Magnetic Loop 1st proper QSO

I had the first proper QSO using “Baby Zilla” this evening. I took it to the radio club I go to and Ian G0PLX helped me to set up and get the feed loop adjusted properly. We hung it from a large wooden beam inside the club which is an old barn. The SWR on 20,17, 15 mtrs was 1:1 but on 12 and 10mtr it was over 2:1. So I adjusted the shape of the feed loop and got the SWR down to 1.7:1 on 10mtrs, checked 12mtrs and it was 1.3:1. We then re-checked 20,17 and 15mtrs and they were still 1:1.

The white wire you see in the photo on the right is the power feed to the capacitor motor. Moving this has no effect on the SWR.

Tuned to 14.060 and heard IK8SCR calling CQ so gave him a call and he came straight back to me. 579 report both ways, he was using an FT817 at 5 watts and I also had to FT840 at 5 watts. His antenna was a Vertical.

Close up of the butterfly capacitor

The butterfly capacitor is now assembled and covers 17pf-180pf this covers 20 –10mtrs very nicely with “Baby Zilla”

The feedloop used is now a simple wire loop 1/5th the size of the main loop and the SWR is fine across all bands covered.