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Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - Printable Version

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Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - Texasrocker - 11-30-2008 06:41 AM

Ive tried several homebrew loop AM antenna receiver designs avail on the internet, but this "one" internet-offered design really works well on all vintage radios in my vast collection! I will include the link below ( hope thats OK?)to build the basic design. I added one important modification to the orig plans, which allows a direct-connection to any vintage radio antenna terminal. Once I wound the loop on the wood frame and connected the tuning-condenser ( primary loop using 18 turns of wire), I also added a approx 6" diameter copper wire ( #12 solid copper romex type, small 6" loop leaving 2 open ends soldered to a terminal strip to hold it in place on the center of the frames center "X' design),then soldered the coax type lead wire to feed radios ant terminal (using a heavy type soldering iron) to 1 leg of the 6" copper romex circumfrance of one side of the loop-ends, to feed radios via shielded type ant. lead, not using the coax shield at all. Then, I attached a single wire to the gnd-side of the antennas variable-condenser (frame) to the other side of the copper romex loop. BINGO!! No ground necessary to chassis of radio. This antenna works very, very, well!!, and was a fun project over the Thanksgiving holidays. Heres the link below, but remember to "add" the center 6" loop via 1-wire into the antennas tuning-cap chassis gnd side. Track the variable tuning condenser on the antenna to track your Radios tuning condenser up & down the dial. By "rotating" the antenna, you can pull-in hard to hear distant stations while nulling-out the unwanted signals, especially during nighttime listening on the AM band. Fun project too!! Icon_wink

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Underground/8585/loop.html

enjoy ALL your vintage Radios reception at its best!!! Icon_wink

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - Ron Ramirez - 12-10-2008 03:03 PM

Randal, thanks very much for posting this...it truly is appreciated. Icon_smile

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - BDM - 12-10-2008 10:42 PM

Thanks Randal, another antenna to try Icon_wink

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - Ron Ramirez - 12-20-2008 04:44 AM

A couple photos of Randal's loop antenna.

[Image: WallsAntennaandCollectables001.jpg]

[Image: WallsAntennaandCollectables002.jpg]

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - etech - 12-20-2008 02:30 PM

Hi guys,

Thanks for posting this info along with the pics. I need to build one of these for my Remler 'Best' 8 tube superhet. It requires a tapped loop to operate. Unfortunately, by the time I got the radio, the loop was long since gone.

BTW, I read the article about the construction of this and I wondered if it would make any sense to drill holes in the end supports or cut notches in them to string the wire in, so as to help maintain the wire spacing? Just a thought. Icon_idea

Ed

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - codefox1 - 12-20-2008 06:01 PM

Sure makes sense to drill holes, then you will maintain even windings. I suppose it's not that critical, but if you are building a 2 footer, adjust the length of the supports so that the wire path is exactly 24 inches. That's what I will do. Great idea!

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - Texasrocker - 12-21-2008 03:59 AM

I have had an enormous amt of "interest" regarding this loop-antenna design. I helped a very nice fella in Austin ( via phone & emails) to help him construct his. He reported it was equally-amazing for reception after completed as mine is.
Ive tried several loop antenna construction-ideas via the net before, but none worked like this!!
I recently restored a 1927 Radiola 18 (TRF type chassis). It works well as can be expected via a 25'-35' outdoor longwire antenna as TRFs were never designed to be great sensitive-long distant receivers in the 1st place.
This loop-antenna design attached to the Radiola 18 trf, can "swing-in" very distant stations that the outdoor longwire doesnt even get, even during nighttime reception.
Simply by "rotating" the antenna, & tracking the antennas tuning-condenser along with receivers tuner, will simply-amaze you!! The real "success" of this antenna design, is the copper-loop, with one side of its "terminal-strip connector".. jump wired back to the antenna condensers "frame"! This allows for a direct connection via coax to ANY receivers chassis antenna connection.For radios with factory built-in ferrite-loop, or rear panel loops, simply sit the Radio next to this loop-antenna and it works equally amazing with no coax connection at all! The 2' x 2' design Works!!!! Build one, you will be glad you did!! Please post your results here!! Icon_wink Randal

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - BDM - 12-21-2008 04:42 AM

Interesting. I need to get busy and build one. Exray and I have discussed this in the past. I'd like for my sets in the bedroom, such as my 116B. My long wire comes into the upstairs room.

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - exray - 12-23-2008 03:01 PM

etech Wrote:Hi guys,

Thanks for posting this info along with the pics. I need to build one of these for my Remler 'Best' 8 tube superhet. It requires a tapped loop to operate. Unfortunately, by the time I got the radio, the loop was long since gone.

Ed

Hi Ed,
In case you haven't found it already, there's a Radio News Superhets publication online (in dejavu format) that has several articles covering the Best Superhet models and there's lots of details about the specific loop(s) that those sets used. I think I d/l'ed it from ARF.

GL,
Bill

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - etech - 12-23-2008 09:30 PM

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the tip about info on the Best superhets. I have not found that yet. I will have to do some searching for it.

Ed

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - exray - 12-24-2008 04:05 AM

Try here.

http://www.tuberadio.it/docs.htm

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - etech - 12-24-2008 04:30 AM

Wow! There is a wealth of information on that page. I never knew it existed. Icon_smile

Thanks,

Ed

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - Blaine - 02-01-2009 11:56 PM

Thanks for the Antenna plan and the site with all the information. Excellent stuff.

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - Texasrocker - 02-04-2009 08:25 AM

Hello Blaine! I have tried several tuned-loop antenna designs before. This plan WORKS!! You will need to add the center 6" loop, and connect it properly to the tuning condenser frame, and use a short pc of shielded coax ( or old shielded microphone cable to feed your vintage radios antenna terminal. You can see some great photos of Joes new loop-antenna he built, ( same design as mine but alot more attractive!!)!! in the "other radios" thread here! He did a GRREAT Job building his!!, and its really simple to build one!! You will never find a better-performing antenna! These loops beat out any & all outdoor-strung longwires antennas, period!Build one! You will be amazed!!Joe loves his too!! Ive helped several folks on this forum & ARF build theirs via pm's & email. If you need any help, just pm me if you decide to build one! I will be happy to help you too! Icon_wink

Re: Building your own tuned-loop AM antennas - radiorich - 02-04-2009 09:17 AM

Hello Texasrocker,
thanks for the info
what great idea I could use some scrap oak that I have laying arourd or my be some really Fur from that 1880s that came from to make reall nice one too.
Sincerely Rich