I made up a 9:1 transformer wound with 2 turn primary and 6 turn secondary, isolated as suggested. I laid out the ground loop (15m x 15m) round the perimeter of the schist tor on our property (the only other out-of-the-way option other than the fenceline). Not sure how having a rocky tor in the middle of the loop will affect things … each side will presumaby become directional (outwards), which may well defeat the purpose of the design.
The LoG starts from the base of my mast, which is about 20m from the shack, connected by a mostly-underground coax run (the 1st 5 meters are along the house bearers, and I suspect pick up noise off the mains wiring). Burying that section is on the to-do list.
Like-for-like comparisons with the fan dipole show a 3-6 S point drop in signals - there seems to be either some directionality in the LoG, or (more likely) there is directionality in the fan dipole that is absent in the LoG. Noise is not moving the needle when using the LoG, though the harsh powerline-derived buzz/crackle is audibly there in the background.
Sadly, my usual S6-7 40m noise floor is currently sitting at S3. So I am unable to test this antenna in the conditions for which I require it. However I do note that signals in the S4/3-5/4 range on the dipole are R2-3 on the LoG. So I am certainly losing the weakest signals on this setup.
The real test will come when the noise returns to normal - to see if I can pick out those same S3-6 signals on the LoG when the noise on the dipole obliterate them.
Waiting game for now … waiting for the noise to return - there’s a turnaround!
Why not build an antenna that can be buried in the ground, like the East German KAE? Then you can receive and transmit, without anyone tripping over it:
Ever tried “tuning” an earth ground rod? A friend used to do SWL this way, receiver connected to ground through an inductor or L-match, I forget the details.
I also use The Loop on Ground Antenna (I have two) at my contest station. The results are very satisfactory. Comparing it to my Beverage antenna pointing towards the USA, the difference is minimal. Honestly, I don’t really know where it is anymore! I’d have to pull on the cables to find out. Vegetation and the passage of time have camouflaged it.” But it’s still working!