I assembled a couple years ago. It all seemed to work, but I didn't get anything like the results you show. Conditions were not great and I think that had a lot to do with it. I tried receiving on the loop on 160m with a 74' total wire length (what I had on hand) and signals were very quiet, even with both preamp settings engaged on my IC-7100. Because of the antenna setup I was not able to use the T/R switch and loop on 80m tonight. I've rewatched a few minutes of this video and I think you said you have a 130' wire. I guess my next time out I'll try a longer wire and hope for better conditions! For transmit I have a 41' wire on a 40' Spiderbeam mast on a drive-on mount, with 4x68' radials. With my LDG Z-11ProII I can tune that wire from 80 through 10. For 160, I switch a homebrew coil in at the base. That gets me to 1790 kHz SWR dip about 2.25:1 which I match up to 1840 kHz FT8 with an MFJ-901b. On 160, because I don't require the autotuner, I can run a full 100w digital. I may add a smaller coil for 80 and 60 to eliminate the need for the autotuner. 73 de VE3GKT
Oh - the parks that are open at night here in the GTA have lights of various types. Some sodium, some LED. The park I was at tonight had a mix. Not sure how that may affect loop performance
Also I highly recommend that transmit antenna for portable use! It's a real performer on 60m and up, is band agile, and is quick and easy to assemble. I worked *NEW ZEALAND* *PARK TO PARK* on 20m FT8 with that antenna tonight, and Hawaii Park to Park on 40m FT8! Plus 5V7RU on 40m FT8 for good measure.
Well, honestly, I did no experiments with the wire length. I just winged it, and it works. Changing the length and testing is an excellent idea. Why didn't your LoG work? I am not sure. My late father tried a LoG and it did not perform well for him, either. So in antennas, as in life, there are no guarantees. However, given the low cost of this build, and how many people are using it successfully, the KK5JY LoG is worth trying. 73! de WX0V
I put my antenna in the front yard originally but had a hum or buzz on strong signals due to AC inductance from the mains coming into the house. I'm curious if you had the same issue? Is your mains coming overhead or underground?
@@ve3nsv My mains are connected on the backyard side, so my LoG is away from them. That said, mine is not impervious to artificial noise, as it does happen from time to time. Your story doesn't surprise me. We are powerless sometimes in this arena; the noise emerges victorious. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
at the 4 min mark on your vid, you show your tribander mounted on your roof... I had that at an old qth 30 years ago, but let the tripod get out of my posession. I'm in a position to do it again, but need to know where to get the type of tripod you've got there... any help would be appreciated.. de KE8KW
Hello Ken...sorry for this disappointing reply. The item you seek is a Glen Martin RT-832 mini-tower (8 foot). The problem is, Glen Martin discontinued them years ago (I got mine in 2007). It is my understanding they are difficult to find used, but maybe one is still out there. Good luck and 73! de WX0V
The SN ratio on a LoG with no preamp is best for me - Just turn up the audio. On my 60 foot LoG adding a preamp boosts noise more than signal. I prefer the 52 mix. W8JI likes 73 mix. Perhaps I misunderstand your text. For winding the center of a binocular core, 1 turn consists of one pass down hole A and back up through hole B. The wire forms a U. Sticking it back down hole A for a second time before calling that one turn is not what I was taught. If I misunderstood you, then scratch my comment. If you did the down:back:down for sixteen times your impedance ratio will be way off and perhaps the reason for needing the preamp. Using a 50 ohm feedline you might be better off with a 6:2 winding ratio - which is a 9 : 1 transformer 5:2 winding ratio is usually best for 72 ohm feedline, which is a 6.25 : 1 transformer. If you are happy with what you have, then (shrug) ignore me - but would it hurt to be a little happier? Cheers buddy / K8DO Doc.
Excellent post, Doc, and much appreciated. No, you did not hear me incorrectly, as I was told a single "turn" is the way I describe it, but it seems the popular version is the way you describe it. Not a big deal to me either way. However, an impedance mismatch can be a big deal, so that is clearly worth exploring. This is all experimental so any new ideas that can improve it are well-taken on this channel. All I want to do is work more DX with this. 😃 Excellent post, and thank you for it...73! de WX0V
@@visualjuiceman I am certainly no authority here but it seems your thinking is the prevailing one. The creator of the transformer I used insists it is the way I show it here, but in the end, it doesn't matter. Whether it's counted as a 12:3 or a 24:6, just follow what I show and you should be good. No reason not to experiment with different ratios, either (although K0SR said he tried many ratios until he came up with the 12:3/24:6 that I show here). Appreciate your input...73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Well a 24:6 transformer will transform better a 1/4 the frequency than a 12:3 transformer, or said another way the 12:3 transformer will not have the same low frequency response. On the other end the 24:6 could have problems at high frequency because of the extra interwinding capacitance of the 24 turns. btw, I agree with Denny O'Connor's method of counting turns. Not hard to figure out, using the A sub L of the binocular core calculate the inductance of 10 turns put them on and measure the inductance. If it is too high, you counted the turns improperly.
