Hello:

Really new at this, and not really savy on antennas at all.
Trying to learn, but sure is a complicated subject.

Do sw listening only, just about anywhere below 30 MHz. No preferred
direction.
No transmitting.

Presently have a "random length" horiz. wire running around the inside of my
attic. Live in a typical New England colonial.
Goes around the 4 walls, and is stapled every few feet to a wooden roof
support joist.
Probably about 40' x 25' x40' x 25' approximately.

Not connected at the end, so I guess can't be considered a true loop.

Questions:

a. Does stapling to the wood degrade performance ? (wire is insulated)

b. Does the roof degrade performance ? How about when wet ?

c. Would you expect considerably better performance if this exact same
configuration was outdoors, at the same height ?

d. Would it be better if it were soldered back at the beginning, thus
making a true horiz loop (with about a 10 foot vertical run to the receiver
? Why ?

And I guess i should ask: For a single straight random length wire, is the
most sensitivity perpendicular to the wire direction ?
(assuming20 feet off theground, and perhaps 60 feet in length)

Would you expect this to be much better than the indoor configuration I now
have ? Why ?

Is there a good pix on the web showing the lobes for this configuration;
looked, but couldn't find a simple enough one for me to really understand.

Much thanks; appreciate the help,
B.