Building a Magnetic Loop Antenna Series for Beginners [Video]

You're certainly missing something.
The point of the video is to tell people about a kit, the build videos I'll publish to support the kit, and where to get help. It's a simple announcement.
I reached out to Chameleon telling them in happy to do a build series, in exchange for one kit. All that is in the description.
Advanced builders can certainly do the same thing without buying a kit. There no pressure.
Hope this clears things up

 

That's the spirit

 

By the way guys.
I'm not getting paid or anything like that by Chameleon. I have no financial stake in the company, but simply like many of the products.
The reason I do everything I can to share my experience with Chameleon products (good and bad) is simple. Too many times, i've been screwed by companies with their military this, and tactical that, only to see their ham gear fail up here in the north. Chameleon has had problems but rather than making promises behind empty smiles, they fix it!
I'm certainly no casual operator. Knowing a company has my back is priceless to me.

 

Thanks bonnie. I've got something else in the pipe also

 

You probably will. I need to finish about 8 more episodes the portable digital comms series before I can get started. I've also got one special video to do for one if the operators commenting in this thread
Let's see his it goes.

 

Jeff,
Nothing wrong with using LMR 400 to make it more portable. Just not as efficient as copper tubing. Looks like the kit has a nice variable capacitor that can be used for your Mag Loop. Not sure what it's power rating is. I use my Mag Loop primarily for QRP ops using my KX3, so low power is not an issue.
Check out K4LIX qrz page. He currently has two Mag Loops pictured. He got me into amateur radio years ago and got me looking at the Mag Loop design.
You will have fun with this project. Just take your time and make it your own! Be creative with what you have available and get on the air with it. Its a great feeling to make a contact with your own work! Keep tweaking till it works like you want it to. I am still using my 3rd version. I call it my Mag Loop 3.0 hi hi
I would to try coming up with a motorized remote control eventually.

 

"Nothing wrong with using LMR 400 to make it more portable"...

After much poking around on the Internet, it looked like the best way to bend ten feet of copper into a loop was to use the $179.00 Harbor Freight tube bender. I would buy it, if I had a long line of people looking to build a Mag Loop to share in the cost, so this time I will build it with LMR 400. I will attempt to make the smaller loop out of 3/8" copper, using the less than ten dollar tube bender at Harbor Freight. Not a huge loss if I fail . I'll publish the results of this portion of the project later today.

The variable capacitor is the same one used in the factory build Mag Loops. It looks to be a quality build and is rated at VSWR 600 volts. Three rotations of the knob goes full scale and it feels smooth and tight.

I live not far from Disneyland and this area is packed with people and their electronic noise! I had zero success with my FT-817ND so I got rid of it. Perhaps I should have built this Mag Loop long ago...

 

I went with the FT817nd for portable operations and that really got me into the QRP mode. The Mag Loop would be a nice portable set up and I had seen several in use by others here. Just couldn't see $400 for that purpose and after looking at the design of those available. Using the LMR 400 will work ok. You can always change over to copper or aluminum using the same tuning device. I added the wingnuts on top of my 1st tuner box so I could use either coax or the aluminum stock. My friend brought over the "hardline" coax that you see in the earlier posting. It worked better than a piece or RG-8. If you can find an electrician that has a conduit bender, that could save you some $$. The copper will kink without using a bender on the bigger pipe. Eventually sold the FT817nd and found the Elecraft KX3 to fit my needs. Magnetic loops look different from any other antenna but do work! Keep at it.

One other thing.... If the kit does not provide an insulated knob for the variable capacitor,
you will need one or a method to turn the shaft without touching and de-tuning the antenna.
Even with the insulated knob, it will cause a slight change in tuning until you move away from it.

 

I agree, where is honesty in this "advertisment"? But hey Carl at Chameleon, can I have one to show too?

Rob
W0ALS

 

Hi Operators
The starter kit arrived last friday (it's a good thing Santa lives so close).
The kit arrived on December 29 2016. It took exactly one week from California to Finland. I actually expected it much later, but since it’s here, I will go ahead and announce the first build.

Some notes
The Starter kit is made from exactly the same capacitor that goes into making the Chameleon P-Loop and Chameleon F-Loop. It doesn’t seem to have any plastic parts, a 6:1 gear reduction is pre-installed, wires are pre-soldered, and it’s mounted to a pre-drilled mounting plate to simplify installation into some sort of enclosure. I don't think leaving out the enclosure was a bad idea.

SO I've decided since the kit arrived early, i'll do the first basic loop build video sooner than expected. This first build will be a man portable magnetic loop for field ops. It will be manually tuned, and able to pack down into a compact size for travels.
I actually thought about doing a two parallel loop build first, but Ill start off with a basic build, then introduce modifications builders can make to increase the efficiency and practicality of their own builds.

I've outlined the first build at the following link. Hopefully you'll get a pretty good idea of what the loop will look like, along with it's operating goals.
http://www.survivaltechnology.net/diy-magnetic-loop-starter-kit-kit-arrived/

Just a side note. I know chameleon is selling the kit, but there is no reson why one couldnt source the parts themselves if that makes more sense for their unique situation. Although we support companies, it's got to be about the learning.

de OH8STN

 

Update on my build. I went to Lowes and bought a 5 foot and 10 foot box of coiled, 3/8" soft copper tube. The 10 foot piece was slowly shaped into a 38" dia loop. I needed a bit over 2 feet from the 5 foot coil to make a 6-7" loop. This was a bit more difficult, due to the size of the finished loop. I bought a tube bender at Harbor Freight for $7.00 and it came in handy for the small loop. The Mag Loop is 98% finished. I need to do some testing and then I'll post some photos.

So far, so good.

Jeff

 

Propagation was less than ideal this afternoon. With 20 watts I made it from California to Kansas on 20 meters

The breakdown:
10 feet of copper, $13.00
5 feet of copper, $9.00
Junction box, $9.00
PVC, less than $2.00
Clamps, $1.00

This antenna won't win any beauty contests...
I had plans to run the feed line through the PVC. All I have left to do is drill the box cover so I can close it up.

As is, it can fit in the back seat of my car without being disassembled.

 

Great job Jeff!
Now you've got the idea.
If you wanted to have the option of also being able to use the LMR 400, you can install the SO-239 connectors on each side of your junction box if you need to make it more portable on occasion.

Congratulations on breaking it in with the contact! Way to go!

 

Sat morning I had my iron hot and the connector installed, I soldered the tip and all for port holes, it looked really good and with little to no effort, the connector came lose and fell off! That LMR 400 is VERY dense and it's a serious fight just to rotate it or keep it open. If my local HRO can add crimp connectors, that's what I'll do.

I have a Yeasu FT 757 GX II that can go portable, so I look forward to finding out what it can do away from the noise of the city.

 

There is no reason to spend $179.00 to bend copper in a circle, use straight pipe and it will work just as well. Anyone who spends $179.00 to bend tubing for a mag loop has more money than brains.