Tim -- If the suggestions from others don't entirely do the trick, here's
another thing to consider: The outer conductor on your coax might be picking
up local noise and/or destroying the pattern of your receiving antenna. I DX
the AM broadcast band with whatever antennas I can fit into my suburban
backyard. I was getting poor results with a pennant until I put Radio Works
T-4 line isolators at both ends of the coax. Suddenly the antenna began to
behave as expected. Hope this helps. Art DelibertKB3FJO
> From: tshoppa@wmata.com
> To: topband@contesting.com
> Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2012 13:28:38 +0000
> Subject: Topband: Receiving loops
>
> I want to try a new receiving antenna for the summer Stew Perry. Last winter
> was my first foray onto 160M and I really felt like an alligator. I could
> work everyone I could hear, with just 100W. I think that means I need a
> better receive antenna. If you look at my score in the winter Stew Perry I
> think I did great QSO-number wise, but my average distance was very poor, I'm
> guessing typical alligator.
>
> I have tried pennants and K9AY's over the winter with little success.
> Compared to my transmitting antenna (A "T" with a poor radial system) most
> signals were still better, S/N wise, on my transmitting antenna. I feel like
> I must've been doing something wrong. Still the fact that a few signals came
> in on the loop with by ear much better S/N, maybe I was on the right track
> and just didn't try hard enough.
>
> I will be trying a small tuned magnetic loop tonight (e.g. the last one at
> http://www.w8ji.com/magnetic_receiving_loops.htm with the 9:1 transformer) .
> And maybe a terminated beverage but I'm limited to about 150'... well maybe I
> could run something longer down the driveway as long as I clean it up before
> the sun comes up and the neighbors see.
>
> I was fairly impressed with small tuned magnetic loops when I was doing some
> BCB DX'ing several years ago. I wasn't comparing with beverages or anything.
>
> Tim N3QE
> _______________________________________________
> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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