I’ve been thinking about a 2nd antenna since I’ve got a Flexradio with a lot of antenna ports and only one connected. I came across a receive only antenna called a Loop on Ground. It’s like a poor man’s beverage antenna as it is only 15’x15′ square. Matt Roberts KK5JY has a great write up on it at his website http://www.kk5jy.net/LoG/. I built it just like he did.
Here’s how it looked installed, you can see the yellow tent stakes at the corners:
The transformer box is in the bushes so I don’t run it over with the lawnmower. I used 14guage THHN wire and tacked it down with landscaping staples.
Here is the transformer. I had to rebuild it with thinner wire. I tried it first with cat5 wires removed from a cable as that was the thinnest I had but I wasn’t getting any signals. I then ordered 36awg magnet wire and that worked more like it should.
It uses F-connectors and 75ohm coax since it’s cheaper and I won’t be transmitting out of it. So how does it work? There’s significantly less noise but also less signal than my vertical. So far I haven’t been able to say I made a contact because of this 2nd antenna but I think someday I will be able to. I’ll post an update when that happens. In the meantime, it’s nice having a second antenna to use the diversity reception of the Flexradio(one antenna’s signal in each ear). Again check out Matt Robert’s website for way more information about this antenna. http://www.kk5jy.net/LoG/