@@mavamQ Thank you for your comment. Keeping one's mind open and trying different transformer ratios is certainly a good thing. How one counts the turns, and what determines a turn versus a pass-through, takes a backseat in my book. 73 de WX0V
The KK5JY LoG is not a cure for all your RX woes, but, it might just assist in letting you hear that needed station, so it's clearly worth installing. 73! de WX0V
That's a really good question. I just use the pre-amps on my radios, but one could certainly use an external pre-amp if they wish. I find the additional gain is useful. Thanks for your question and 73! de WX0V
I just built one to see if it has a better noise level than my NVIS 40 meter inverted V. Mine is 60 feet of wire with 15 feet per side in a perfect square configuration. I only use QRP so my transformer is only rated at 15 watts. Does it work? Well, yes definitely on 40 & 20 meters. Have not tried above 20 meters yet. Not good for 80 or below. But, while noise level is definitely deceased so is the signal strength in spite of having a reflected power indicated by less than 1.5 on my Nano Vna in SWR mode across the entire band of interest. I'd probably like it more if I increase its size to pick up the lower bands as well as it picks up 40 meters. On the other hand while the operator may not like the result of transmitting into it because of propagation issues I really don't think doing so, if reflected power is very little, will damage the radio anymore than transmitting into a dummy load. Also if your transformer can handle the power it should be OK too. It might be actually kind of interesting to give transmitting a go on the lower bands because I suspect it will behave exactly like NVIS antennas which I have in the past laid directly on the ground.
Interesting post. I have unintentionally transmitted into my LoG multiple times ("ready, FIRE!, aim") which usually results in a blown transformer, but if one keeps the power low it would reduce that result. However, if the goal is to be heard, the LoG isn't likely your best TX option. 😎 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Well, yea, it depends on your aim. If you want to transalsntic DX the LOG would totally fail. But, if your aim is to communicate or rag chew with low noise and as good a quality as via telephone within a 400 mile radius NVIS is the cat's meow and I suspect the LOG will give you this. Yep, you can't give a 15 watt rated transformer 100 watts without a failure, but either use less power or heavier gage wire & multiple toroids stacked together such as 4 when considering 500 watts. Give it a go with a friend within a few hundred miles of you & keep the power within the transforner's rating & I bet you will agree to wow, that is a neat use of an antenna.
this is technically compliant for 1750 meters lowfer if you beef up the transformer, somehow get a match and put the 1w part15 compliant transmitter right at the feed. that begs the question of how far you could get if you built a couple of AM transmitters and heated up some yards. rocks are our best crop in eastern CT so the mineral content might do something cool, idk.
Thank you for your comment. This is an RX only antenna, but yes, if I changed the transformer one could TX into it. For my purposes, that would be useless, as no DX would copy me, but it would be an interesting experiment. With the current setup, put RF into this in any notable quantities, and kiss the transformer bye-bye. 😁 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing almost done with the tx for 175khz that im building for AM. gonna need to up my RX game on LW but i got nothin to lose by trying to tx into one. maybe a cheap mosfet idk. it'll be under 1W. if i can get an ok match and 1/2 mile loop to loop, thats a win. if not i build a vertical. springtime is gonna be fun
I avoided posting a link to where I got them as I wanted to avoid looking like advertisement. However, that's a fair question you post. They are Amidon BN61-202 binocular cores. Hope that helps (I'll add that to the information section). Thank you for your question and 73! de WX0V
Good questions. I have found it is "fair" on 40m and 30m. It seems to best used (at least at my station) on 80m and 160m where QRN is worse. Usually, my QRN on 40m and 30m is low enough to make them usable. Still, given the low cost of this design, it's worth a try. 73! de WX0V
@@throwaway-ds6yg I don't think so, unless you have a high QRN level at your QTH. Usually, 20m and up are substantially quieter, and since you do lose gain with the LoG, making one for the high bands seems counterproductive. That said, no law that says you cannot try. 73! de WX0V
It's worth trying, to be sure. Maybe you can give that a whirl and do a You Tube video of it showing the results? The more documented experiments with this the better. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
Good question! K0SR experimented with various turn ratios and he felt 12:3 worked the best. However, since this is all experimental anyway, there is no set rule, so there is plenty of room to try other ratios. I just went with what K0SR suggested. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
WX0V thanks! I have laid out the wire loop today. The transformer (at 12:3) is wound and ready to be installed. I’ll probably wind a 5:2 also as suggested by KK5JY and switch them out as I experiment with this antenna.
