15 thoughts on “Sony ICF-SW100: Whip vs. DE31MS active vs. Sony AN-LP1”

1. Ronald Hofmeister January 25, 2024 at 12:20 am

   I am looking for a Sony AN-LP1 Shortwave Antenna that is boxed but not Necessary. Does anyone have one for Sale?

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   1. Ersin March 8, 2024 at 10:45 am

      I have one you can send me a Email

      [email protected]

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2. Sunny February 10, 2022 at 7:50 am

   To be honest, I don’t see the difference between the two, people on eBay just too crazy with this antenna. I have both antenna and I tested many times with the most weakest signals and they came out very similar, regret that I spent too much money on the pricy Sony 🙁

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   1. Sunny March 13, 2022 at 9:21 pm

      Sorry my bad it’s actually work! i noticed you dont see much improve with strong signal, but if you test with weaker signal, the Sony AN-LP1 pull it out better than the Degen. Also try different radio, i tested with the Sony ICF-SW7600GR, i can see the different during day time.

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3. PI August 9, 2020 at 7:32 am

   If possible, would like to see a same review with the Sony antenna amplifier turned ON.
   In the video, the Sony amplifier is OFF.

   I have such a Sony antenna and I can see the difference. Accepts just very very fine by the window, even in the metal room at the factory.
   100$ it’s almost for nothing. Worth every dollar!!!!!!!!!

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   1. Samuel Rhine July 20, 2021 at 6:04 pm

      Not only that but the thing is low noise floor. Since the loop has null spots and rejects the dc part or whatever of the rf signal and just the magnetic part instead etc etc that we already know, you get a nice clean signal off the LP1, specially useful in noisier environments thanks to the little toroid filter it comes with. I get good signal in my window but normally have to turn off stuff like the laptop powersupply but AN-LP1 rejects it all nicely so it’s as clean as if i went outside onto the street. Any eletricity raises the noise floor so unless you in a remote area where the longwire would be better it’s nice to have the loop so I can listen just like a regular radio.

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4. Thomas January 31, 2019 at 8:01 am

   Thanks for this comparison, Troy.

   No doubt, amplified loop antennas are improving your breakfast nook reception! I would love to have an AN-LP1 again–I used one for a couple years but it was essentially lent to me from a good buddy. (I was tempted to see if he would forget!) 🙂 Ha ha!

   Amplified loops are typically a solid choice for improving reception while attempting to keep noise at bay. Some are more successful than others, of course. Cheaper amplified vertical or wire antennas are less effective when used indoors only because they tend to amplify the noise as much as they amplify the signal you’re tuned to. Outside, away from sources of RFI, even cheaper amplified wire/vertical antennas can improve reception.

   Thanks again, Troy. Maybe I should scrap the idea of grabbing the AN1-LP and just go for the Degen model!

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5. Armozel January 30, 2019 at 11:56 am

   I believe someone did a modded version of the Sony loop antenna and they found the circuit was just using varactors (think solid state variable capacitors) and no actual amplifier IIRC. I’ve been tempted to make Chris Trask’s own varactor tuned loop circuit since the most complex part of his design are the transformers since his experiments shown it actually works pretty well indoors and it can be built to do remote tuning as well.

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   1. Troy Riedel Post authorJanuary 30, 2019 at 3:13 pm

      Good point, Armozel. I should have used the term “active” versus the word “amplified” within the body of the post (not just in the title). I am definitely not an electronics guy & I surely try not to portray myself as one. I believe these types of antennas use a “FET” (or similar type of “active” component – hence the term active antenna) versus an “amplifier”.

      Thanks for the feedback!

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   2. RonF January 30, 2019 at 8:20 pm

      FWIW, the transformers in Chris Trask’s designs aren’t hard to wind, and the general design does work as well as any other tuned unamplified loop.

      A tip: follow either his description or his drawings – not both! I personally found it confusing when I tried to reconcile the two and follow both. (But then, thanks to working in telco/rf for years, I’ve had lots of experience at being confused by winding instructions, and maybe his confused me because they /weren’t/ contradictory! ;))

      Personally I’m not a big fan of amplified antennas in general, but it does depend on the situation, local vs distant noise, etc, etc. The thing to remember with antennas in general, and unamplified antennas in particular, is that SNR is almost always more important than signal level. Reducing noise floor & maximising signal works much better than increasing both through amplification.

