8.76kHz tests with loop + earth electrodes on RX

Today I did a test at 5.1km to compare reception of my 8.76kHz 5W transmission using (a) an 80cm loop antenna and (b) a small earth electrode antenna (14m spacing) using a variety of preamps.  Although quite solid reception (17dB S/N in 0.18Hz BW) was achieved using the loop laying flat on the ground, there was absolutely nothing detected using the earth electrodes, which was both surprising and disappointing. I used the very same preamp in both cases and also tried the lo-Z input tuned preamp with the earth electrodes that successfully copied DK7FC at 648km last weekend.

Several possibilities for the failure with the earth electrodes:

• The electrode spacing was far too small
• The barbecue skewers used as electrodes were too short and not making decent soil contact
• The soil was too wet, so the pick-up was lower than with dry, low conductivity soil. The test site is in the fens where the soil is a dark peat.

Next step is to repeat the test up on the chalk uplands to the south of the QTH where soil conductivity will be lower and to try a larger earth electrode spacing on receive.