File Release #2 The Carlson Power Antenna Circuit!
Added 2024-05-16 15:39:33 +0000 UTCA very neat circuit that will impress anyone interested in radio. It works like magic! No tricks involved. A "must have" for receiver repairs, alignments, and restorations. Enjoy!
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Comments
I just completed my build of the power antenna, this is amazing how well it works. thank you Paul.
Robert Dreitlein
2025-07-01 19:26:21 +0000 UTCThis is a fascinating and useful little project, so I figured I had to have it. However, I did't realize just how useful right away. I've been gathering/ordering parts and preparing to build this, so I think about it quite often. It suddenly dawned on me that it might just solve a logistical problem in my man cave, where I have many radios on shelves. I used to think that I would need to figure out a good way connect every radio to my outside antenna so that I could listen to any of the radios at any time. I had not come up with a good solution till I started thinking more about this little power antenna. From what I understand, I believe I could just connect my outside antenna to this power antenna and then any radio in my cave could to tune the amplified signal from my outside antenna without needing individual antenna connections to every single radio. My mind exploded! You rock Paul--thanks!!
Frank B.
2025-04-01 02:18:57 +0000 UTCAnyone able to help me get the contact information to request some schematics for the ultra probe and the capacitor leak tester? I sent a PM to him but haven’t been able to get a response. It list under the videos to include the video number in the email, but I don’t know the email.
Nathan Whitbeck
2024-11-25 16:23:58 +0000 UTCwhere is link for email to request video, thanks. see now you send a P.M not email
Bert Convey
2024-11-13 21:30:36 +0000 UTCI built the circuit and tried it out. It's working but I'm getting a lot of buzz. I'm using my signal generator set at 550 to test. At pin 4 I'm getting correct reading but when I check it at the antenna connection I'm getting between 650khz and 700khz and it's continually fluctuating. It's transmitting a long ways so that seems good. Any ideas.?
Jeff ODonnell
2024-11-10 00:31:53 +0000 UTCAll tiers can get it, it’s patreon that makes it difficult to find how to PM him. What you need to do is take the video number listed in the description , and Google how to send a pm to creator on patreon , then follow that instruction to pm him with the number of the video and ask for the schematic and include your email address, when he gets to your message he’ll send it.
Jamie rygiel
2024-10-08 13:48:56 +0000 UTCI am having the same problem. Mr. Carlson should correct this so it is easy to do and also make it clear at what tier you can and can't get circuit information for each project. The process is not clear, so I hope he addresses it.
Andrew
2024-08-01 21:49:03 +0000 UTCFrom what I understand of the rules is that you have to reach your "second" payment to be able to IM Mr Carlson or to download any of these plans do to not wanting people to join and then download all and then leave. I have 5 more days to wait then I will see if that is true. But it does state in the PDF that you have to wait until your first billing cycle to download and that you are only allowed one download a month. Hope that helps you.
george
2024-07-27 14:30:18 +0000 UTCThank you for your help it is greatly appreciated, I have now managed to PM😊
Gary Herbert
2024-07-23 13:27:17 +0000 UTCYou have to PM on Patreon (Google how to do that) and request the files from video xxx (whatever number it is). You can only get one set a month after the billing has taken place. If you joined part way into the month, you have to wait until after the next billing cycle.
Alex Wade
2024-07-22 22:41:59 +0000 UTCI’m part way through building a stand alone one of these on a chassis with it’s own valve rectified power supply. I sourced the mains transformer from a defunct Philco valve FM tuner. I want it more for achieving optimal RF alignments than as a signal booster. Sadly, In the UK we are rapidly losing all of our MW stations. There are only really two left which are both talk channels about sport. Would it be possible to design a small and fairly simple companion device which was a valve RF oscillator (maybe crystal controlled?) and AM modulator, which then plugged in to the power antenna to make a low powered all valve AM transmitter? With such a combo we could then play our own music through our valve radios. Ideally such a device would have stereo RCA line level inputs and combine those to mono internally. Then pretty much any modern device could be used as the audio source. It would even be possible to re-broadcast a stereo FM tuner in mono AM and still properly ‘listen to the radio’ on our old valve radios. If you could use something like a couple of 6AU6WC valves then there are huge supplies of them. They couldn’t possibly get too expensive all of a sudden!
