On Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:38:10 -0500, DougC
wrote:

I want something simple to make.
I'm thinking of better antenna(s) for the RCA superradio and a couple
portable SW radios I have {-the RCA gets stations just fine, it mainly
needs fine-tuning help-}.

I did make a simple passive tuned loop for the SW out of a single turn
of copper grounding rod and a AM radio tuner cap. Worked much better
than the included antennas, but was 4 ft wide and not built real sturdy.

If I do loops I want these to be smaller, maybe 1.5 or 2ft across so I
can move them around and use them indoors easily.

There is also the 13.5" stormwise monster ferrite sticks. They would be
more compact than a loop, but for a small MW/SW recieving antenna, are
these going to receive significantly better?
~
There is a good article by Dallas Lankford at
http://www.kongsfjord.no/dl/Antennas...ensitivity.pdf
comparing 6in., 1ft, and 2ft air core loops and a space magnet
(ferrite core loop antenna).

I built a couple of loops. The one I kept is a 3 ft with 12 turns #12
across a dual 466pF (932pF var.capacitor) and 1 turn #12 for a pickup
loop with 10 feet of RG58 coax giving a range of 400kHz to around
3.5MHz. I built it so it can be tilted but have never seen much
benefit in doing that. FYI - I used #12 only because I had 1000 ft
sitting in the garage.

Jim