PK’s Loop Antennas C-Loop
The Joys of Long Wave
Metrology and NDB, Weather and Radio
I have been lucky enough to be able to buy a C-Loop from PK’s Antennas in Australia, via a UK radio enthusiast and eBay. The model is the C-LOOP-HDLSM150-500, which covers from Long Wave to the bottom edge of Medium Wave (150-500kHz). I say lucky enough because I am currently preparing an article on Long Wave in Europe, and I noticed this loop just at the right time. Long Wave is still used for (some) broadcast radio stations in Poland, Romania, Ireland and the UK (BBC LW 198kHz), but the latter frequency will close, and discussions are currently underway as regards the future of the Shipping Forecast, that great British Institution. Here are some other frequencies to try:
- 153kHz Antena Satelor (Brasov, Romania)
- 171kHz Medi 1 (Nador, Morocco)
- 189kHz RUV Rás 1 | 2 (Gufuskálar, Iceland)
- 198kHz BBC Radio 4 LW (Burghead/ Droitwich/ Westerglen)
- 225kHz Polskie Radio (Solec Kujawski, Poland)
- 243kHz DR 4 (Kalundborg, Denmark)
- 252kHz RTÉ Radio 1 (Summerhill, Clarkstown, Ireland)
- 252kHz Radio Algérienne 3 (Tipaza, Algeria) (only when RTÉ is offline).
I use Long Wave mainly for the synoptic weather forecasts of the German Weather Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst, DWD) on 147.3kHz, and I am curious to see whether this dedicated loop will make a difference to the reception of what can be a very challenging signal to get, here in the Northwest of the UK. Does anyone own a loop from PK’s Loop Antennas and would like to share their experience?