Horizontal Loop

k3roj

k3roj

Star Member
The older we get, the more we realize how sometimes using the simple techniques are the best. Have tried many antennas over my 48 years as a Ham but recently happened to pick up the ARRL Wire Antennas Classics book at a local hamfest. Many of the dipole and other exotic wire antennas would never fit in my backyard but happened to turn to a page showing the Skywire Loop Antenna. It looked so simple and decided to construct the 40 meter Skywire. It is configured in a square arrangement with a total of 144 feet of number 14 stranded wire. Since each leg is only 36 feet, it fit nicely in my back yard. Of course the book said it should be 40 feet in the air but I used what I had, my two sheds, the rear of the house and a pole at the corner of my fence. It is only in the air about 15 to 20 feet but decided to check it out in the shack. Signals on 40 meters were booming in and right away made some contacts without any tuner. Then on 20 meters, there were several European stations on CW and figured I would need my rigs tuner to transmit. I use the Flex 5000A transceiver and it was showing only 1.8 to 1 SWR and went ahead and called an Italian station who said I was very strong. The same thing with a few other stations on 20 and decided, what the heck and tried 15 meters which was a dead band but my SWR was fairly good on 21.010 Mhz. 10 Meters was also OK to use. Not stopping there, I tried 52.525 where I have a friend who always listens there on FM. He is 15 miles away and said I had a much better signal than when I talk to him using an all band vertical.
I am very impressed with this simple antenna. I just wish I had the room for a 80 meter horizontal loop and envy those who can install one for 160 meters.
 
K3ROJ; That sounds great. I have a friend north of me about 100 miles and he musta read the same book as you lately. After I'd told him I was about ready to put up an 80 meter dipole, he told me of this loop idea, then jumped right in on it. Bad weather has slowed him down, but he's determind to get it up and going. I'm thinking he said 80 meters is what he's putting up. Hope he and I can get connected, we're skipping each other on 40 meters.

73's KF5BRI
 
Hiya

I also used a horizontal loop for 80m, about the size you mention, but mine was only mounted about 8-9 feet feet above the ground.

Despite the low height the antenna performed really well, and as you mentioned you can fit the antenna in to quite a small 'lot'.

With mine I fed it off centre (as in a Fritzel antenna), and found good results up to 50MHz.

Well worth trying I would say!


73, Mark.
 
For working with your 40m Horizontal loop on 80m, try this:

At the opposite end of the feedline, open the antenna and insert an insulator.
With it open, you should be able to use it just fine on 80 and get good signal reports as well.
You might need a tuner, but the signals will still be strong.

For working on 40 thru 10 though, you will need to jumper the spot where you opened it.
Perhaps you can use a piece of Plexiglas as an insulator and mount two Banana Jacks on it.
That way you can easily insert/remove the jumper for changing bands.

If you say it's too much trouble to lower and raise the antenna every time you change bands, then do this:

Construct some openwire feedline with about 3 to 6 inches of spacing.
Measure how long it needs to be, such that if you connect it across the open corner and drop it straight down, you can reach it (i.e. have it drop to about 6 or 7 ft. from the ground. Attach your insulator with the two banana jacks at that point.)
Then shorten each leg of the antenna by the length of the openwire.
This keeps the same total length of wire as before.
You won't notice any performance difference in the loop, but now you will be able to switch bands without raising and lowering it.

73
Spiderman
 
Hi,
if I have to bend the loop would it make any difference?
My garden is 64ft long and 36ft wide

all the best

Mike g0mry
 
Hiya Mike

It will make some difference to the radiation pattern of the loop antenna if you 'bend' it, my guess being that you will find it will become slightly bi-directional, though if the loop is at a low height the close proximity to the ground will tend to 'round off' the radiation pattern anyhow.


73, Mark.
 
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