Hi Pete,
If your K9AY is near your transmitting antenna, it may be re-radiating signals into the K9AY loops. You may need to use a relay to detune the transmitting antenna while receiving, typically my lifting the connection to between the coax and the antenna 73 Frank W3LPL ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alan Swinger" <awswin...@earthlink.net> To: "Lloyd - N9LB" <lloydb...@tds.net>, "N4ZR" <n...@comcast.net>, "topband reflector" <Topband@contesting.com> Sent: Saturday, December 7, 2019 10:19:51 PM Subject: Re: Topband: K9ay loop not performing I also put out radials on my K9AY loop and also did what ON4UN suggested re common mode - per his book - another grd rod about 8 ft (or so) from the loop base with coax shield grounded to it. I also used a coax piece w/ ferrite beads (from DX Eng) to connect from the ant to the grd rod and feedline. It has worked as advertised for many yrs. If not done, suggest chck it w/ AM bcst stations for directivity. 73 - Alan K9MBQ -----Original Message----- >From: Lloyd - N9LB <lloydb...@tds.net> >Sent: Dec 7, 2019 4:26 PM >To: 'N4ZR' <n...@comcast.net>, 'topband reflector' <Topband@contesting.com> >Subject: Re: Topband: K9ay loop not performing > >Pete, I had the very same problem here. > >I have very poor soil, mostly a painted on layer of top soil, several inches >of clay, a couple of feet of sand, and then bedrock. > >Gary - K9AY told me that for poor soil conditions I needed to put a ground >radial directly under each loop and attach them to the center ground rod. >Length of the radials should extend a few feet past the edge of each loop. > >73 > >Lloyd - N9LB > >-----Original Message----- >From: Topband [mailto:topband-boun...@contesting.com] On Behalf Of N4ZR >Sent: Saturday, December 07, 2019 3:14 PM >To: topband reflector <Topband@contesting.com> >Subject: Topband: K9ay loop not performing > >I just put up a K9AY loop, using the Array Solutions control boxes, and am >pretty disappointed. There is no audible or visible difference in the noise >level, while the received signal strength is down whenever I A/B it with my >inverted L. There does seem to be a little directivity, but not much, and >subjectively I find that weak signals are all heard better on the transmit >antenna. Judging by results in the current contest, I've got an alligator on >my hands! > >The preamp amplifies by a couple of S units, and I can hear the relays out at >the antenna switching when I change directions or termination resistances, >although gain and directivity do not change noticeably. > From this I assume there's nothing wrong with the electronics > >I tried to do my installation "by the book." Ground is provided at the base of >the antenna by a 6-foot ground rod. There are two common-mode chokes on the >feedline, one at each end of approximately 100 feet of RG-6. About the only >deviation from the published design is that the top of the crossed loops is at >28 feet, not 25, and the loops have their bases more or less horizontal, where >the published designs show them tilting upward approximately 15-20 degrees >from the center in each direction. I can make that happen with some more >rigging, but before I do that, I'm looking for suggestions of other places to >look for the problem. > >-- > >73, Pete N4ZR >Check out the Reverse Beacon Network >at <http://reversebeacon.net>, now >spotting RTTY activity worldwide. >For spots, please use your favorite >"retail" DX cluster. > >_________________ >Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector > >_________________ >Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector