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Thread: So... HOA antennas...

  1. #11
    "Island Bartender" KG4CGC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KJ3N View Post
    We do? :chin:
    As the Island BT, I have a responsibility to our Islanders as well as potential Islanders.
    Nevermind, I can't keep a straight face through that.

  2. #12
    Whacker Knot WØTKX's Avatar
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    Are there any trees of decent size? A small skinny wire may never be noticed. And of course, flagpoles work.

    I have just purchased a Tarheel 400 A screwdriver antenna. Many HOA impaired hams set one up, use it, take it down. Radial wires could be left in place, though you need fewer of them if they are elevated.

    Nothing is a problem with the sufficient application of funds.
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  3. #13
    Conch Master KJ3N's Avatar
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    I'd like to know what the goal is first. Is it to work DX? Chat been NJ and FL? What's the motivation for getting into HR?

    Attic antennas do work, but since they are generally not very high, the TOA will be quite steep. Usually not conducive to working DX, and depending on the distance you're trying to cover, not effective beyond local communications.

    I would tend to put as much wire as I could around the perimeter of the attic and couple that to some sort of remote tuner like an SGC. It would be multi-band and on the higher bands could benefit from gain lobes at certain points.

    A somewhat long document at the SGC website gives a lot of suggestions for stealth antennas. It's really worth the read.
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  4. #14
    Orca Whisperer
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    Quote Originally Posted by KJ3N View Post
    I'd like to know what the goal is first. Is it to work DX? Chat been NJ and FL? What's the motivation for getting into HR?
    This is good advice. I hadn't bothered to ask the "why" part... Maybe a singular vertical for 10M in the back yard will suffice... I have to ask him that, or force his arse to get over here and start asking himself. He's already registered here :)

    Attic antennas do work, but since they are generally not very high, the TOA will be quite steep. Usually not conducive to working DX, and depending on the distance you're trying to cover, not effective beyond local communications.

    I would tend to put as much wire as I could around the perimeter of the attic and couple that to some sort of remote tuner like an SGC. It would be multi-band and on the higher bands could benefit from gain lobes at certain points.

    A somewhat long document at the SGC website gives a lot of suggestions for stealth antennas. It's really worth the read.
    I'm pretty sure that's the route I was going to go with him: Get as much wire in the air as possible. I was thinking on the outside of the roof, with a tuner of some sorts. Don't want to shock him away with prices too soon
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  5. #15
    Conch Master W2NAP's Avatar
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    it would be possible to build a 24ft vertical in the back yard. covering 10-40 or he could toss down some brick dough http://www.dxengineering.com/Parts.a...artNo=HUS-6BTV (iirc the 6btv is 25ft) and toss down a shit load of ground radials.

    i doubt anyone would notice it in the back yard.
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  6. #16
    Pope Carlo l NQ6U's Avatar
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    Fiberglass flag poles have often been used to hide a vertical antenna inside. There was a very good QST article about one guy doing exactly that just a few months back. The guy bought a 28' pole and mounted it to a tilt base he home-brewed out of steel angle. He ran a wire up the inside and connected it to an SDG auto tuner mounted on the base, which was then hidden by some shrubbery. The radials and the feed line were buried and he even flew a flag from it to complete the camouflage job. There's no way you'd ever know it was an antenna just by looking at it.
    Last edited by NQ6U; 05-04-2011 at 02:05 PM.
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  7. #17
    Conch Master W5GA's Avatar
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    Have him run a vertical using magnet wire. He'll be lucky to see it himself, knowing where it is, if he uses something like 28ga. wire. Put a coil of it in some vinegar briefly to blacken it a bit. It'll handle a barefoot rig no problem.
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  8. #18
    Conch Master W5GA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KJ6BSO View Post
    Fiberglass flag poles have often been used to hide a vertical antenna inside. There was a very good QST article about one guy doing exactly that just a few months back. The guy bought a 28' pole and mounted it to a tilt base he home-brewed out of steel angle. He ran a wire up the inside and connected it to an SDG auto tuner mounted on the base, which was then hidden by some shrubbery. The radials and the feed line were buried and he even flew a flag from it to complete the camouflage job. There's no way you'd ever know it was an antenna just by looking at it.
    You can do the same with a ?-BTV, I'd recommend the 5 because the 40m capacity hat gets deleted with the addition of 30m. It all fits nicely inside PVC.
    When the government's boot is on your throat, whether it is a left boot or a right boot is of no consequence. — GARY LLOYD

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  9. #19
    Forum Addict n6hcm's Avatar
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    what does the HOA say? it's entirely possible there's no prohibition ... or a prohibition that's easier to work with.
    "... and another thing about you democrats ... you all believe in science!" -- denny crane

  10. #20
    Orca Whisperer n2ize's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by n6hcm View Post
    what does the HOA say? it's entirely possible there's no prohibition ... or a prohibition that's easier to work with.
    The problem with that approach is once you ask them and they say NYET then they start watching every move you make making it harder to "sneak in" any kind of antenna... What these stupid HOA's don;t understand is that they are only making things worst for themselves with their stupid restrictions. Whgile they may dfeny a person an outdoor antenna the person still has a legal right to operate. And when the operator is forced to use less efficient hidden antennas that are often mounted at low altitudes the chances for RFI increases accordingly.

    Another option... move somewhere where there are no HOA's.
    I keep my 2 feet on the ground, and my head in the twilight zone.

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