Unbox and Test of W6LVP Receive-Only HF Loop (#74)
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- Опубликовано: 25 июн 2017
- Here's a great receive-only HF antenna good for stealth scenarios or just putting a receive antenna in a much quieter place. This antenna is the direct cost and performance competitor with the MFJ-1886. The W6LVP loop is better at stealth and ships in a much smaller box. Subscribe: / davidcasler . Ask Dave Playlist: goo.gl/inaQeB. Tip Jar: ke0og.net/tip-jar
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Nice demo of these receive only antennas. Many thanks.
Another great video in your portfolio, with the usual high production values. Thanks for putting these videos up on the internet.
One thing I wish you had commented about more about is the fact that no matter which of the small loops a ham might choose to buy or build, none of these can be dependably directional antennas for many HF signals that arrive from the ionosphere at high angles (i.e. skywave signals). I own the expensive, but well-built, Pixel RF Pro 1B and I have found this characteristic to be valid. In contrast, this same loop dramatically nulls signals from nearby low-power NDB transmitters (e.g. PPI, 400 KHz less than 5 miles away) or local flamethrower broadcast transmitters (e.g. KSTP, 1500 KHz less than 5 miles away). Isn't the functional advantage gained in using a small loop for HF reception by ham operators mostly the benefit of "general QRN reduction" since it will be relatively insensitive to junk arriving normal to the loop plane?
Great videos! I'm learning a lot of good info
Hi Dave, Thanks for the great review on the W6LVP receive-only magnetic loop antenna. I recently purchase one directly from Larry and coupled it with an inexpensive Channel Master rotator that I got from Home Depot. I have been very happy with the performance of this antenna and am enjoying a much lower noise floor. This antenna is connected to my SDRPlay RSP1A. Speaking of the RSP1A, yet another great product I learned about from your RUclips Channel. Again, many thanks! PS, I am one of your Patreon supporters. 👍🏻
Phil, thanks for the kind words and continuing support!
Nice video and comparison of the two options. I have been told that the loops will be even quieter than a vertical in the lower bands. 40 m and 30 m for example. On 20 m they were perhaps what I am looking for too. As I do some SWL too they are of interest.
the agc takes a bit of time to sort out the signal. pretty nice!
Great Video! I watched your video before making my decision to buy a W6LVP Magnetic Loop Antenna myself. I appreciate folks taking the effort to provide actual evidence of success or failure of products that have gathered recent interest due to the incredible noise floors we all face now.
I have extreme electrical noise that was S-8 most of the time on my Carolina Windom and made my radio almost unusable. I temporarily installed the Magnetic Loop antenna on a short 5 FT pole in the backyard. With the XYL as the null monitor at the radio I called her on my cell phone and rotated the antenna by hand and was able to get a sharp noise null of about S-1. Very tight null when rotating just a few degrees one way or the other. Went in the house and couldn't believe the clear signals that were hidden by the previous high noise level. It reminded me of SWLing 50 years ago as a kid back in the good old days before the electrical noise environment turned so bad.
Ken Wigger
WD9GNG
Sounds like a great experience!
First time I've heard/seen this video. There's quite a few of us that operate NI6BB, although not much since March. We'll be operating again this Saturday, 9/19.
I just received my W6LVP loop, partly based on your testing. I haven't gotten it mounted yet, but I'm very impressed with the quality of construction and overall attention to detail. It may be a trivial point Dave, but you seemed unimpressed with the roll of no-name electrical tape he included in the package. Actually, if you'd looked closer, you'd see that Tartan isn't no-name. Tartan is 3M's name for their vinyl electrical tape. It doesn't get any better. Nice to know that the builder doesn't skimp, even when it comes to the free roll of tape he includes with his product. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the additional information.
Thanks Dave!
Would be helpful to know how the antenna worked on lower frequency bands vs just 20 meters. It does seem to have sharp nulls on 40 meters.
I'm what you call a "lil pistol" contester and I must say the W6LVP is a big help for receiving while on the low bands...not enough room for a proper Beverage ant so this does the trick and does it well!
I wonder how much these cost to make a couple of BNC Connectors and a bit of coax for the loop, the LNA probably uses a mmic ic cheap as chips and a few bits of plastic.👍
Thanks Dave for making this video. In fact, I have a daily schedule and we were just talking about loop antennas for those of us in the Chicago area with small lots and power lines everywhere, today. I have power lines in the front of my house and in the back; my 80M inverted V is close to those lines both at the ends.
After watching the video, my question would be:would it work for me or not? The loops seem to work to null out the noise but only in certain situations - so spending $250 on the antenna and then adding a rotator and mounting it would be an expensive debacle if it doesn't meet your needs. My conclusion being; that I would want to borrow someone's to test (maybe a club members') or home brew it, rather than spending a lot of money for nothing.
did you have rotate the loop to tune it in when in you are inside?
Thank you for this video. Very informative. Ian. G0YAP. England.