Unfortunately your turns counting is simply wrong. Check W8JI, W4ZV, N1EU, ON4UN authorities articles or simply use impedance analyzer to chech that. Also the impedance ratio should be arranged base on the actual antenna impedance after installation in place thru planned bands. Finally minimum number of turns is always best to avoid turns capacitance… so start with measurement of antenna itself is good idea. Cheers. Petr, OK1RP
That's a good question. I don't really know. That's a lot of PVC and if something happens to the loop (i.e. it gets damaged), copper wire is still cheap. I do know that even with multiple feet of compacted snow over my LoG, it still does the job. My feeling is to skip the PVC, but if you try it, let me know how it worked out. All of this is experimental, so there you go. 73! de WX0V
@@tomcook5813 My LoG has been active since 2017, and it got severed just once. The ground staples hold the LoG in place very nicely, but I was able to pull it up to replace it without a lot of force. I hope it works for you...73! de WX0V
Indeed...and I just mowed the grass over it less than an hour ago. Tonight I'll be using it to copy signals on 80m and 160m. Isn't that a hoot? :-) Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
The ground staples help, but yes, if the wire is flat, as yours was, the grass will grow around it as if you used the ground staples. Good comment and thank you! de WX0V
Very well. Sometimes the TX antenna is better but most of the time, in order to improve my signal-to-noise ratio, I use the LoG. Since 2017 I have 164 confirmed DXCC on 160m and hopefully, counting! Thanks for your question and 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Thanks for your video and with this help, I will have a new option for top-band receiving antenna. What is your TX antenna? Thanks you!
@@dragonrobo9797 I use an NE0U EZ-L and an NE0U "Inverted J" on 160m, and a full size 1/4 wave vertical "WARE" for 80m. Search for those keywords on my channel, and you'll find multiple videos. 73! de WX0V
NE0U suggested the choke balun. I have experimented with using it and not using it, but without the ability to do a true A/B comparison, there was no way for me to determine if it made a difference. NE0U would explain the reasoning, but he just became a Silent Key. Your point of burying the coax is valid, but sometimes that's not possible. Either way, this is an experimental design so people can try different variations. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
I never said coax I said antenna HA HA HA HA HA 🤣 Bury your whole Antenna and I bet it be practically completely noiseless If not bury the transmitter A sort of crow foot protection HA HA HA HA🤣
Sorry if I missed your humor...wouldn't be the first time a joke blew past me. That said, I could bury all my gear (antennas , rigs, amps, all of it), but I am sitting at 2,494 DXCC Challenge points (including 167 DXCC on 160m, and 256 DXCC on 80m; many using this antenna for RX), and I really would like to get that 2,500 Challenge medallion before my gear, and myself are buried. :-) What are your DXCC totals? I am always willing to learn from those with significantly higher DXCC scores than mine, so fire away. 73 de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing I do not understand contests I am not a contest person I like radio :) I only operate QRP cw on 80 40 20 15 and 10 I once built a dipole for 160 Yes a 1/2 wave about 250 foot Dipole with small diameter copper weld wire Really long and really low :) about 20 foot off the ground ! I put it up in the afternoon and directly that very night made a contact ssb with a military C 140 aircraft who said he was trailing a wire ! I think that my only 160 contact ever ! He was flying over nova scotia and I in louisiana That was likely 3 or 4 decades ago All gear I use now is homemade or stuff I built from kits cw and qrp I think 160 is a special thing altogether than the higher frequencies What turns me off and why I have never had interest in 160 is NOISE I really think there is no escape from the noise on 160 Just a hazzard of that particular piece of real estate that has to be lived with I really have very limited 160 experience even with that known and admitted to If I were trying to be 160 king I would look at a long long long wire Like 3 or more wavelengths long Spend some effort figuring what I was trying to match for the tx and possibly consider terminating the wire Anyway wire is getting expensive and I getting too old to walk that far :) 160 though something special is also something else :) 73
You are absolutely correct, Frank, noise is a real issue on 160m (and 80m, as well); especially in an urban setting. I know it sounds crazy, but you should try this antenna design. It costs hardly anything, and you might be surprised. I have dozens of DX videos on this channel that feature the KK5JY LoG. It also might fail miserably for you, but that's the chance we take. I appreciate your home-brew approach; something I was never good at. I feel your age issue...this gettin' old thing sucks. Have fun with Ham Radio, no matter what aspect of it you use, and 73! de WX0V
Since the 991A only has one SO239 antenna input, that is going to be a problem. The only option that I have heard of, and it's beyond clunky, is to use an A/B switch. Sorry. :-( Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
@@PatAutrey Good question. I found the LoG to be most effective on the very low bands where the highest noise is, so 160m and 80m. That said, I have used it on 40m and even 30m. 20m is substantially quieter than those bands so the LoG probably wouldn't be as good there. 73! de WX0V
Well, yes and no. It depends how you count the turns. Based on how K0SR counts them (the way I show it on this video), it's 12:3, but others consider that to be 24:6. You can always experiment as well. Three of us use the "12:3" and the LoG has performed very well. I hope this answers your question. Thank you for your comment and 73! de WX0V
@@happyending486 This antenna is certainly worth a try. It's inexpensive, easy to build, doesn't take up any room, and it works. It's not going to stand toe-to-toe with a 1,000 foot Beverage, but it might just help you hear better than your TX antenna on the low bands. Good luck and 73! de WX0V
It's no miracle antenna and granted, sensitivity is reduced, but usually, in the SNR game, the LoG is the winner. It's low-cost and there's no climbing 😀, so there you go. 73! de WX0V
SUGGESTION: A PRISM YOU COULD DO A CIRCKLE OF IT! Use 450 Ohm Windowline an a 2:1 Balun a n d DO NOT FORGET TO DC GROUND THE LOOP ON THE OPPOSITE OF THE FEEDPOINT!