Alex Wade
2024-07-22 22:38:05 +0000 UTCDoes anyone know how to get the circuit for this video. It says PM Mr Carlson, but I just cannot seem to do it no matter how I try. Do you have to have the most expensive membership to achieve this?
Gary Herbert
2024-07-17 11:48:11 +0000 UTCCan anyone recommend a lightening arrestor for an outdoor MW antenna?
Alex Wade
2024-07-12 12:22:42 +0000 UTCHello, would a Heathkit PS-3 work as a power supply for this unit?
Thomas Tully
2024-07-11 00:24:43 +0000 UTChttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzvxefRDT84 a good one
atlestroms
2024-07-10 13:15:55 +0000 UTCIf I substituted an antenna winding appropriate for LW frequencies would the circuit work at those frequencies?
Alex Wade
2024-07-09 23:09:48 +0000 UTCThe antenna jack on the AN200 is for a loop that’s just a couple of turns which couples to the main antenna by proximity. The main antenna is purely connected across the capacitor for tuning. If you plugged the AN200 into this thing and got it all peaked then this would re-broadcast the tuned frequency.
Alex Wade
2024-07-09 19:33:03 +0000 UTCCould you make something like this with transistors that would be more economical to build? Could it even be battery powered for convenience on the bench? I’ve salvaged a really nice antenna from a UK manufactured radio called a Bush DAC 90A. It’s wound on a circular plastic former. The main thing is AM band and there is a smaller diameter LW one mounted to it.
Alex Wade
2024-07-09 18:44:44 +0000 UTCBought one today Don, thanks again!
Clint Allsopp
2024-07-06 19:24:36 +0000 UTCOdds are they're switch-mode power supplies, which can spray a lot of RF around including into the output voltage. Some of them have switching frequencies in or near the AM broadcast band, which can completely swamp any signal from a signal generator. SMPS's are the bane of anybody trying to use shortwave radios.
Don Tidrow
2024-07-06 02:45:10 +0000 UTCOne possibility for power supplies might be used electrophoresis power supplies - I found some on ebay for around $100, and can put out 600v at a few dozen milliamps. Not sure if these are switch-mode or linear, and probably need some additional filtering on the outputs, but seems like a possible source of inexpensive high-voltage power supplies.
Don Tidrow
2024-07-06 02:37:03 +0000 UTCI've sometimes heard tubes described as "glowFETs", alluding to the glowing filament and the fact that both are voltage-controlled current devices.
Don Tidrow
2024-07-06 02:21:29 +0000 UTCGotta be careful about film resistors as well, they often have a spiral cut into the resistive film to form the conductive path, which can add quite a bit more inductance than you'd get from a carbon comp resistor.
Don Tidrow
2024-07-06 02:14:48 +0000 UTCI found I had to goto my messages then click the search or start new convo bar and type in mr Carlson then start messaging
Jamie rygiel
2024-07-06 00:05:49 +0000 UTCWhen I click the large black title below the video, nothing happens. How can I get the schematic?
Timothy Gregerson
2024-07-03 18:57:53 +0000 UTCLook at the top of this page under the photo of the lab on the right side for "messages"
Erv Watson
2024-07-01 23:22:14 +0000 UTCCan some tell me how to DM Mr Carlson for the schematic? I can’t seem to find a way doing so from Patreon🤷🏻♂️
Gary Herbert
2024-07-01 20:33:52 +0000 UTCWhich one is correct as I'm from the UK the part are harder to find
Pete
2024-07-01 00:07:41 +0000 UTCThe Schematic for antenna booster the valve is listed as a 6AH6 which is a nine pine where the 6AH9 is the 12 pin .
