Friday, April 27, 2012

A.M. Passive Antenna Loop

Here is an antenna for the A.M. band I built out of a recycled cardboard tube, some wire and an air variable capacitor. The loop is 16 3/8 tall with 24 turns of 20 gauge wire about an 1 in wide. So if my math is right I have about 103 feet of wire.


Not a real work of art, but it does work fine. I sprayed it with clear lacquer to keep the wire in place on the cardboard tube. I used tape to hold the wire in position (close wound) while I sprayed it. One note here the lacquer I used melted the tape in some places so I hit in between, let it dry then took off the tape to finish it. The hot-glue gun was used to fasten it to the wooden plaque.


A short demo of the loop in action. I found a very hard to hear signal down in the noise and tuned up the loop to hear it (them). There were actually two stations that came in. I'll have to listen to them to see where they are broadcasting from. Anyhow I am pleased with the result.