Please read the description section above for additional information about this antenna. Also, scroll down and read the viewer comments as many have had excellent suggestions on this.
I'm obviously a bit late to this discussion, but I wanted to thank for this informative, no-nonsense video. Very helpful. 73!
Thank you very much for your sincere compliment. You're not late...I'd like to think my videos are timeless...ha! 🤣 73! de WX0V
Nice video. Thanks for sharing as I’m exploring receive antenna options.
Thank you, Andy. This likely will not defeat a K9AY loop or the like in a head-to-head RX contest, but for the money, and for the ease of install, I think KK5JY is on to something here. Thank you for your kind words and 73! de WX0V
Good demo! Good basic design explanation on the transformer. Of necessity, I’d keep mine on top of the ground...no lawn, no moisture, no mowing...New Mexico dry soil. I have lots of space, acres, and the temptation to make it big is really tempting. KE5TJ.
I hope your build goes well and this design works for you. Thank you for your comment and 73! de WX0V
Great video. This is really well done. Thanks for the explanation on the build as well.
I host a TH-cam podcast that helps to encourage people to come into ham radio as well as teach them various methods and means to be more effective.
I’d like to use this video as well as one of your other ones that shows another “A to B” comparison so I can help explain the benefit of using this antenna.
I believe it has a tremendous amount of value to people in the amateur radio community as well as the shortwave community.
I’ll be sure to credit your channel and put a description link to it in the description portion of my video.
Thank you for taking the considerable time to produce this as well as advance our hobby to people all over the world. Keep up the terrific work mate!
Larry
de K7HN
Sure, you can use the video, or any others here (none of this stuff is protected/has a copyright). I will ask you to NOT oversell the antenna, however. The LoG works well, but is no miracle antenna, and in some cases, it has not worked at all for some ops.
For an A/B comparison, I suggest this video:
th-cam.com/video/heI9ZemDdaE/w-d-xo.html
Same disclaimer; this was only one example. Recently, I have had some situations where the TX antenna was better than the LoG. Overall, the LoG has been great, and I have many DX video examples here using that RX antenna.
ZL1BQD and G0CNN ("Ianxfs") also have fine build videos on the LoG. Check those out, as well.
However...my LoG build video was the first. :-)
73! de WX0V
Great video. Exactly what I was searching for. 👍
I hope this antenna works for you. It works very well for me. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
12:3 turns ratio is 4:1 turns ratio, which is a 16:1 impedance ratio, which seems kind of high. Of course, the impedance ratio could change depending on the length of your loop and the particular band of interest. Very thought provoking experiment!
Thank you, Kurt. It would be interesting to try additional transformer variations but for now, I am decidedly in the "if it ain't broke..." camp. I do appreciate your input, however, as this is all experimental. Thanks for stopping by and 73! de WX0V
Nice video, and thanks for demo’ing the winding of the core! I’m looking to build a LOG for 40m, I don’t really get on 75/80. Jeff, KF5KWO
I hope it works for you, Jeff. It's no miracle antenna but it works very well here. I use it almost exclusively for my low band RX. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Miracle or not, it’s great to lower the noise level on the lower bands. I may end up putting one on the gentle slope behind our house where the inside shack is.
@@herrwabbaloo937 Perhaps let those following this video know how it worked out for you...maybe with a follow up post here...thank you and 73! de WX0V
Great video! and well detailed .Thinking about installing one myself
Given the low cost and easy install, it's certainly worth a try for anyone who is on the low bands. Thanks and 73! de WX0V
Thanks for a great instructional video!!! I'm looking for the winding experiments/tests suggested by K0SR - can you share a link or more info? I will start with 2:5 and see what happens but was curious about the 3:13 windings, as well. I only have 1 core to experiment with.
Sorry, but I do not have a link for more info on the K0SR transformer (it was shown to me live, by him), but I show how to wind it in this video. You can always order more cores, which is a good idea anyway as then you can experiment. Also, see the note about how to count "turns" in the comments here, as K0SR counted his differently than others (and that is what I went with on this video). Thank you for your kind words and 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing I did note the turn comments and will be experimenting! Thanks for the info. Explains why my search results were not getting me anywhere.
@@mblogler Sounds good...73!
I'm a bit confused by what you call 1 loop through the core. That appears to be to be two loops, as all technical documentation for wrapping a bino core on the inside suggests 1 loop is considered once through each side, whereas yours is twice through each side, calling it 1. Including the video you linked to G0CCN.
