Saw this video and found it helpful. Noobe to SWLing and do have an MLA-30. My MLa is also on PVC but the cross PVC is clever! I did get a flexible stainless steel loop element from Omni RF to replace the thin wire that originally came with the MLA 30. Will be following your channel. 72
Loops can take on many shapes. Circular, square, diamond, etc are all loops. You were adjusting RF levels, not AF levels. You only get to AF after the detector in the radio itself.
I am pretty happy with my MLA-30 so far, was planning to increase the size of the loop a bit and make a PVC mounting similar to yours. Certainly a handy second antenna with many modern ham rigs having two receivers. I think the existing mounting holes for the amplifier may be intended for skinny U-bolts.... beware of turning up the gain too far, I believe the IC they use is intended for video amplifiers and are not great for intermodulation. 73
I still have it up testing so far I am not impressed now I noticed the loop and the wing nuts are covered in rust very poor guality stainless I will take my long wire over this any day thank you for your comments PTSR
@@PineTreeStateRestorations thanks for the reply, no real surprises with the hardware quality, I can't imagine the loop surviving long here as it is either. In it's favour it can be rotated to eliminate local noise. There are a lot of people that have modified them but ultimately the amplifier IC will be a big limitation. In my case with using it in addition to the wire it can provide a useful feed to the second receiver. I guess our usage cases are very different. I am going to try it with a copper wire loop and see how it gets on.... maybe on a bigger PVC frame similar to yours.
This is all new to me. I just ordered one of these and was wondering if I can extend the antenna cable with a barrel or with that have a negative effect? Id like to put it outside in the yard, but afraid that will be more than 50ft.
I would imagine it would be difficult to find a linear usb wall supply to power the amp. Surely your typical USB switching supply wall wart would introduce all kinds of noise into the receiver.
I am not so sure that blue pot is attenuation. Measure the bias-t voltage going through the coax going to the pre-amp box and turn that pot to see if voltage changes.
We have a huge video coming up on this and shortwave antennas it is going to be interesting, fun, and educational stay tuned and thank you for watching PTSR
Not the best loop antenna. Frequency response is about as flat as the Rocky Mountains. Only thing in its favor is the price. I finally retired mine and replaced it with LZ1AQ's AAA active magnetic loop amplifier along with a pair of 2 m loops made from 5/8" aluminum fuel line. Super low noise and freq response flat as a pancake from 100 kHz to 30 MHz. Highly recommended.
The lack of center holes on the ears of the amplifier box is another sign. Author says that he had to drill them himself. However, since MLA30+ doesn't seem to be a registered trademark, it's kind of hard to tell exactly what is a "genuine" one and what isn't. The first ones that came to the market had green LEDs indeed. Now will a "clone" necessarily be worse? not sure.
It's a mixed bag depending on environment, which bands... Mine (green LED) is set outdoors on my balcony, in a dense urban area with a lot of RFI, usually outperforms my 10m long wire but not always.
@@F4LDT-Alain The chap who runs a YT channel called "Blog or D!e" has a video which compares the fake MLA-30+ with the genuine one. Big difference when it comes to the noise floor - the original one with the green LED has a lower background noise. Let's not forget that the fake MLA-30+s are also shipped with a loop wire that's too long to form a near perfect circle. The wire always ends up in an elliptical or kite-shaped pattern. 🙂
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This is the original shape for AM loop antennae, so we have decades of evidence that it does in fact work. Sturdier is better, well done!
Thank you we have another huge video coming up in late spring on this verses long wire stay tuned !!
PTSR
I don’t mind some radio static, white noise, for certain frequencies. Relaxing.
yes it can be
PTSR
Saw this video and found it helpful. Noobe to SWLing and do have an MLA-30. My MLa is also on PVC but the cross PVC is clever! I did get a flexible stainless steel loop element from Omni RF to replace the thin wire that originally came with the MLA 30. Will be following your channel. 72
Loops can take on many shapes. Circular, square, diamond, etc are all loops. You were adjusting RF levels, not AF levels. You only get to AF after the detector in the radio itself.
Yes I indeed I agree thank you for commenting PTSR
Thanks for creating this video. Very creative. What was the length of the PVC pipe used to make the frame?
Thank you I will send you the measurements this week end
I have a raffle going on right now
You might want to check out.
PTSR.
