Aerial rotator
Does anyone know if a Sharman Multicom AR-600XL would be ok to rotate a 40" loop antenna, which is made from a hula hoop with coax cable inside it, to go on the chimney stack. The loop isn't very heavy so I suspect it should work.
Thanks
Comments
It should be OK, but these lightweight rotators have a limited lifespan, as the thrust bearing ball race is usually pretty poor.
Do you need to mount your loop on the roof ?
It may be better at a a lower height, but in an electrically quieter location.
Most broadband loops will work OK at ground level, or maybe up to a few metres above it.
Mine are ground mounted next to some bushes at the bottom of the garden, and they are not visually obtrusive.
Regards,
Martin
It has to be up on the roof to get away from so much electrical interference lower down, I thought it would be ok at the bottom of my 70ft garden but unfortunately my neighbours shed is close by and he has electricity and wi-fi etc in there, also backing onto the bottom of the garden is a large pigeon loft, probably also with an electricity supply. So unfortunately I don't have an electrically quiet location at ground level, I have been experimenting for the last year.
Thanks
You won't get away from the noise like that with a loop antenna. I did this and it was terrible.
The benefit of the loop is you will null noise depending on where you have it (as well as rotating it). As Martin says, low down is fine, and even along a tree line is also OK.
I think ideally I'd test the rooftop antenna position, before spending money and effort to make it more permanent.
Can you somehow hoist the loop up and try it ?
I suspect that placing the loop in such close proximity to everything in your house, will not be any better, and could be much worse, than placing it somewhere down the length of your garden, even half way, perhaps hidden in some shrubs, may be better than nothing.
My own tests suggest that local noise is between 10 to 20dB worse when HF antennas are placed in the roof space of my property WRT an outdoor location, and this was after I had already eliminated most of the noise sources in the house.
However, your mileage may vary.
Regards,
Martin