Good afternoon Dave, My name is Austin, N4KCS. And I will be shooting for the Amateur Extra Class Saturday! I will be getting the next systematic call whatever the FCC assigns to me. Thank you for answering a lot of my questions! 73!Austin, N4KCS
Good luck with your studies!
Thank you!
Hello
Could you please tell me if that antenna works well at 10, 15 and 20m?
Cheers de SV8SXB
Basically, is this loop or the MFJ rx only loop as good as the Wellbrook?
Sorry, I have no info on the Wellbrook loop. They all perform about the same. Any performance difference between them will end up about 1 or 2 dB.
Great review David. I own a Drake R8B in pristine condition. Would you recommend this antenna for indoor operation possibly with a tripod mount? Could mount outside if necessary using an old basketball pipe used for mounting tv antennas years ago. Thanks David.
Either way should work. Outdoor is better. Note that this antenna is directional.
David Casler Thank you David.
Dave, could you mount this antenna in a horizontal fashion if you don’t have the ability to rotate.?
My application would be with an icom 7300. Want to improve reception of noisy signals.
You'd need some kind of frame to keep the coax from drooping.
It looks about as robust as an AlexLoop -- that isn't really a permanent mount antenna, so I don't see how this compares with the MFJ or Wellbrook loops in terms of standing up to weather storms or even rain over months/years?
A Caribbean broadcaster selected my W6LVP antenna to be located at several island locations to monitor their received signal levels. Based on extended field tests, they found the W6LVP loop to be best suited to withstand the harsh heat and humidity island climates.
Thank you Dave. Are you aware of a good quality loop antenna (such as the hg3-qro) transmitts and receives allowing 1000 watts? Thank you very much. I enjoy all your videos...do you accept donations? Thx Bruce NS3R
Check out chameleonantennas.com. They sell long horizontal loops. Yes, if you would like to support my channel, you can do so by going to www.dcasler.com/support.
How about going over your headphones for the rig and the computer and some of the differences and features? 73
Hmmm...interesting. I'll add it to the topic list. Thanks for your suggestion.
I have a RFI problem at my qth and have been unsuccessful in finding the source. Will this antenna allow me to drastically reduce an s9 interference level in my receive. I'll try anything at this point.
De N5EMI
The antenna claims a sharp null perpendicular to the plane of the loop. You should, in theory, be able to null an interfering station.
I recently picked up a W6LVP Magnetic Loop a few weeks ago and put it up about 20 ft on a Channel Master rotator and use it as my receive antenna on my ham station while using a 132 ft Carolina Windom antenna for transmit. I really have found a tremendous difference in noise after going to a loop. As David Casler demonstrated and commented the W6LVP will null effectively noise or interfering signals perpendicular to the loop. My personal experience is that it has a very tight null of just a few degrees. The null is incredible, but aiming at stations the peak isn't that sharp which is why some people just place the antenna where it nulls the worse noise source and just leaves it there. But with a rotor you will find that noise source direction varies by frequency and time of day. But usually there is a main direction that is the worse. I also have a Timewave ANC-4 Noise reducing device that works great in combination with either antenna when fighting noise that is not nulled out by the loop because I am using the loop at times to pick between stations in different locations on the ham bands and also BCB stations on the exact same frequency. I have a 12 ft noise dipole at 3 ft above the ground for the ANC-4 that I placed right under my electrical power line pole. The combination of a W6LVP Magnetic Loop and the ANC-4 has allowed me to enjoy listening to Shortwave like back in the 50s and 60s before all of the electrical environment issues we face today.
73s
WD9GNG
I like the head work🤣
Large + for transformer-based AC adapter. Simple transformer does not generate RF noise like DC-DC converter based power supply.
Switching power supplies that are made for amateur radio are generally low noise.
That's my Lil hamming pal!!
Will this receive loop work for 75/80m band?
Yes, and very well
Dave a few years ago one company claimed to have military technology for their preamp on its magnetic RX loop.....what's your opinion as far as any of these loop rx companies being miles ahead of the others? It sure seems they are all fairly consistent. What is your favorite RX only loop?
They all perform about the same. "Military technology" could include most anything. The choice of an antenna is highly personal. Both the MFJ and the W6LVP antennas are great RX antennas.
Hello David... Sir, if you (or anyone else can comment) - is the diameter a set value? What happens if we make it twice as big? Or smaller? - AND, would that NULL that you experienced when rotating it be gone if it was horizontal? THANK YOU ALL... -Robert
Bigger antenna leads to lower frequencies being covered.
@@davecasler thanks for your reply, Sir. What if we wanted to locate TWO of these loops on the same coax line... (say for someone not running a rotator) and using the SDRPLAY DUO... diversity receiving.
