The MLA-30 Shortwave Loop antenna. Part1 Building It! Will This Compact SW Antenna Work As Well As ?
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- Опубликовано: 11 окт 2024
- After reading a bunch about this Antenna, I decided to give it a try. It's a compact loop antenna with a built in pre-amp. By amplifying the signals right at the antenna it should preform pretty well, but I wonder if it will stack up to my 100 foot long wire antenna.
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This is a stunning antenna. Mine is mounted on a stand about 30 feet outside my basement window. Today, I was able to get really good signals from the Philippines, Madagascar, Algeria, Thailand, Saudi Arabia plus ham radio operators up and down the American eastern seaboard. Well worth the investment of the money and time to mount it properly outside. I live in Eastern Ontario, Canada and listen on a Tecsun H-501x.
I just bought a second one for the new studio!
Any kind of antenna project is a great project !! I look forward to seeing the install , and seeing it in action on the channel .
I agree with you, I enjoy making antennas. I recently came across a advertising banner fiberglass pole that breaks down into three pieces and is tapered, you've seen the banners iam sure, they are around 12/15 feet tall and have a radius on top?. Iam working on winding a helical wound 10/11m antenna with it, should work fantastic for both the bandwidth and frequency coverage.
Thanks to your video I got my mega loop mounted on the fence today. I've already received some random frequencies,9565, 12050, 13845,15770 and a few more for the test run pretty good for mid afternoon SW reception. I used a 5ft long PVC tube to mount the antenna and a couple of zip ties to hold it on the fence the whole affair is very light weight. Anyway, I got some serious DXing to do with the ATS25!
Hello neighbor!! Also in the mountains of WNC!!! Came to find out about the loop antenna! Thanks for posting this video!!
glad I could help you out
Great video. I used that 1.5 inch electrical pvc cutting groove and bought pvc cap and cut groove to slip over.
Cool, I hope that your works well
The MLA 30 is a game changer. Best $40.00 I’ve ever spent. EVER!
LOL, 2:19 Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) or did you mean PVC. Can tell your an auto mechanic. Just razzen ya man. Love your videos and your work ethic. Don't know where you find the time for our all. Keep up the awesome informative videos.
I think I will try one of these. Indiana gets ice storms on occasions and that can wreak havoc on a long wire. 50-80 feet of wire can get really heavy with 1/8 inch ice on it!!!
The only thing different I think I will do is use a 4x PVC junction so I can add two more side supports to prevent the wind from flexing the loop. That looks to be fairly limp wire. Think of my idea like an + in the center of the loop where the wire is supported at the top and then also at each side. I will also likely cut the grooves deeper so I can use end caps to help secure the wire and keep it in the PVC grooves.
I really like this idea!!
Solution
For the long wire icing problem
I have no idea if this will actually work but
Feed power into it before the storm to make it a heating element surface of the wire only needs to be above 32f
This is terrible advice by the way I have zero idea if it will work
Hopefully I can do the same work as you tomorrow. The delivery was announced on last monday withinh the "next three days" and I hope, the postman will bring the MLA-30 to me. 🙂
I would be waiting at the mailbox for the delivery. Take care
@@FarpointFarms The delivery of the first MLA was very annoying, because it was a product counterfeit. It was a complete fake antenna without function. I got this from a chinese seller on eBay. Every single part of it was an amateurish made imitation. I have connected the buyer protection from eBay and presented them the photos of the fake antenna in comparison with the original. And they agreed, that it is a fake product. I will get my money back. In the meantime I got the original MLA from a serious seller and I am very satisfied with it. 👍 I hope, I will not see a big white balloon over my house in Germany next time. As a revenge from the first seller. 😉🤣
Never built a receiving loop antenna. Looks like a nice simple project for the part time SWL listener. My loop antenna is a little bigger, 160 meter loop, unfortunately I can't use it indoors. End fed wire antennas are always another option for SWL users. I have a end fed random wire with a 9:1 Unun and 1:1 current choke balun in line no RF in the shack. Nice video can't wait to see part 2.
Kd4, Don't hold your breath any longer for "part 2".
That should work good, looking forward to the 2nd part.
David, Quit holding your breath!
Yes, Here in Atlantic Canada we get very strong winds. The reason why I asked was that we've been getting winds in the 80 to 90 KM range and the PCV pipe really bends and flexes. So far it looks great. I was curious how you were making out with the antenna in the long run. Well, based on your experience I think it should do the job. Once again, thank you very much and BE well.
Look at the schedule 80 pvc(gray)- it is much thicker and more stable than the schedule 40 (white)
@@FarpointFarms Yes, I'm using the Schedule 80 PVC (gray). I actually did almost exactly what you did in part 1 one of your 2 part video. I think that my tube might be a couple of feet longer. The only difference with my antenna set up is that I took an old Satellite TV bracket similar to the one in your video and due to our Roofs overhand the antenna is on a slight tilt. Beside that, it did well during some recent strong winds. I use to be in the shortwave hobby over 20 years ago. I recently took out my old Grundig Sat 800 and realized that there was a lot less stuff on the airways than in years past; however, your video on loop antenna certainly was a "Game changer". I still can't believe the noise reduction and the much, much better reception I'm now getting since the initial antenna instalment. Thank for the video and the follow up to my questions. From Shediac River, New Brunswick Canada thank you and be well.
Thank you for the video. You made it look easy to put it together. Will I be able to use this antenna indoors as I am not allowed to attach outdoor antennas in my building?
Man, you cover all the bases!
