Jim wrote:

i see two different designs on the net for receiving loops. one is to
wind the pickup loop with the main loop, and another is to use a 1/5
size loop off center at the bottom. what are the pros and cons for each
setup? what benefit is there to a pickup winding as opposed to just
inductive coupling to the internal loopstick by proximity?

Probably more than anything else the preference would be determined by
what type of radio you're coupling to.

Fer instance...a set with a built-in antenna and no external ant
connection would HAVE TO be done by proximity...or else winding a
coupling loop onto the built-in antenna

A set with external antenna connections only often has no internal ant
to couple to.

There's shades of grey between those two but thats the basic pro/con.

-Bill