Pete
2024-07-01 00:06:12 +0000 UTCI'm pretty new at this, does anyone have a recommendation on a B+ power supply?
Thomas Tully
2024-06-30 11:54:18 +0000 UTCWhat adaptations to boost FM?
Dennis
2024-06-29 18:03:20 +0000 UTCYou're very welcome!
Mr Carlson's Lab
2024-06-11 09:25:02 +0000 UTCI like the looks of this for my Magnavox console amp that has an extra hole punched in the chassis. I have a problem pulling in a good signal in northern Wisconsin .All my older radios are signal challenged Thank You Mr. Carlson im Going to build it
Bill Haub
2024-06-11 02:05:18 +0000 UTCPackaged Right ... this looks like something that would be useful to mount outside of the house, to beam in the signals.
Stephen Martin
2024-06-02 16:11:41 +0000 UTCI'd say, try carbon (IE: the old "Allen Bradley" style resistors) or carbon film, or metal film resistors. Stay well away from "Wire wound" resistors.
Ovi4
2024-06-01 14:48:24 +0000 UTCwhat type of resistors are non-inductive?
don mielke
2024-05-30 00:48:26 +0000 UTCOvi4, now you have me thinking. I watched the video you recommended, and was thinking there might be enough room under the chassis of the RCA 56X type AA6 radios to fit this circuit, with a full wave bridge rectifier circuit tied to the lowest voltage I can find from the tube heaters circuit. It should wake these radios right up, if I can get the voltages close enough! Thanks for the idea!
Brent Horn
2024-05-29 13:21:40 +0000 UTCWaiting for next video
David wagner
2024-05-29 01:29:23 +0000 UTCThis is great, I used 6.3 VDC instead of 6,3 VAC on the heater. This is amazing I already used it with a Signal Generator. Nice job Paul
Edward Vignati
2024-05-25 15:18:00 +0000 UTCWow...that's even better then. Lucky you...:). I was actually aware of their existence but...don't have one.
Ovi4
2024-05-23 10:27:31 +0000 UTCThat sounds like a good idea. It reminds me that I have an AN-200 Tunable Medium Wave Loop Antenna made by Grundig (other manufacturers also sell it under their own names) that might work as well. It's meant to sit on a tabletop and inductively couple to the ferrite antenna of a nearby radio. It has no power of its own but with Paul's circuit I could turn it into a neat power antenna. It even has an 1/8" socket built in for a wire antenna and a small var cap for tuning. That could be just what I need. Thanks!
kmpres
2024-05-23 04:52:24 +0000 UTCMy plan is to find a large diameter plastic drain pipe and cut a thin slice of it, (just wide enough to accommodate the winding) then wind some magnet wire or "litz" wire (multi-stranded wire) it around it. Then, after the circuit is built. pace the metal box inside the antenna and somehow make a common base for both to string them all together as a whole. Maybe a 3D printed stand would be a perfect idea but unfortunately in my case I don't have one so I'm going to make do with something else.
Ovi4
2024-05-23 03:56:52 +0000 UTCHow are you guys making the loop antenna? I don't have a junked spare so will have to make it myself. Would 25 turns of 28 AWG magnet wire around an 8 inch oval work do you think? Haven't figured out how to neatly wind the oval yet, though.
kmpres
2024-05-22 14:09:32 +0000 UTCWell, it seems I waited too long. TubeDepot is now out of stock on 6AH9s and does not plan to restock them. RF Parts wanted $79 to ship one tube to Japan which is just stupid. I found it instead on an Etsy site, Lowtechelec, for $9.95, and they charged me another $30 to have it shipped to Japan. Could have been worse, I suppose. My fault for waiting too long... again.
kmpres
2024-05-22 14:03:47 +0000 UTCTubedepot sold out of 6ah9’s within a week of this video being released! I’m positive that it was Mr. Carlson protégés who caused it. I was able to purchase 3 from another supplier… two for the spare tubes crate, and one for the device. Can’t wait to assemble and see the other video including the device!!