My intent is to make a supreme receiving station with the DUO.
thank you Sir. (Or anyone can help suggest)
d put this antenna on my frog-9600 yeasu
My only real concern is the amplifying transistor. I've viewed the MFJ loop, W6LVP, and a home brew; they are very similar to each other. The only variable not addressed is amount of amplification used by each antenna. If one is 10db, one 7db, and the other is 5db; how far have we walked into the muddy field? All three antennas I've watched tonight all seem to work very well for what they are. How much bias is formed by how well the preamp works? I don't think anyone has represented anything wrongly here; I just want to know what I'm evaluating. It's been well over a year since this video has been made; perhaps I'm the only one that didn't catch all the details. I'm just now learning about SDR and I well know SDR was here before me. :)
Both the MFJ and the W6LVP work well. I have both. I have the MFJ set up permanently and fed to my SDRplay radio.
@@davecasler I don't doubt you one bit and I actually am going to get the MFJ for my SDRplay. I'll be rustling about in the back yard, or at least the deck! I'll probably end up looking the nearest ham club, to test before winter is done. I got into Ham Radio back in the late 80's before the code requirement was dumped. I got up to tech and it turned into tech plus. My situations changed greatly and I was unable to continue using my license and let it drop. I can at least put an antenna up outdoors as long as I don't get carried away with it. I liked working 6 and 2 meter SSB hanging out with some friends. I had a hell of a lot of fun working 10 meters back then. I'll be content to listen for now eventually getting the antenna up about 30 feet. I was just looking in my 1989 Handbook knocking the rust out of my noggin!
I have the W6LVP mounted on the deck using a painter pole. I also have a 40/20m MFJ dipole in the attic.With the loop I have the powered transfer switch driven by a 2 wire.RCA plugs cable to/from my ICOM 7300. The attic dipole averages S7 noise base. The loop averages S1 to S2. Most of the time it is actually below S1 with only an occasional flicker. This is on 40 meters. Signals are definitely stronger on the attic dipole but not always readable. On the loop they are perfectly readable but with the limitation that you RST 915 on some signals. That same signal is just breaking the noise on the attic dipole and is a difficult copy.
Mounting - I just slipped the black plastic tube over the end of the painter pole. Then I used the provided tape to wrap around the pole and antenna. No slippage in high winds. As a note-the provided tape is excellent. It is thinner than the electrical tape you find on the shelves and very sticky. As a result it provided a nice water-tight seal around the BNC connectors and does not unravel over time.
As I mentioned I have the transfer box as well. It takes nerve to make the first transmission hoping that you have the right setup. In my case no blown amps and all is well.
While my 7300 has a panadaptor it is a miniature version. So I electrically paralled an SDRPLAY RSP1A with a coax T connector to the loop so both the SDRPlay and the 7300 see the same signal. I loose about 1 S-unit which I would anyhow if I used an official splitter with mysterious components inside. HDSDR on a 27" monitor which also controls the 7300 makes a fine point and click utility versus the screen on the 7300.
So far so good with temperature and moisture extremes and I am satisfied....
Dick N3HKN
@@dickb5738 Thanks, I'll probably get creative over the winter planning how the final location will be situated. I'll be fighting the power lines just past the fence out back. I won't be able to go higher than they are, I'll see how things go as time goes on.
Frog-9600
But, those loops are not signifantly better at HF, like 20m, but work better for the low bands, 80 and 160. I am disappointed that you did not test the signal to signal/noise ratio on those bands, where noise abatement is really necessary. The real test is to find a really weak signal, barely perceptible in the noise, on your station antenna, then switch to the other loops and see if the signals become readable. Testing with strong signals proves nothing.
F r g-9600
The Proof is NOT in the pudding. Silly expression!
The real expression is "The proof of the pudding is in the eating."
We happily grant you our permission to speak OUR language but please don't mangle it! "Grrrr!"
Love the video, by the way...and ALL your others for that matter.
73 de G3NBY..(Your former colonial oppressors! No taxation without representation!)
:-)
Davjd Caster
Hello David, Sorry...Only just found your reply.
Not sure what :-) means.
Not sure? No idea!
Great videos..Always very informative.
Many thanks from Olde Englande, your previous Colonial Oppressor, Hi.
God Bless America.
73 de G3NBY
The expression "the proof is in the pudding" is meant to refer to the proof of which recipe is best lies in the pudding itself. It may be loosely based on your expression, but sometimes the newer improved version actually is better. Your language wasn't mangled, just streamlined and improved a bit in this case. "The proof is in the pudding" saying has been in use here for well over 100 years now, and probably a lot longer, and still works very well at getting the point across.
@@MauriatOttolink David was just politely smiling at your criticism.
@@roadsidediner-video2792 "the proof is in the pudding" isn't improved, it's just lazy and sloppy. It's the same type of mistake as "people only use 10% of their brains" which "streamlines" (read: oversimplifies) the role more numerous glial cells play in the brain (thought to outnumber neurons by a ratio of 10:1, hence the 10% myth). People also thought the sun revolved around the earth for well over 100 years. Did that make it right?
Sorry but outdoor tests are garbage for a lot of shortwave listeners seeking an indoor antenna solution.
This antenna is intended for outdoor use