[600MRG] Preliminary Earth Loop Results

[jrusgrove at comcast.net]

John

Saw your original posting on this. Some questions:

Tuned or untuned antennas? 
Preamplifier details? 
Length of feedlines?
Common mode chokes?
Isolation transformers? 

Any additional pertinent information would be appreciated.

Jay W1VD  WD2XNS  WE2XGR/2  WG2XRS/2


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Molnar" <wa3etd at gmail.com>
To: <600MRG at w7ekb.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2013 7:53 AM
Subject: [600MRG] Preliminary Earth Loop Results


> All,
> Several days ago I experienced a wind gust that knocked my tripod mounted
> 10' diameter shielded magnetic loop to the ground, it landed flat still
> pointed NE -SW.
> Interestingly enough, I still had multiple WSPR spots from John WG2XIQ all
> night. (2395 KM path).  Originally the bottom (preamp end) of the loop is
> about 6' above ground level.  The grass was soaked from the storm.
> 
> Obviously curious, I duplicated the "experiment".
> I constructed an identical 10' loop (RG-6) and built an identical
> preamplifier and bias Tee.  This was setup on the grass, about 30' from the
> vertical loop.  I used two identical laptops running WSPR 2.0.  Identical
> receivers,
> FT-857 and FT-897 (same guts) were used. AGC off.  There is no common
> component shared by the two receive systems.  They are totally independent.
> 
> The test commenced last evening.  XIQ was the only WSPR station
> transmitting in the USA, I stayed RX only.  The vertical loop reported as
> WG2XKA, the grass mounted earty loop reported as WA3ETD.
> 
> As XIQ reported, the earth loop drew "first blood".  Over the course of the
> evening both loops reported, the best spot of XIQ was -22, reported by both
> loop stations.  In several cases, the earth loop indicated a better spot by
> several dB.  The ground here is currently wet and the night dew was very
> heavy.  Very weak (-29, -30) were also reported by both loops.
> 
> I have yet to quantify all the data, but results are encouraging and the
> tests will continue.
> 
> For anyone interested, the data can be recovered on WSPRNET, entering the
> appropriate "reporter" calls listed above.
> 
> John WG2XKA / WA3ETD
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