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   3. Andrew January 31, 2019 at 4:11 am

      As for active loop antennas, I’ve built this one and can say it works quite well

      http://www.techlib.com/electronics/antennas.html

      there are no coils, the circuit is full solid state and use varactors to tune the loop to the desired frequency, the preamplifier is set to minimal gain and, in effect, is only used to match the loop impedance and to minimize the effect of cable signal loss; the antenna may be either built as an indoor one or as an outdoor one, in this latter case you may use a lenght of CAT5 cable (the one used for networks) to carry the controlbox contact to the active unit connected to the loop

      Another good antenna found at the same site is this one

      http://www.techlib.com/electronics/antennas.html#Improved%20Active%20Antenna

      it’s basically a “miniwhip” although it’s different from the usual one, the above uses a simple antenna buffer which offers no amplification but just acts as an impedance matcher, the unit may be used with either a short length of wire (5 to 6 ft at max) or a short telescopic whip and in either case, offers good performance and, given the very small size, may be successfully used as a field-day antenna; in such a case the buffer unit may be powered using (e.g.) a pair of 9V batteries

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      1. Andrew January 31, 2019 at 9:31 am

         Forgot, that tuned loop, that is the one shown here

         http://www.techlib.com/electronics/antennas.html

         is a quite interesting antenna to operate with an SDR, you connect the loop, fire the SDR and then start turning the tuning pot, and you immediately see the noise/signal peak move along the waterfall while you turn the tuning knob 🙂 my suggestion is to either use a 10 turns pot for the tuning or (better) a vernier dial; with the latter you’ll be able to make a note about the knob position for the main bands so that you’ll be then able to quickly tune the loop for a given band

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6. Troy Riedel Post authorJanuary 30, 2019 at 10:31 am

   Thanks for the reply Frank – good tip – and yes, I agree! You won’t solve ALL reception problems, but for the price of dinner – $18 for the DE31MS – it’s money well spent.

   I’ve been experimenting with the Sony AN-101/102 antenna module. For other readers unaware, the AN-101 comes with a controller and was made exclusively for the Sony ICF-SW1. That controller works with the SW1 but not with any other portables that I own (it has to do with the 3.5mm plug – and power – but I digress). I’ve used the AN-101/102 standalone and have also substituted the TG34 (DE31MS) as the in-line controller … it doesn’t even have to be turned on – it’s only a conduit of sorts – and both of those combinations work as well (the latter the best – you’re simply using the Sony AN-101/102 Whip module in place of the DE31MS antenna).

   That’s the fun part, huh Frank? Playing and experimenting to see what works best with – and within – our situations. Thanks again for the comment & tip, mate!

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   1. Frank January 30, 2019 at 12:48 pm

      You´re very welcome, Troy. Glad to read it is not that unusual to combine two small active loops into one, to combine each other´s selectivity. I was surprised myself when a few years ago I simply hung them over each other and suddenly got Peru and a few non-standard Brazilians. This is still my standard setup here, mostly to listen to the German small power stations and their relayed programs in the 49 meter band, such as Uncle Bill´s Melting Pot. Works fine here with both loops over each other , but I find I need to have the power on both. It´s probably the next best thing to a self-made hoola hoop loop.

      In 2017 I spent the Easter holidays in Indonesia and I had the Sony ICF-SW-100 and the DE31MS antenna along, Wanted to hunt PNG…alas, only station I received in the 3 MHz area from home in the middle of a big Javanese city was RRI Palangkaraya, the one on 3325 khz. Additionally, I listened a lot to local AM stations and amateur radio, the latter was helped a lot by the loop antenna when I compared it with a simple 2 meter long wire. Had my laptop for work along and the Sony-Degen antenna combo served me well over 3 1/2 weeks every afternoon before neighbors turned on their LED lamps…

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7. Frank January 30, 2019 at 10:02 am

   I like to use both at the same time, hanging on top of each other and using the Degen one for fine-tuning. Before I had to replace the DSL modem towards a new one, a FritzBox, I was able to get Radio Tarma even in my bedroom using this setup. Both are great antennas for indoor use.

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