K0SR came up with the transformer and wire ration I use, and that is how he counts his turns. However, as I wrote in the description..."Do not get concerned about how the the windings ratio is counted. It doesn't matter if it is 12:3 or 24:6...follow the directions as I indicate on the video, and you will be fine.", and I'll stand on that. 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Thanks for the explaination! You're right, I should have read the description more carefully. I ended up making two anyways, (1 for backup + experimenting) but instead of two of the same, I did 1 as 2:6 and the other 12:3 counting 1 loop as you described it. Both work great! Thanks again.
@@TheMrDrMs Great to hear! Yes, definitely experiment as you may find a ratio that works better for you than what I, or others may say. Enjoy and 73! de WX0V
Very interesting; never heard of this design!
Gotta love this hobby...never ever are you gonna run out of cool stuff to learn about!
73 de KI7ONN
Indeed! Better yet, this works, at least, it does for several of us. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
One comment, put the SO-239 on the outside and put bead of silicon around the base of the SO-239 so when you bolt it in, it will make a gasket seal. On the eyebolts use flat washers on the inside and outside with the same bead of silicon around the washer so when pulled up against the box it will also make a gasket seal. Just finished working with another ham that had a purchased OCF dipole go nuts, turned out there was not a single seal on the hardware going into the transformer box and water had seeped in.
Yes...excellent suggestions! I drilled a drain hole which helps, but the less water getting in the better. Thanks for your sage comments and 73! de WX0V
Hi Scott. Thanks as always for the videos!
Long comment but here's the question: how much experimenting did you have to do with wire length?
Sorry for the super long rest of the comment
Tonight was my first 80/160m POTA activation since last winter/spring. For context, I'm SSB/Digital, no CW yet, and last winter (February timeframe) I was told I had a 160m SSB pileup that I couldn't hear. So today I brought along my kit build Easy T/R switch from Pacific Antenna and a LoG transformer I assembled a couple years ago. It all seemed to work, but I didn't get anything like the results you show. Conditions were not great and I think that had a lot to do with it. I tried receiving on the loop on 160m with a 74' total wire length (what I had on hand) and signals were very quiet, even with both preamp settings engaged on my IC-7100. Because of the antenna setup I was not able to use the T/R switch and loop on 80m tonight.
I've rewatched a few minutes of this video and I think you said you have a 130' wire. I guess my next time out I'll try a longer wire and hope for better conditions!
For transmit I have a 41' wire on a 40' Spiderbeam mast on a drive-on mount, with 4x68' radials. With my LDG Z-11ProII I can tune that wire from 80 through 10. For 160, I switch a homebrew coil in at the base. That gets me to 1790 kHz SWR dip about 2.25:1 which I match up to 1840 kHz FT8 with an MFJ-901b. On 160, because I don't require the autotuner, I can run a full 100w digital. I may add a smaller coil for 80 and 60 to eliminate the need for the autotuner.
73 de VE3GKT
Oh - the parks that are open at night here in the GTA have lights of various types. Some sodium, some LED. The park I was at tonight had a mix. Not sure how that may affect loop performance
Also I highly recommend that transmit antenna for portable use! It's a real performer on 60m and up, is band agile, and is quick and easy to assemble.
I worked *NEW ZEALAND* *PARK TO PARK* on 20m FT8 with that antenna tonight, and Hawaii Park to Park on 40m FT8! Plus 5V7RU on 40m FT8 for good measure.
Well, honestly, I did no experiments with the wire length. I just winged it, and it works. Changing the length and testing is an excellent idea.
Why didn't your LoG work? I am not sure. My late father tried a LoG and it did not perform well for him, either. So in antennas, as in life, there are no guarantees. However, given the low cost of this build, and how many people are using it successfully, the KK5JY LoG is worth trying. 73! de WX0V
I put my antenna in the front yard originally but had a hum or buzz on strong signals due to AC inductance from the mains coming into the house. I'm curious if you had the same issue? Is your mains coming overhead or underground?
@@ve3nsv My mains are connected on the backyard side, so my LoG is away from them. That said, mine is not impervious to artificial noise, as it does happen from time to time. Your story doesn't surprise me. We are powerless sometimes in this arena; the noise emerges victorious. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
at the 4 min mark on your vid, you show your tribander mounted on your roof... I had that at an old qth 30 years ago, but let the tripod get out of my posession. I'm in a position to do it again, but need to know where to get the type of tripod you've got there... any help would be appreciated.. de KE8KW
Hello Ken...sorry for this disappointing reply. The item you seek is a Glen Martin RT-832 mini-tower (8 foot). The problem is, Glen Martin discontinued them years ago (I got mine in 2007). It is my understanding they are difficult to find used, but maybe one is still out there. Good luck and 73! de WX0V
The SN ratio on a LoG with no preamp is best for me - Just turn up the audio. On my 60 foot LoG adding a preamp boosts noise more than signal. I prefer the 52 mix. W8JI likes 73 mix.
Perhaps I misunderstand your text. For winding the center of a binocular core, 1 turn consists of one pass down hole A and back up through hole B. The wire forms a U. Sticking it back down hole A for a second time before calling that one turn is not what I was taught. If I misunderstood you, then scratch my comment.
If you did the down:back:down for sixteen times your impedance ratio will be way off and perhaps the reason for needing the preamp.
