On Dec 20, 1:36*am, Bob Dobbs wrote:
How about a general outline of your procedure, like do you start with the
ferrite only then add an external loop after you hear something, and a second
after the first is optimized, going back and forth massaging the controls as
needed? That's sorta how I used to do it with the SW-77.

That is weird you ask that because a while back I was going to
start a thread on that subject but I didn't think anyone would bother
to engage so I didn't bother.


First and foremost, you really need to have either a lazy susan
or make something that spins 360. If you're using a radio that has
a speaker that fires just from the front without any venting on the
back of the radio to allow you to hear something clearly.... IMO you
may want to rig up an extension speaker or you'll find yourself having
to move around as your table turns and it really takes the
fun out of it or makes it impossible IMO. Luckily for me the P780 has
the venting on the back so I can hear a signal if it's faint without
having to add on a speaker or getting up.

When I'm doing a session I will use just the radio barefoot on the
table because if you have the loop ( IMO) sitting next to it - you
aren't getting a true "hearing" so too speak.....unless you would
happen to have your loop tuned 'exactly' to the spot you're on - and
that just doesn't happen IMO. You wouldn't get anything
accomplished that way.

I'll tune to either a faint spot or a spot that sounds like crap -
with two or three stations jumbled together. Then I'll rotate the
table to see where I stand signal wise. For about the last year or two
(not
last night) I just go to an empty spot where there's nothing, that's
what is so cool - when you go to what seems is a empty spot and find
something there by rotating your radio and then breaking out a loop to
enhance it.

But when I see where I stand - then I'll break out Dave's loop and if
between using the loop and the table - - and I still don't get what I
want - - then I'll sit the Radio Shack loop right next to the radio.

But sometimes that will make it worse, like you said, then you start
massaging them. I've found that more often than not - - the second
loop has to be pulled somewhat away from the radio itself and tuned
off freq. I'm sure you know what I mean. It just a matter of, like
Dave said, having patience and remembering basically where you were
before you tried to get the signal better and screwed it up...lol.

The real kicker is when you use THREE LOOPS and in that case there is
no way I can use the 36X39 and Dave's loop and the rat shack....either
Dave's has got to go or the bigger one....it's simply impossible. But
I can use the two from rat shacks along with the five sided loop and
make it work. Very rarely do I use three, but I will do it if I don't
get the desired result from the two.

I wish others would pipe in so I could maybe pickup a different
technique.



With the E1 there isn't
much directionality to speak of with the whip, so the loop is generally
connected before I even start looking

Just curious Bob, why did you get a receiver that doesn't have a
internal stick? Do you DX the BCB with something else or is that
problem solved satisfactorally for you the way it is now.



with its tuning all the way at one end or
the other, then when something interesting shows up, I tune 'for' it and rotate
the loop to maximize, and only if there's something strong that's interfering do
I try to do a null. Occasionally if there's a strong local I will tune to it to
increase the null potential rather than reinforce the target, but that's only
rarely an issue.

Exactly. :-)


All that's when I take the portable out to the park or
somewhere away from the house, otherwise I use one of the external outdoor HAM
antennas on one of those rigs since they tend to have better receivers even
without synchronous detection.

Oh really? That doesn't surprise me from what I have read. I have
never owned a receiver that had synch. I know what it does and all ( I
think) ....but how would a radio with synch be able to better what I
do with my technique/equipment on the BCB? Some make it sound like if
you don't have it you're screwed and the other side doesn't make that
big a deal about it. What gives?