QRM is the scourge of the times, cheap switch modes, poorly shielded high speed digital signals are a curse, my hf setup is now deaf as a post with s7 noise on 20m.
My next issue is to try and pick up an eme beacon, if that and a self echo go well I will try a contact with vk3um (a vk eme guru).
I would encourage the OP with home-brew, it's a lot of fun, you learn a lot, especially bl#&dy earth loops!