Using a 50 ohm feedline you might be better off with a 6:2 winding ratio - which is a 9 : 1 transformer
5:2 winding ratio is usually best for 72 ohm feedline, which is a 6.25 : 1 transformer.
If you are happy with what you have, then (shrug) ignore me - but would it hurt to be a little happier? Cheers buddy / K8DO Doc.
Excellent post, Doc, and much appreciated. No, you did not hear me incorrectly, as I was told a single "turn" is the way I describe it, but it seems the popular version is the way you describe it. Not a big deal to me either way. However, an impedance mismatch can be a big deal, so that is clearly worth exploring. This is all experimental so any new ideas that can improve it are well-taken on this channel. All I want to do is work more DX with this. 😃 Excellent post, and thank you for it...73! de WX0V
That is how I always understood winding a binocular core also, 1 pass through hole A and back up through hole B equals 1 turn...
@@visualjuiceman I am certainly no authority here but it seems your thinking is the prevailing one. The creator of the transformer I used insists it is the way I show it here, but in the end, it doesn't matter. Whether it's counted as a 12:3 or a 24:6, just follow what I show and you should be good. No reason not to experiment with different ratios, either (although K0SR said he tried many ratios until he came up with the 12:3/24:6 that I show here). Appreciate your input...73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Well a 24:6 transformer will transform better a 1/4 the frequency than a 12:3 transformer, or said another way the 12:3 transformer will not have the same low frequency response. On the other end the 24:6 could have problems at high frequency because of the extra interwinding capacitance of the 24 turns. btw, I agree with Denny O'Connor's method of counting turns. Not hard to figure out, using the A sub L of the binocular core calculate the inductance of 10 turns put them on and measure the inductance. If it is too high, you counted the turns improperly.
@@mavamQ Thank you for your comment. Keeping one's mind open and trying different transformer ratios is certainly a good thing. How one counts the turns, and what determines a turn versus a pass-through, takes a backseat in my book. 73 de WX0V
Signal more clear and stable. Good job.
The KK5JY LoG is not a cure for all your RX woes, but, it might just assist in letting you hear that needed station, so it's clearly worth installing. 73! de WX0V
Do use additional pre-amp for the LoG,Scott?
That's a really good question. I just use the pre-amps on my radios, but one could certainly use an external pre-amp if they wish. I find the additional gain is useful. Thanks for your question and 73! de WX0V
I just built one to see if it has a better noise level than my NVIS 40 meter inverted V.
Mine is 60 feet of wire with 15 feet per side in a perfect square configuration. I only use QRP so my transformer is only rated at 15 watts.
Does it work? Well, yes definitely on 40 & 20 meters. Have not tried above 20 meters yet. Not good for 80 or below. But, while noise level is definitely deceased so is the signal strength in spite of having a reflected power indicated by less than 1.5 on my Nano Vna in SWR mode across the entire band of interest.
I'd probably like it more if I increase its size to pick up the lower bands as well as it picks up 40 meters. On the other hand while the operator may not like the result of transmitting into it because of propagation issues I really don't think doing so, if reflected power is very little, will damage the radio anymore than transmitting into a dummy load. Also if your transformer can handle the power it should be OK too. It might be actually kind of interesting to give transmitting a go on the lower bands because I suspect it will behave exactly like NVIS antennas which I have in the past laid directly on the ground.
Interesting post. I have unintentionally transmitted into my LoG multiple times ("ready, FIRE!, aim") which usually results in a blown transformer, but if one keeps the power low it would reduce that result. However, if the goal is to be heard, the LoG isn't likely your best TX option. 😎 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Well, yea, it depends on your aim. If you want to transalsntic DX the LOG would totally fail. But, if your aim is to communicate or rag chew with low noise and as good a quality as via telephone within a 400 mile radius NVIS is the cat's meow and I suspect the LOG will give you this. Yep, you can't give a 15 watt rated transformer 100 watts without a failure, but either use less power or heavier gage wire & multiple toroids stacked together such as 4 when considering 500 watts.
Give it a go with a friend within a few hundred miles of you & keep the power within the transforner's rating & I bet you will agree to wow, that is a neat use of an antenna.
@@migalito1955 Very good. It is neat to see this variation of the design, to be sure. 73! de WX0V
As it has FIVE sides, it's a Pentagle G7VFY
Excellent answer! I can always count on you Brits to set the ship straight...73! de WX0V
Staples are just landscaping stables, you can buy them locally.
...and that likely saves some money. Good suggestion...73! de WX0V
This is awesome, I'm going to build it
It's worth a try...inexpensive and it might just give you what you need for RX on the low bands...good luck and 73! de WX0V
Good idea for the front yard.
...and a very low cost one at that. 73! de WX0V
this is technically compliant for 1750 meters lowfer if you beef up the transformer, somehow get a match and put the 1w part15 compliant transmitter right at the feed. that begs the question of how far you could get if you built a couple of AM transmitters and heated up some yards. rocks are our best crop in eastern CT so the mineral content might do something cool, idk.