Shawn Wrona
2024-05-22 03:47:10 +0000 UTCThe circuit adapts very well to JFETs. An amplifier followed by a source follower built out of JFETs is what I see if I squint enough at the valve schematic. It’ll run from a single 12-20V supply depending on how you bias it, and should work just as well or better than the tube version. The circuit changes are minimal, mostly to do with lower supply voltage and much lower power resistors. The JFET stage output resistances will be in similar ballpark to the tube version. And it will run cool and sip power :)
Kuba Sunderland-Ober
2024-05-21 15:44:27 +0000 UTCThank you, Thank you very much!
Edward Vignati
2024-05-20 13:33:34 +0000 UTCYou're welcome. You can also get some help for "certain matters" on MCL's website/forums if you are aware of its existence. if not then, you'll find the link to it in the description of every video here on Patreon. Once you get there, you'll be asked to setup a simple and free account. That's it.
Ovi4
2024-05-20 12:00:48 +0000 UTCOvi4 Thank you, I didn't know what to do, I built Paul's preamps, both and at 68yrs old I can use all the help I can get.I just love the warm glow of tubes. Thank you Eddie kj4fgi
Edward Vignati
2024-05-20 09:56:21 +0000 UTCThe way I see it, is that the main reason for having one side of the filament tied to the Cathode (to GND respectively) is to avoid the so called "Cathode Breakdown" phenomenon. And in order to do that you have to make sure that you have a dedicated/separate individual winding for the "filament only !" This way even though the filaments AC voltage shares the same common GND with the DC voltage, the winding (itself) is actually floating and therefore the AC will not interact with the DC component, simply because there is "no return path" for the AC to travel to. So, is kind of... "Invisible" from the DC and radio signals point of view. NOTE: If what I say (above) is wrong or not entirely true, I stand to be corrected (no problem here). Constructive critiques are always welcome. This way we can all learn from each others knowledge.
Ovi4
2024-05-20 06:15:37 +0000 UTCThe schematic shows 6vac, one side is going to ground, can you use the same ground for the B+ 250vdc, does everything get common grounded and the ac and dc can play? thanks you Eddie kj4fgi
Edward Vignati
2024-05-20 04:12:23 +0000 UTCOvi4, you’re absolutely correct. I absently selected “Through Hole” on Mouser’s site. Cleared the search field, and just entered 5W 10K, and there they were! Sometimes what I “think”, and the real world collide, and I get nowhere, until I stop and think about it.
Brent Horn
2024-05-19 20:23:27 +0000 UTCOvi4: thanks for the idea. I will take a look at the circuit. Appreciate the idea.
Steven Munts
2024-05-19 05:36:09 +0000 UTCTry changing your search criteria to specifically "metal film" or "carbon film" 10k 5W resistors. You'll see that there are still some vendors out there. I have found them on some Asian vendor websites, the big name vendors as well as the e-Bay.
Ovi4
2024-05-18 22:53:16 +0000 UTCNeat build! I just happen to have a couple of these tubes on the way. Looking over the schematic, that 10K 5W non inductive resistor is proving kinda hard to find. All I’m finding are wire wounds. Is anyone having any luck finding something non inductive? I may have to parallel up three 2W carbons to get there, to be non inductive.
Brent Horn
2024-05-18 22:08:17 +0000 UTCI have the idea using this preamp to make an active end fed wire antenna. The high impedance driving the grid. And the cathode follower driving the coax to a receiver with a 50 or 75 ohm input. Complete with B+ and heater power harness to power the preamp. Not practical but effective. Or a fun experiment at least.
Steve Foudray
2024-05-18 21:17:33 +0000 UTCI have some 12v to 200-400v (adjustable) inverter power supplies I got off of Aliexpress that surprisingly work fine for a Ultrasonic Pulser Power Supply for an industrial UT instrument I work on. The pulser circuit more or less charges a 1000pf cap, so the power required is more or less a potential. I am not sure what the current capability of the inverter is (I will have to look for the specs). Do you think something like that could power a small single tube circuit like this? I could see that in another small box, or both is a larger project box and then only have to supply it with 6 or 12volts DC. I don't really at this time, have, or can keep, a high voltage DC Power supply on my main bench (I need more hours in the day to build up the retro-bench - lol).
