| N7LK |
Rating:  |
2023-08-17 | |
| This antenna will work. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I ran tests on 40 meters with a large dipole antenna and an MP-1 at two locations, about 30 miles apart. The tests were conducted around 0900 MST two days apart.
The AlexLoop antenna was relocated to the second QTH on the second test date. Tests were conducted at 10 watts using a LAB599 Discovery at both ends.
The adjusted results for both stations on both days are:
AlexLoop = S1-2
MP1 = S5
Large Dipole = S9
The results were adjusted to indicate the relative signal strength between the antennas. The effects of QSB were mitigated. |
|
| LNXAUTHOR |
Rating: |
2023-05-31 | |
| good value |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
bought one of the originals, then sold it on... fast forward several years and bought a used one... while many modern rigs have swr metering, a number of qrp rigs do not..
the solution in the next two models was the incorporation of an LED to indicate resonance when fully lit up... the interim solution for the original model is an overpriced $60 clip-on LED...
i have the hampack, and it is good, but guess what? used original Alexloops are just as good... let me help you save $60 or the $200 premium of the newer models:
1. take a 12" test alligator clip cord, wrap it around the right coax next to the connector, then zip tie the clips facing forward
2. dig thru the junkbox for some LEDs, the brighter the better
3. clip the LED into the clips
4. set your rig to a desired freq, then QRL?
5. send a couple watts via continuous wave
6. adjust the loop until you get a bright LED
works FB, and i can hit resonance in three dits using my Penntek TR-35
btw, the requisite tripod is a Vivitar 1260 ($14)... take off the head, and your loop fits perfectly... and inside thebag |
|
| G4LHT |
Rating: |
2023-05-05 | |
| Serious DX to be had. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have one of the original Alex Loops,
It's a bit battered and worn but never seems to fail me, recently on a trip to the Dominican Republic if I could hear it I could work it, LU to GM and everything in between on 15 watts. In Belize as V31HT I worked VK on 10 watts even down to 5 at one stage https://youtu.be/5PVtvC-88gk have a look.
The new pricing is certainly steep but very happy tuning mine via ear, light and portable. |
|
| HB9CVN |
Rating: |
2022-05-19 | |
| good but way overpriced |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
It's a mag loop, so no magic and nothing new.
Well built, easy to set up for portable operations.
As any loop of such size, it works well up to 20m. As good or better than small portable/mobile vertical antennas.
On 30 & 40m less performing but an acceptable compromise if you cannot put out something larger.
The power limitation is a huge drawback. If you have a compromise antenna and you are forced to use low power you are very limited in what you can achieve in terms of DX contacts.
Also, not having a remote tune capability restricts quite a bit the possible use of the antenna.
With a larger capacitor, able to handle 100W, it would be a valid alternative for vacations. It can be used in a balcony.
It sells from 600 to over 700 USD, depending upon the country.
Two pieces of coax and connectors, one cheap variable capacitor, a cheap plastic pipe and a small backpack.
You build it for less than 50 bucks on a single unit, while producing it in numbers will bring the cost way down.
It would make sense for up to 150 USD -got mine second hand for 40 bucks at a hamfest-.
Why would anyone spend such an outrageous amount of money for that is well beyond my understanding. |
|
| KB3NWU |
Rating: |
2021-06-26 | |
| Best punch for the size |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| This is the antenna I take when traveling with my 817nd. When I first opened the package I connected it to my 817nd and heard a CQ on 40 meters. I wasn't going to try a contact as I was deep inside a building but thought "what the heck". He came rt back to me! I am in SE PA and the caller was in central NY, about 175 mile away. I was holding the Alexloop horizontally which is not the best way to do it but I still made the contact. Now, holding it vertically and turning it to get the strongest signal reading I've made contacts across the country. It is not cheap but you will NOT regret buying the Alexloop antenna. PS: buy the "click to tune dongle" from Sotabeams to quickly throw a carrier to tune the antenna! |
|
| M0RYK |
Rating: |
2021-03-18 | |
| Extraordinary - the fun is back. |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
This is about the Alexloop Premier, which has upgraded connectors and an LED tuning indicator. It costs just under £500 in the UK. Two things make this antenna eye watering. First is the performance. I needed something very light (I have a very dodgy spine), unobtrusive, quick to rig/derig, and - of course - effective. First day out, I took it with my FT-817ND to the coastal cliffs above Hastings in Southern England. It took 5 minutes to get set up. First contact at 5 watts on 40m SSB: 190km into the middle of England, report 55. Second contact, same band, same report, Belgium 331km. Third contact, 20m, Italy, IZ3WUV, 1023km, report back 55. Okay, the second eye watering thing is the price. (Not quite the words of my station manager.) I have an antenna that cost more than the radio - but it is well-built, very effective, and has brought the fun back into my portable operations. And I have a lot of new shelf space where some underused and newly sold bits of kit used to live.