Thank you for your comment. This is an RX only antenna, but yes, if I changed the transformer one could TX into it. For my purposes, that would be useless, as no DX would copy me, but it would be an interesting experiment. With the current setup, put RF into this in any notable quantities, and kiss the transformer bye-bye. 😁 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing almost done with the tx for 175khz that im building for AM. gonna need to up my RX game on LW but i got nothin to lose by trying to tx into one. maybe a cheap mosfet idk. it'll be under 1W. if i can get an ok match and 1/2 mile loop to loop, thats a win. if not i build a vertical. springtime is gonna be fun
@@thatfonkyhonky336 I wish I had your property...I'd setup 1,000 foot Beverage antenna in every direction...73! de WX0V
There are many different compositions for the magnets, which one did you use?
I avoided posting a link to where I got them as I wanted to avoid looking like advertisement. However, that's a fair question you post. They are Amidon BN61-202 binocular cores. Hope that helps (I'll add that to the information section). Thank you for your question and 73! de WX0V
A great job ...
thank you.
'73 from Italy.
Giuseppe iz0gzw.
Thank you for your kind words, Giuseppe. 73! de WX0V
how is it on 40 meters, and if you do any digital, on 30 meters?
Good questions. I have found it is "fair" on 40m and 30m. It seems to best used (at least at my station) on 80m and 160m where QRN is worse. Usually, my QRN on 40m and 30m is low enough to make them usable. Still, given the low cost of this design, it's worth a try. 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing thank you! do you think it's worth it building a second LoG with shorter elements to cover a couple of the higher bands?
@@throwaway-ds6yg I don't think so, unless you have a high QRN level at your QTH. Usually, 20m and up are substantially quieter, and since you do lose gain with the LoG, making one for the high bands seems counterproductive. That said, no law that says you cannot try. 73! de WX0V
Interesting how it would work with AD8129 preamp
It's worth trying, to be sure. Maybe you can give that a whirl and do a You Tube video of it showing the results? The more documented experiments with this the better. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
Any reason for using the 12:3 transformer instead of the one suggested by KK5JY? 73 de M0SDV
Good question! K0SR experimented with various turn ratios and he felt 12:3 worked the best. However, since this is all experimental anyway, there is no set rule, so there is plenty of room to try other ratios. I just went with what K0SR suggested. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
WX0V thanks! I have laid out the wire loop today. The transformer (at 12:3) is wound and ready to be installed. I’ll probably wind a 5:2 also as suggested by KK5JY and switch them out as I experiment with this antenna.
@@jamie1421 Cool. Please let me know how it works out for you. Good luck and 73! de WX0V
Jamie any results of experiments with different tranformers ratios?
Unfortunately your turns counting is simply wrong. Check W8JI, W4ZV, N1EU, ON4UN authorities articles or simply use impedance analyzer to chech that. Also the impedance ratio should be arranged base on the actual antenna impedance after installation in place thru planned bands. Finally minimum number of turns is always best to avoid turns capacitance… so start with measurement of antenna itself is good idea. Cheers. Petr, OK1RP
Good advice...thank you and 73! de WX0V
What would happen if I buried a loop inside 1/2” pvc?
That's a good question. I don't really know. That's a lot of PVC and if something happens to the loop (i.e. it gets damaged), copper wire is still cheap. I do know that even with multiple feet of compacted snow over my LoG, it still does the job. My feeling is to skip the PVC, but if you try it, let me know how it worked out. All of this is experimental, so there you go. 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Will do 73 de KG5AJP
@@tomcook5813 My LoG has been active since 2017, and it got severed just once. The ground staples hold the LoG in place very nicely, but I was able to pull it up to replace it without a lot of force. I hope it works for you...73! de WX0V
This is pretty intereseting. Does defy conventional wisdom about what an antenna can be.
Indeed...and I just mowed the grass over it less than an hour ago. Tonight I'll be using it to copy signals on 80m and 160m. Isn't that a hoot? :-) Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
I put mine down in the winter so the grass grew up around it and it was flat on the ground
The ground staples help, but yes, if the wire is flat, as yours was, the grass will grow around it as if you used the ground staples. Good comment and thank you! de WX0V
Support your local chapter of “D.A.M.” - Mothers Against Dyslexia.
I shouldn't have called it dyslexia...I was just being a dumbass (very common)...73! de WX0V
How's it do on top band?
Very well. Sometimes the TX antenna is better but most of the time, in order to improve my signal-to-noise ratio, I use the LoG. Since 2017 I have 164 confirmed DXCC on 160m and hopefully, counting! Thanks for your question and 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing Thanks for your video and with this help, I will have a new option for top-band receiving antenna. What is your TX antenna? Thanks you!
@@dragonrobo9797 I use an NE0U EZ-L and an NE0U "Inverted J" on 160m, and a full size 1/4 wave vertical "WARE" for 80m. Search for those keywords on my channel, and you'll find multiple videos. 73! de WX0V
Maybe explain how a wireman choke balun will reduce noise ?