OK I am just one of those guys that have to see for themselves. I have been testing the MLA-30 Loop ($50) and the Chameleon CHA F-Loop 3.0 ($500). The CHA comes with three confirmations Rigid Loop(60-10M), Single coax Loop(60-10M) and Double coax Loop (for 80-30M). I live in an apartment so I have to have the antennas inside. After 2 months testing I have decided that there is really no difference between the two except for some extra band noise generated by the active portion of the MLA-30. If I change my mind I will let you know.
For that price difference, sounds like the MLA is a clear winner.
You explained perfectly what I needed to know . Thank you so much and keep up the fabulous videos.
Glad it was helpful!
Does the loop *have* to be pulled out into the larger single loop configuration shown in this video? I have this antenna and have threaded the wire loop through small plastic tubing to isolate it from itself, and left it in the configuration it arrived by mail (coiled up a couple of turns). It seems to work better than anything I've used, but because I don't have space for the large loop, I just wondered if it would even be worth while trying to build it, or continue doing what I'm doing?
The way I set mine up seems to really work great.
shortwave SSB listening has been fun lately
FS, It always is with two good looking blonds at your side.
Fabulous video. I had a question for you regarding what setting I should be using on my Grundig Sat 800 when using an exterior MLA 30+ Loop antenna. There is 2 setting on my radio. One setting is for 50 ohm and the other is for 500 ohm. At this point, the 50 ohm seems to be giving me a much better reception with very little noise while the 500 ohm setting gives me a much better signal yet more noise. What's the rule of thumb for SW enthusiast (Expert) like yourself when choosing a setting for a MLA 30 antenna? Our perhaps, is it just preference?
Can i add addition footage of coaxial if extra length is needed. just ordered per your advice for my pl330 coming friday. thanks neighbor.
I’m just wondering about a long wire in the attic for shortwave listening. Is it ok to make a couple of 90* turns (kind of zigzag like a lightning bolt) or does it have to be straight? Also, can I drop a coax to the radio off the antenna wire somewhere in the middle, or does it have to be at the end of the wire? Thanks for the videos and great info too!
Loops are preferred, but yes, any long wire that doesn't touch another part of itself will work!
@@FarpointFarms Thank you for the reply!
Well I missed this vid, or utube didnt notify me.... anyway gonna pull my finger out and get an SDR/SW and one of these but some are advertising them as the MLA-30 and the MLA-30 Plus..... care to chime in???
I think they are just copies. I don't think It matters of you get the 30 or 30+ you'll end up with a great SW antenna either way.
Very cool i like that
RH, You like "THAT". What is "that"? How do you define "that"? Is this a grammar guessing game?
Since you mounted that to house did you run a ground. So it came with the wire to put into external antennae? Where did that preamp go? Thanks!
I have an old 15 - 20 foot aluminum flag pole. Instead of using PCV pipe, do you think this would work or do you think the metal pipe would cause to much interference?
It's been a month. How did that MLA-30 you partially assembled fare in your tests? It looks like you "side lined" the next video you mentioned.
I think I watched the Part2 video in Feb. 2022, but it's not there now.
I think he just screws the satellite dish bracket to the roof, then slipped the PVC pipe onto it, add a few zip-ties to secure the wire and some duct tape over the top where the slot was made.
Then you feed the wire into the house and to the radio.
Next TMC topic: John Titor or time travel/travellers (unless you've already done it).
Part ... 2? I need to know ... the rest of the story .......... (speak that like Paul Harvey)
My radio has NO jacks to attache this antenna. Is there some way I can attach to the telescopic antenna built into my receiver?
Alligator clips would work!
I have 2 MLA 30+ antennas. The Biasing Tee powers up fine on a USB plug in power adapter but when I try and power it through a portable power bank the power cuts off after a few minutes. This happens with both antenna Biasing Tees and with several different portable power banks different power cords. I would like to use the antenna for portable use but cannot power it. Is this normal or do I have two defective antennas.
Hi, is that the MLA 30+ (plus) which is reportedly an improvement on the standard MLA 30? Did you have trouble with reception with it on that metal pole, non-metal pole is recommended from what I've seen online.
One version ( the plus) has an amplifier on it. the amplifier stays indoors and has a USB-C connection for power.
love your work eric ! you do things so well on a budget, where as i blow hunderds of pounds with worse results ! aggh !
will this work on an SDR dongle?
Yes.
where is part #2? cant find?
Sorry, it's still sitting on my hard drive. I'll put it up in the the next few weeks.
@@FarpointFarms would love to see part 2. I just purchased the same Antena. Going to set it up soon.
How does the PCV pipe do it very windy situations?
So far it has been great, we frequently get very high winds in the mountains here.
👍👍
tnipp... Nah, Thumbs down on this one. If this were a how to measure, cut and assemble video, I would agree but we still have no idea as to the value and usefulness of this product. He said he would fill us in on that aspect a month ago but ten videos and a month later...??? The Title says " Will This Compact SW Antenna Work As Well As ?". I still want to know, work as well as what?
Iam assuming the white box is the matching balun?
@@ianbutler1983 No, that's not a pre amp. You can't just hook up a wire antenna to a 50ohm coax and have a balanced load, iam pretty sure the box has a ferrite rod or a "Round" wrapped with wire to make a 50 ohm matched antenna.
@@ianbutler1983 Ill have to do that. I have built inverted "V's" in which my matching balun was fed in center with 50 ohm, this approach iam not familiar with. Thanks for the information.👍
E D, Never assume anything. Get the facts!
Tankyou foro información about antena.
where is the part 2
It's here : ruclips.net/video/qwF1VZpcX3Q/видео.html
I drilled a hole in my pocket and threaded the wire through.
Horrible experience with setup.. it's impossible to build it neatly.. i didn't get the perfect round shape at all..😒
I am sorry to hear that.
You don't make this; you just assemble the parts, which are made by a professional.