I am pretty happy with my MLA-30 so far, was planning to increase the size of the loop a bit and make a PVC mounting similar to yours. Certainly a handy second antenna with many modern ham rigs having two receivers. I think the existing mounting holes for the amplifier may be intended for skinny U-bolts.... beware of turning up the gain too far, I believe the IC they use is intended for video amplifiers and are not great for intermodulation. 73
I still have it up testing so far I am not impressed now I noticed the loop and the wing nuts are covered in rust very poor guality stainless
I will take my long wire over this any day thank you for your comments
PTSR
@@PineTreeStateRestorations thanks for the reply, no real surprises with the hardware quality, I can't imagine the loop surviving long here as it is either. In it's favour it can be rotated to eliminate local noise. There are a lot of people that have modified them but ultimately the amplifier IC will be a big limitation. In my case with using it in addition to the wire it can provide a useful feed to the second receiver. I guess our usage cases are very different. I am going to try it with a copper wire loop and see how it gets on.... maybe on a bigger PVC frame similar to yours.
copper wire would be an improvement also bigger is always better for shortwave
PTSR@@g0fvt
This is all new to me. I just ordered one of these and was wondering if I can extend the antenna cable with a barrel or with that have a negative effect? Id like to put it outside in the yard, but afraid that will be more than 50ft.
Anytime you add more cable signal loss will happen the shorter the better always
PTSR
Great idea! But how did you attach the staff to the base? greetings from Germany. Eric
Hi welcome i used a black pipe base and a double threaded nipple, i the heated the nipple with a butane torch and hot threaded it in the PVC
PTSR
This is very interesting. Can you provide dimensions on your PVC cross?
I will send you a detailed plans this we
PTSR
where did you find the classic hallicrafters, what a beauty, haven't seen one in eons!!
Mark my house full of old Radios it's called old radio disease lol
PTSR
I would imagine it would be difficult to find a linear usb wall supply to power the amp. Surely your typical USB switching supply wall wart would introduce all kinds of noise into the receiver.
And it does this isnot agood product its cheap but you always get what you pay for .
PTSR
I always use USB rechargeable battery packs with mine
Use a USB power bank
I am not so sure that blue pot is attenuation. Measure the bias-t voltage going through the coax going to the pre-amp box and turn that pot to see if voltage changes.
We have a huge video coming up on this and shortwave antennas it is going to be interesting, fun, and educational stay tuned and thank you for watching PTSR
What about the plus version . also it should have a green light
We have a big test coming up on these when it gets warmer stay tuned !!
PTSR
@@PineTreeStateRestorations you've got to make sure you buy it from A reputable seller preferably the green led light version
Not the best loop antenna. Frequency response is about as flat as the Rocky Mountains.
Only thing in its favor is the price. I finally retired mine and replaced it with LZ1AQ's AAA active magnetic loop amplifier along with a pair of 2 m loops made from 5/8" aluminum fuel line. Super low noise and freq response flat as a pancake from 100 kHz to 30 MHz. Highly recommended.
Can you send me the measurements
@@bobbytino3776 ruclips.net/video/hWIhdyssfHQ/видео.htmlsi=-a0894TXwzYczVXR
The red LED indicates a clone. The original has a green LED. Just FYI 🙂
The lack of center holes on the ears of the amplifier box is another sign. Author says that he had to drill them himself.
However, since MLA30+ doesn't seem to be a registered trademark, it's kind of hard to tell exactly what is a "genuine" one and what isn't. The first ones that came to the market had green LEDs indeed.
Now will a "clone" necessarily be worse? not sure.
My buddy has the green led version same issues just can't out perform the good old long wire
PTSR
It's a mixed bag depending on environment, which bands...
Mine (green LED) is set outdoors on my balcony, in a dense urban area with a lot of RFI, usually outperforms my 10m long wire but not always.
@@F4LDT-Alain The chap who runs a YT channel called "Blog or D!e" has a video which compares the fake MLA-30+ with the genuine one. Big difference when it comes to the noise floor - the original one with the green LED has a lower background noise.
Let's not forget that the fake MLA-30+s are also shipped with a loop wire that's too long to form a near perfect circle. The wire always ends up in an elliptical or kite-shaped pattern. 🙂
@StratmanII thanks for commenting we have another video coming up this summer on the MLA against longwire should be fun fun see ya soon PTSR