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Locked Alpha Loop

 

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With all the forwards on the previous post, it¡¯s kind of unclear who exactly
posted the various messages, but I want to say, ¡°THANK YOU!¡±
This is just the kind of thing I need ¨C as an apartment dweller for a while
longer.
I was ready to order, but I think I¡¯m going to hold off for both the microtune
and 100 watt versions which will be offered not too long off.
-Hue Miller? K7HUE? ( Newport, Oregon )

 

Sign up for their newsletter at??to get product updates from Alpha Antenna like those I shared. I also was able to preorder the?QRP?MicroTune Loop, and of course pre-pay for it. It was $50 more than the standard Alpha Loop. Don't look for the 100 watt version for awhile, perhaps a long while.?
 

Here's the link to pre-order the MicroTune Loop from Alpha Antenna:?
 

I don't know man, "specially selected aluminum alloy that has particular chemical properties and physical dimensions" seems a little snake oilish to me (for the price). The most important aspect that effects the efficiency of these antennas is 1. Resistance 2. Resistance 3. Resistance! The junction between the cap and the loop MUST be as low as possible. Some manufacturers apparently weld theirs to minimize R. You may also check out: http://www.nonstopsystems.com/radio/frank_radio_antenna_magloop.htm for a lot of great DIY information on building your own if you are so inclined. I have no idea if the new loop is any better than other loops that have been around for years. There may well be other reasons that make it a superior product. The only way to tell for sure is an honest to goodness "shootout" between competitors. I'm just always a little skeptical of unreferenced claims. The physics of these antennas have not changed since they were first put into service many many decades ago.
 

Loved your point about resistance, resistance, resistance so much that I called Alpha Antenna to ask them what the correlation between the chemical properties of their specially selected aluminum had to do wth resistance. The answer was so simple, the softer the aluminum the less resistance. They refered me to a sheet on the resistance in different metals. For example the resistance is high when an antenna is made out of stainless steel, because the metal is so dense or hard. Many other metals were listed and of course copper being pliable and a softer metal made it have low resistance as was the case with gold and other softer metals. So basically, Alpha Antenna has chosen a softer form of aluminum based upon chemical properties to lower resistance. Seems there's a lot of information online about this. I hadn't thought of it before, but it just makes sense.?
 

Here are a couple of links I found right away:




I also notice that after my phone call to Alpha Antenna, they clarified why a softer aluminum was chosen, as well as why brass is used at the coaxial connection points, on their Loop. Which is of course to lower resistance by using the metals with the highest conductivity.?
tomdoubts doubting
 

ANYONE PLAYED with a RX only Loop?

Feedback - (Curious) about the Pixel RF-PRO-1B ?36" Rx only Magnetic Loop..




On Tuesday, February 11, 2014 8:26 AM, "aa2nh@..." wrote:
?
Here are a couple of links I found right away:



I also notice that after my phone call to Alpha Antenna, they clarified why a softer aluminum was chosen, as well as why brass is used at the coaxial connection points, on their Loop. Which is of course to lower resistance by using the metals with the highest conductivity.?
tomdoubts doubting
 

forgot the link
http://www.pixelsatradio.com/product/shortwave-magnetic-loop-antenna/


On , tomdoubts doubting wrote:
ANYONE PLAYED with a RX only Loop?

Feedback - (Curious) about the Pixel RF-PRO-1B ?36" Rx only Magnetic Loop..




On Tuesday, February 11, 2014 8:26 AM, "aa2nh@..." wrote:
?
Here are a couple of links I found right away:



I also notice that after my phone call to Alpha Antenna, they clarified why a softer aluminum was chosen, as well as why brass is used at the coaxial connection points, on their Loop. Which is of course to lower resistance by using the metals with the highest conductivity.?
Andy Gardner
 

On 12/02/2014, at 4:26 AM, <aa2nh@...> <aa2nh@...> wrote:


Here are a couple of links I found right away:







I also notice that after my phone call to Alpha Antenna, they clarified why a softer aluminum was chosen, as well as why brass is used at the coaxial connection points, on their Loop. Which is of course to lower resistance by using the metals with the highest conductivity.
Silver isn't particularly soft and brass isn't that hot in the conductivity stakes.

And we're not discussing pure aluminium, we're talking aluminium alloys.

It's all a negotiation between conductivity, strength, workability, cost of materials, corrosion resistance, frequency (skin effect) etc.
 

Is the reason that coax is worse than soft aluminum (not rigid aluminum) to build a magnetic loop antenna from because there are thousands of lossy connection points as the braid of the coax weaves itself inside the sheath of the coax? If so, I can understand why a loop with just a few connection points around it would have less resistance than a braid with thousands of connection points. That's the only explanation I can come up with that explains why resistance is less and the skin effect is more on soft aluminum vs braded coax.?
 

I bought a Pixel RF-PRO-1B a couple of months ago and put it up on my roof.? I use it with a QS1R software defined radio.? I am very happy with it.? For me, it works as well as a resonant dipole at any particular frequency, but it does this from below 500 KHz to over 30 MHz.? Also, it can be rotated if needed to null out a noise source.? If you are only going to have one antenna to monitor the whole HF/MF band, get this.

Greg Ella
Ft. Collins, CO?
[email protected]
 

If some owns a Alpha Loop antenna can they post some clear pictures of the coupling box and antenna in general. I think these are great antennas for portable use, from descriptions I have heard they are well built but even the manufacture does not have clear pictures of the antenna on their web page. There are hundreds of pictures of the Alex Loop antenna and with this being a the same type of antenna, it would be great to compare the way they are made. I am currently working on a Aluminum loop antenna made from 5/8 inch wide strips of flat bar about 1/8 inch thick. They bolt together and have a permanent bend to them so when assembled form a near perfect 4 foot diameter loop. I am using 1/4 inch Teflon insert lock nuts, washers and bolt to assemble the antenna. Takes a little more time to assemble than the Alex loop but over all I like the way I have it. From the pictures of the Alpha loop, they seem very similar. Don't have any idea what type of capacitor is used in the Alpha loop but at this point it really does not matter. This loop design is always up for improvements. But if anyone has one of the Alpha loop, some clear pictures and descriptions would be great!

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