I recon if your antenna suffers noise
You can just bury it and problem solved
NE0U suggested the choke balun. I have experimented with using it and not using it, but without the ability to do a true A/B comparison, there was no way for me to determine if it made a difference. NE0U would explain the reasoning, but he just became a Silent Key. Your point of burying the coax is valid, but sometimes that's not possible. Either way, this is an experimental design so people can try different variations. Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
I never said coax I said antenna
HA HA HA HA HA 🤣
Bury your whole Antenna and I bet it be practically completely noiseless
If not bury the transmitter
A sort of crow foot protection
HA HA HA HA🤣
Sorry if I missed your humor...wouldn't be the first time a joke blew past me. That said, I could bury all my gear (antennas , rigs, amps, all of it), but I am sitting at 2,494 DXCC Challenge points (including 167 DXCC on 160m, and 256 DXCC on 80m; many using this antenna for RX), and I really would like to get that 2,500 Challenge medallion before my gear, and myself are buried. :-)
What are your DXCC totals? I am always willing to learn from those with significantly higher DXCC scores than mine, so fire away. 73 de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing I do not understand contests I am not a contest person
I like radio :)
I only operate QRP cw on 80 40 20 15 and 10
I once built a dipole for 160
Yes a 1/2 wave about 250 foot Dipole with small diameter copper weld wire
Really long and really low :) about 20 foot off the ground ! I put it up in the afternoon
and directly that very night made a contact ssb with a military C 140 aircraft who said he was trailing a wire ! I think that my only 160 contact ever ! He was flying over nova scotia and I in louisiana
That was likely 3 or 4 decades ago
All gear I use now is homemade or stuff I built from kits cw and qrp
I think 160 is a special thing altogether than the higher frequencies
What turns me off and why I have never had interest in 160 is NOISE
I really think there is no escape from the noise on 160
Just a hazzard of that particular piece of real estate that has to be lived with
I really have very limited 160 experience even with that known and admitted to
If I were trying to be 160 king
I would look at a long long long wire
Like 3 or more wavelengths long
Spend some effort figuring what I was trying to match for the tx and possibly consider terminating the wire
Anyway wire is getting expensive and I getting too old to walk that far :)
160 though something special is also something else :)
73
You are absolutely correct, Frank, noise is a real issue on 160m (and 80m, as well); especially in an urban setting. I know it sounds crazy, but you should try this antenna design. It costs hardly anything, and you might be surprised. I have dozens of DX videos on this channel that feature the KK5JY LoG. It also might fail miserably for you, but that's the chance we take. I appreciate your home-brew approach; something I was never good at. I feel your age issue...this gettin' old thing sucks. Have fun with Ham Radio, no matter what aspect of it you use, and 73! de WX0V
I’m trying to figure out how to put a receiver antenna connection on my Yaesu 991a radio
Since the 991A only has one SO239 antenna input, that is going to be a problem. The only option that I have heard of, and it's beyond clunky, is to use an A/B switch. Sorry. :-( Thanks for your comment and 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing going to try the MFJ 1708B. Does the LOG work on 40 and 20m?
@@PatAutrey Good question. I found the LoG to be most effective on the very low bands where the highest noise is, so 160m and 80m. That said, I have used it on 40m and even 30m. 20m is substantially quieter than those bands so the LoG probably wouldn't be as good there. 73! de WX0V
It's a pentagone :)
You got it! 73! de WX0V
@@SuburbanDXing 73 de ha7wx Chris
the size of the trasformer is 12:3 ?
Well, yes and no. It depends how you count the turns. Based on how K0SR counts them (the way I show it on this video), it's 12:3, but others consider that to be 24:6. You can always experiment as well. Three of us use the "12:3" and the LoG has performed very well. I hope this answers your question. Thank you for your comment and 73! de WX0V
oke thankyu for your sharing.. i think hard for RX antenna 160m band .. de YC2VOC
@@happyending486 This antenna is certainly worth a try. It's inexpensive, easy to build, doesn't take up any room, and it works. It's not going to stand toe-to-toe with a 1,000 foot Beverage, but it might just help you hear better than your TX antenna on the low bands. Good luck and 73! de WX0V
big andvantage is in town in HOA's . Hide the rx antanna in plain sight.
Yep...exactly. In this case, as shown in the video, the neighbors can literally walk on top of this and have no clue it's there...73! de WX0V
Interesting stuff! De N9NY
It's no miracle antenna and granted, sensitivity is reduced, but usually, in the SNR game, the LoG is the winner. It's low-cost and there's no climbing 😀, so there you go. 73! de WX0V
..pentagon...
That works for me...73! de WX0V
SUGGESTION: A PRISM
YOU COULD DO A CIRCKLE OF IT!
Use 450 Ohm Windowline an a
2:1 Balun a n d DO NOT FORGET
TO DC GROUND THE LOOP ON THE
OPPOSITE OF THE FEEDPOINT!
Since this is a experimental design, I see no reason why your suggestions could not be implemented. Certainly worth a try. 73! de WX0V