Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the following video and notes:
Here is a 10 minute narrated, detailed video on my 25 foot long by 10 foot tall “Volleyball Net” Loop antenna using a Wellbrook ALA100LN amp control head and antenna interface.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICHNlcLhAKE
Click here to view on YouTube.
Great job, Paul!
I like how Paul is using the antenna space he has so effectively. Though he has no antenna restrictions, his mag loop can be deployed and taken down quite easily; it’s obviously serving him well on both the HF and mediumwave bands. As he mentions, it’ s also manually steerable.
Those of you with the Wellbrook ALA100LN amplifier might try building this loop as well.
I also like how Paul is using the Tecsun ICR-100 recorder. Not only does it provide an easy way to record line-in audio from his radio, but the built-in speaker serves as an excellent monitor. It’s pretty affordable, too.
I agree with Paul about the Emtech ZM-2 ATU: it’s an exceptional little tuner that can be used for both QRP and SWL applications. I recently purchased the ZM-2 after having borrowed one from my buddy Eric (WD8RIF). Great value, in my opinion.
Thanks again, Paul!
Post readers: If you have an antenna design you’d like to share, please comment or contact me.
Hi,
Thanks for sharing!
Nowadays do you recommend the ALA100LN for HF SWL listening or better look for other alternatives?
Best regards
Hi Paul
Thanks for the video. I noticed that the speaker stands aren’t guyed so I presume that the top wire isn’t that taut. Would love to hear a comparison (A vs B) between this antenna and a long wire or one of slopers like par sells
It looks like you can set up fairly quickly. So much noise in my neighborhood here in central Oregon that I am looking for a good and effective portable antenna. To use with the elad which can be powered by the laptop even though I would rather use the Perseus.
Nice setup with some clever tricks — I’ll have to try the tuner + Wellbrook thing myself. I would like to see what you can do on an afterdark weak signal, a pirate perhaps.
With the exception of the Wellbrook stuff and the EmTech Zm2 tuner, everything I put this together with was found on Amazon, very easily. The tuner makes this “Random length loop” wire antenna a bit more resonant, so it does help most of the time.
If I can put this together, anyone can.. I am not handy or patient.
I found interesting the idea to use a tuner along with the Wellbrook. I think that the manufacturer asserts that the antenna receives all the bands.
The other thing I noticed is that Paul uses an extra preamp, although the antenna interface of the Wellbrook is an amplifier.
Anyway it is an interesting setup, and will try it by myself as I have ALA100M and DX Engineering RPA-1.
By the way, it is a very nice neighborhood there.
The antenna does get all bands, but the tuner makes the antenna a bit more resonant on whatever frequency I’m listening to since this in essence a random length wire in the shape of a loop
I do use the extra preamp. I’ll take every advantage I can get
Wow, that’s quite something! But does a loop that size need an amplifier?
I will take any advantage I can get.. the amplifier kicks things up about 15db or so…. and if you have a weak but clean signal, it can make a big difference