David Kuhn
2024-05-18 16:03:53 +0000 UTCBeautiful:))
Harm Tuntler
2024-05-18 09:18:14 +0000 UTCDekuji za tvou praci
Jozef Harang
2024-05-18 08:41:44 +0000 UTCWould you consider designing a "solid state" version of your excellent Aerial Amp, sometime in the future ? The reason I ask is, Valves (tubes) are getting ridiculously expensive nowadays and whilst I love working with Valves and used to build valve stuff many years ago, I am the first to admit that Transistors & I.C.'s can give very credible results and usually, at a fraction of the cost.
Kevin Darling
2024-05-18 08:28:09 +0000 UTCFor a little RF preamp to improve radio reception there is another neat and very easy to build project @ - Video 63: Sharing Another Neat Circuit, The Super Simple RF Pre-amplifier That Works Great. It should " in theory" give you pretty much the same results and is quicker and super simple to build as well. I've built it myself for one of my old radios (back then when it was released) and it works very well. Being such a tiny circuit, I had it permanently fitted inside the radio. Highly recommended circuit. You'll be surprised.
Ovi4
2024-05-18 06:22:09 +0000 UTCThanks Wayne. I forgot about that one.
Jim Petrucci
2024-05-18 05:41:37 +0000 UTCJim, go to his YouTube channel and look for the 3,6,9 antenna.
Wayne Parris
2024-05-18 04:26:19 +0000 UTCLooks simple enough to build, but most of us will have a problem coming up with the power supply for the B+ and filament voltages.
Johnny Allen
2024-05-18 03:30:53 +0000 UTCA second question about this circuit: can you suggest any preferred vendors for either the tube or other parts for this circuit? Thanks
Steven Munts
2024-05-18 02:06:45 +0000 UTCI am just now getting back into electronics after a many year absence and really appreciate your effort to share these circuits. I have an application question. I have a Drake SW-4A SW receiver. I would like to have a pre-amp attached to the antenna (between antenna and receiver) to bring in some very week stations on the east coast of the US. Is it possible to attach the output of this circuit directly to the coax antenna input of my receiver, or should I use a "coil antenna" to "coil antenna" approach? Thanks in advance for your help.
Steven Munts
2024-05-18 02:05:00 +0000 UTCPaul, it would be helpful to know what kind of outdoor antenna you are using in the demonstration. Thanks.
Jim Petrucci
2024-05-18 00:51:10 +0000 UTCA simple concept but expertly executed! I remember making something similar back in the early 90s for L-Band for testing a handheld GPS receiver in the bowels of a building. We had a GPS antenna on the roof. I made a simple device that fed a 5V bias up to coax to run the antenna preamp and then used short length of wire (4.5cm) as the re-radiating element. Worked a treat!
Michael Carey
2024-05-17 21:50:21 +0000 UTCHi Paul. Great project. However, in the UK the 6AH9 is hard to find, shipping from the US is just silly money. I assume it would be possible to redesign this circuit to use two common miniature valves. What would you recommend?
Mike Gardiner
2024-05-17 19:29:25 +0000 UTCMr. Hertz would be proud of it!
Loocianum
2024-05-17 17:55:23 +0000 UTCVery cool project!
Kenny Fidler
2024-05-17 13:39:25 +0000 UTCIt could, provided there are taps on the loop antenna.
Mr Carlson's Lab
2024-05-17 11:10:02 +0000 UTCThis unit is limited by the loop antenna. It was designed to couple to AM broadcast band radios, but could easily be modified with taps on the loop antenna for higher frequencies. I would keep any switching type power supplies (boost supplies) away from this as it's extremely sensitive. You can view low uV signals clearly with an ordinary oscilloscope by attaching a X10 probe to the loop antenna connections.