UPDATE: Today (1 Aug 2020, 1004 UTC) I worked ZS1OPB on the Western Cape, South Africa, from Pevensey Bay beach, Sussex, England, on 17 metres. Kit: Alexloop, Ft 817, 5 watts, Heil BM17 headset, 1m asl, 17 metres, USB. That’s 5936 miles or 9554 km, a contact confirmed via QRZ.com. He was 5/7, he gave me 4/0. |
|
| KD2BS |
Rating: |
2020-08-29 | |
| Hard to believe how well this works! |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I've tried a variety of portable antennas, but hadn't found one that I can use from the balcony in a hotel Received my new AlexLoop and set it up in my shack, in the house, next to all sorts of stuff with wires. Hooked it up to my FT-818 using a SignalLink on FT-8. Also ran it through an LGD Z-817 tuner so I peaked the noise on the loop and then tuned with the tuner. A nice solid 5 watts out! I can lock the frequency on the FT-818 so I don't need to adjust the tuning unless I change bands. So far I've worked Cuba and the midwest on 20 and 30 and see the west coast on PSK reporter. Not bad for QRP on an indoor antenna!
An update after 6 months: I've now had a bit more experience with the AlexLoop. Tuning it with my MFJ Antenna tuner allows me to get it to almost flat SWR. I also used a 20Ft piece of RG8x so I could use it on the balcony of a timeshare and still stay inside. The balcony was open, but basically at ground level. First contact from the Berkshire Mts. in MA was South Dakota - very nice. But then I heard a ZL! It took a while, but I worked ZL with 5 watts out on an AlexLoop on a balcony. One of my most exciting moments in my 60 years as a ham! Yes, the ZL was a big station, but I still had an FT818 and the Loop. Got Croatia the next day! It's still QRP so you will work for what you get, but I'm now an AlexLoop fan! |
|
| N7GR |
Rating: |
2020-06-29 | |
| Excellent portable antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have heard a lot about these loops but have never owned one. Took the plunge and purchased one. I put it on the air for Field Day and operated it with my KX2 at about 7 watts on 20m and 40m. For a mount I used an older tripod I have had for a camera I no longer owned, cut off the camera mount top and had the perfect mount for the antenna.
Antenna was mounted about 5 feet from the metal roofed deck and elevation was about 4 feet above the ground. Didn't think it would do all that well, but I was very surprised at its performance. Conditions weren't all that stellar but were okay. Managed 45 states in about 2 hours of operating.
The antenna is directional. Signal to noise on my KX2 was excellent. Signals were generally strong. Granted this wasn't a typical Field Day, but nevertheless it worked very well.
The AlexTune indicator on the tuning box worked fine although was not very accurate, but got you close.
Overall, I was impressed with the antenna. Build quality is excellent, light weight and sturdy. Performance was much better than I thought it would in marginal noisy Field Day conditions. Thanks to the operators that heard and worked me. Was a fun way to put it through its paces.
This antenna is a keeper and will get lots of use with my trusty KX2. Great job all around. |
|
| N6PG |
Rating: |
2020-02-27 | |
| Fantastic QRP antenna that is easy to deploy |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have enjoyed SOTA QRP operating. For many years I was restricted to locations where I had at least one tree to deploy a wire antenna. I then switched to Buddipole, which I like very much. I then found myself reading about magnetic loop antennas. I was very happy to find ALEX making the Alexloop!
My first contact was a test in the city of San Diego where I drove to a park. I was able to get Finland on my Small Wonders SW+20 QRP rig where my wire just wasn’t cutting it. The noise on the wire antenna was substantial. I find the mag loop to be quiet.
In general I’m operating SOTA or camping with the KX3 or KX2 and noise isn’t an issue in these locations. What becomes more of an issue is where to deploy. I can have the Alexloop up and running and tuned very quick. Mag loop antennas have a very small frequency range before retuning is required, but it’s quick and easy to just turn the variable capacitor to tune for loudest noise. I’m grateful for this setup when above the tree line.
I operate from Germany, where my wife is from, every year. The Alexloop was easy enough to pack up on the trips, but I just decided to buy a second Alexloop to leave over there. It’s my go to antenna for QRP now! Lite. Easy to deploy. Effective! Enjoy! |
|
| N0XE |
Rating: |
2019-10-09 | |
| Best Loop so far |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I had an Alex Loop before and it worked well but sold it when I got out of Qrp for awhile, when I returned to low power operation I went through several loops such as the Chameleon F loop, the Alpha Loop, as well as the RF Precise loop and all worked pretty well. That being said for some reason the Alex Loop still seemed to give me better results and being so lite weight and portable was still my favorite Magnetic loop antenna. I just got another one recently with the upgraded gold plated connectors and the antenna is nothing short of magical as others have mentioned in other reviews. I have been using mine indoors a lot as of late and making even 40 meter Qs on both CW and even SSB. This is something that I found very difficult with my other loops. They all performed well on 30 meters and up but 40 was poor, the Alex Loop has out performed them all and I had these loops for some time so it was just not due to propagation. I love this antenna, my home is a stucco house with a full metal roof yet signals seem to be very little affected, I have also used it in a concrete High School Gym complex with no windows and full metal roof and yet worked stations on both SSB and CW. It has amazed me and continues to do so, when outside it even works better like any antenna. I plan on keeping this antenna now and never letting it go. If there is any issue with any of the mag loops it is the high cost of them but a lot of our radio toys are expensive as well so just the way it is. I accept the cost for the performance I get. I am in to Rapid Field deployment operation as of late and this antenna just can not be beat when it comes to set up and take down, and portability, in just a few minutes I am on the air and just about as quick tear down is complete and I am headed back to my home. If I could only have one antenna for all types of operation on HF Qrp , the Alex Loop wins hands down.
73 Jim N0XE |
|
