Do you have some sort of amplifier to go along with the loop? Some
antenna wire in a hoola hoop will work with a wellbrook ALA 100. One
loop is enough.. My preference is to use an "X" frame and build a
square loop because the hoola hoop isn't very rigid. However, for
something quick and dirty to set up, the hoop will work.

There are all sorts of tune loops you can build using circuits from the
ARRL handbook. The basic idea is to make a LC series circuit, then you
inductively couple the signal to a Jfet amp. I just find the notion of
having to tune the loop to be a PITA. I just wish there was a more cost
effective version of the Wellbrook.