Mr Carlson's Lab
2024-05-17 11:08:46 +0000 UTCLove it thanks
steve
2024-05-17 07:14:00 +0000 UTCThank you, Mr. Carlson
Shawn Wrona
2024-05-17 02:31:48 +0000 UTCI am glad I salvaged parts from an old tube garage door remote system… the transformer will work perfect to build a supply from! I can even use the compactron tube socket from it! It’s those little things that make ya happy!
Shawn Wrona
2024-05-17 02:30:42 +0000 UTCReally interesting project to try . By coincidence, I already have two 6AH9 tubes (for sometime now) and I would like to give them a try. As for the power supply I wonder what would be the B+ current requirement (in mA @ 200V) considering that this is acting as a "miniature transmitter/repeater". I would like to use the boost Power supply presented in videos 47, 48 (if suitable and compatible with the power requirements of this project ) because of compactness and portability/convenience since I already have more than a dozen of 18650 Li-Ion cells rolling around in my lab. PS: would the bandwidth cover everything AM in a normal radio such as Long, Medium & Shortwave bands up to 30MHz ? or,... just the Mediumwave band ? Looking @ the Datasheet as well as searching for the tube's frequency response/range, I couldn't find any clear info about it other than it was used primarily in color TV video stages (I assume 4-6MHz bandwidth for the old days video applications), but surely this tube must be capable of doing a lot more than that. Or...am I wrong? Once again. Thank you.
Ovi4
2024-05-17 00:20:00 +0000 UTCHow are you guys getting your 200-250vdc? New to the electronics world. Once again Mr. Paul, you’re amazing as always.
Clint Allsopp
2024-05-17 00:13:04 +0000 UTCAwesome little circuit, indeed works like magic, ❤️
Alexander Rajaković
2024-05-16 23:20:52 +0000 UTCI would guess this works fine with ferrite bar antenna also.
Tom Harris
2024-05-16 23:02:06 +0000 UTCThe tube and sockets are from the TubeDepot, /tubedepot.com
RICHARD OCKMAN
2024-05-16 22:29:29 +0000 UTCWhere did you find the sockets?
Noel Rodriguez
2024-05-16 21:26:20 +0000 UTCThis is great, Is this an RF amplifier with an antenna in the output? A semiconductor amp should be possible ..
Noel Rodriguez
2024-05-16 21:20:18 +0000 UTCGood one! That I can build easily.
Tom Harris
2024-05-16 19:39:37 +0000 UTCPhenomenal. Would a semiconductor version be possible?
Alan Drury
2024-05-16 19:16:01 +0000 UTCWith the large night time transmitter power cuts at sundown here in the states, this would provide a well needed boost for favorite radio stations. Really a very neat Idea with more than one application. The power supply will be a bit unwieldy, but good reception has never been free. Ha.
Leonard Peters
2024-05-16 19:01:10 +0000 UTCThis would be fun to build, but I would have to make a high voltage power supply. Now I wish I had some of the old stuff I gave away many years ago.
Larry { N7LUF }
2024-05-16 18:50:00 +0000 UTCI understand that the loop antenna will play into this, but with an antenna tuner or something, at what frequency does this circuit top out? Could this help with a shortwave radio as well?
tubes_rock
2024-05-16 17:19:41 +0000 UTCThe tube is at a good price at this time as are the sockets , thanks for the project. Parts are on order. I ordered the tube and sock from the TubeDepot , the socket is a PC Board mount so i will make a PC board for the circuit.
RICHARD OCKMAN
2024-05-16 16:41:11 +0000 UTCNever ceases to amaze! Thank you Paul! Hopefully the shorter format videos are giving you somewhat of a break - but knowing how driven you are I'm sure you are still burning the candle at both ends!
Bill Hanks
2024-05-16 16:24:23 +0000 UTCTotally impressive. I was shocked at the coupling ability at that distance. Thanks Mr. C!
James Roberts
2024-05-16 16:08:41 +0000 UTCThank you.
Ed Moreno
2024-05-16 16:07:31 +0000 UTC
