Many of us use 1 wl horizontal loops configured in a square or rectangular
shape. When these loops are operated at frequencies greater than the
fundamental, the horizontal pattern changes from a nearly circular pattern
to one with lobes & nulls.

For example, if I operate a 60' high, 1 wl, side fed, square, 80 meter
horizontal loop on 40 meters, the horizontal pattern is that of a
4 leaf clover with four fairly broad lobes and four nulls.

Now this is great if you intend to QSO with a station in the
direction of a lobe but not so great if your target is in the
direction of a null.

Now if I move the feed point to an adjacent side of the square, the
lobes become nulls & the nulls become lobes. In essence, I have "rotated"
the pattern by
moving the feed point.

I have attempted to take advantage of this shift in pattern by
erecting a 160 meter loop that "floats" in pulleys at the corners. I
then tried to physically drag the loop wire through their supporting
pulleys & move the entire antenna wire until the feed point was where
I wanted it. This was a really stupid idea & did not work out due to the
weight of the
wire, binding at the pulleys, mechanical problems, the hassel of "rotation"
, etc., etc. & I have
abandoned this idea.

I'm thinking now that I should just add a second feed line on a side
adjacent to the original fed side and simply select the feed line
(and pattern) that suits my operating needs. Like this:


********************************** *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
X *
Feed (1) *
X *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
***************XFX******************
e
e
d
(2)

My problem is that I'm not sure of the effect of adding that second
feed line. Should the unused feed line be grounded or simply left
unconnected at the transmitter? Or should I use relays at the
feedpoints to "jumper" the unused feedline? I use 450 ohm "window" type
ladder line.

Or, as another ham has suggested, put up a second loop, spaced a few feet
down from the first loop, & feed it where I like.

My goal is an antenna that covers 160- 17 meters, & has some capability to
steer the "gain" on the
frequencies greater than 2.0 mc.

Any help/comments will be appreciated.