Antennas for System BLUE - Mini Guide

[RichoAnd]

Is there a maxi guide? :-)

Or a youtube version where all steps are shown to make each individual antenna?

No!
I have made room for you to think for yourself 
I wrote this explanation over 10 years ago, and nothing has changed
I have not touched my antenna for many years.
REMEMBER!
A long E-Field antenna gives you lots of signal, but also more noise.
The most important thing here is to keep this antenna as far away as possible from power lines, electric fences, lawn mowers with buried control cables, etc..
With a very long antenna you can get signals around the globe, but that is NOT what we want. We want a clean signal.
H-Field Antenna.
I have experimented a lot over the years, and have, among other things, very large loops in the attic. They are now used for ULF and VLF signals instead.
5-6 years ago (maybe more) I did an experiment with loop and E-field connected together. I got busy with other things, and the experiment just went on. Once the plastic bucket fell down, and I put it back up. It still works fine.
H-Antennas are for electromagnetic signals, and by their nature not so sensitive to E-fields. They don't have to be placed high, as long as they are far away from electric motors and old lawnmowers etc.
Ferrite antennas are best when they are shielded - There are some pictures somewhere with ribbon cable or brass or copper foil or any metal tube (slotted)
.... so just do some experiments to see what's best in your case.

/Richo

Thank you! I love your clarity!

So it is basically a case of “figure it out yourself.” :-)

I find that unfortunate, because I am not an antenna expert and genuinely had no idea what I was doing. Experimenting felt risky because I was afraid of damaging the equipment. I prefer to build things correctly and according to the manual—but apparently there is no such manual.

I now understand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but some practical instructions would still be very helpful.

Anyway, I took the plunge and, with some help from ChatGPT, built an antenna.

And it works! :-) Wow, my first antenna ever!

For other newbies, here is my little project:

1. I bought 11 m of 2×0.75 mm² copper speaker wire.
2. I separated it into two individual wires.
3. I made a frame from three 80 cm wooden battens, crossing at the centre at 90°—like a Czech hedgehog or “anti-tank cross.”
4. I wound each wire three times around the frame, creating two loops at 90° to each other.
5. I connected one loop to H1+/H1− and the other to H2+/H2− on preamplifier PCB 23.1.
6. I left both solder jumpers open.
7. I connected the preamplifier to my System Blue Mini and left the controller on its automatic settings.

Both channels are working, with an almost identical noise floor of approximately 13–14 mVpp.

It may not be the most elegant antenna ever built, but it was cheap, simple, and it works!

I’m happy to be on board! In the future, I hope to create some practical how-to guides on this subject, because I feel there is a real gap in the available documentation.

I didn't know you were "new"
I was responding to a 10 year old post.
The "Mini Guide" was made to give an introduction to antennas for our use.
I just read it again, and I think it answers most questions.
In the beginning there was a lot of "snake oil", and my purpose was to dispel the myths that arose.
There was a "FIGHT" to show the "perfect antenna".
BUT there is NO "perfect antenna", and that is why I am not making "The perfect recipe".
Thousands of books and articles have been written about antennas, BUT, and there is a very important BUT.....while antennas for radio, TV, Wi-Fi etc. must be tuned to the frequencies they are to transmit, ours is the OPPOSITE.
Our antennas MUST be broadband, meaning they receive all signals from approx. 3kHz to approx. 80kHz with equal weight. - I SHOULD HAVE SPECIFIED THAT in the "Mini Guide" - sorry!
Now you know :-)
The antenna you have made is often the starting point for our use, AND IT WORKS PERFECTLY.
The mechanical design can be discussed, as it is not so weatherproof if necessary.
You have made progress using ChatGPT, and very well.
ChatGPT has found one or more of the articles/posts that users have written over the years, so you were fortunately helped.
YES! There is a gap in the documentation, and since you now suggest filling it yourself, I think you should do so.
We who developed it understand the project, but are not necessarily the best communicators for beginners- obviously not.
Many videos show "the absolute truth", I would be careful of that. There are things that are absolute, like polarity of power connection, but not necessarily in antenna connection. As long as you keep "suggestions" and "must be like this" separate, you should be successful with the project.
Good luck
/Richo