Gary @N8DMTMar 2
Today’s distraction from the news: Build a DIY LED tuning indicator for the magnetic loop antenna. Searched for information on the AlexTune LED indicator which just attaches to the PL259 loop connector. No joy on finding details/schematic on that. Instead found a video by VK3YE on a simple clamp-on ferrite core with a couple of turns of wire through it connected to a LED indicator. Works great! #ChameleonMagLoop #HamRadio
Show threadNeil E. HodgesMar 2
@n8dmt Does it light up when the SWR is low? 👀
Show threadGary @N8DMTMar 2

@tk Yes, tune for max brightness which corresponds to max loop current AND minimum VSWR at the feedpoint/radio.

Have seen these types of clamp-on ferrite cores with a few wire-turns leading to an indicator used on wire antennas before (like dipoles), but not find prior-art using on the main loop of a loop antenna in the searches today. Much faster to build yourself and save the $50 USD for a AlexTune module.

Show threadNeil E. Hodges
@n8dmt Cool! I bet I could do something similar, but with some sort of sensor that can feed data back to my shack. :D @DD8SF
Mar 2 at 12:17amWeb
Show threadDD8SFMar 3

@tk @n8dmt Good idea, I just wonder how it is able to indicate the antenna current in the mode we want the cable to work in.
To me it looks like an indicator for common mode current on the cable.

I think about using a similar thing at my gamma match there it should work well.

Show threadDD8SFMar 3
@tk @n8dmt Ah.. Now I see the cable itself is the loop.. There is my answer how it works :)