Question about city antenna install

[W7XF]

I know some of the HOA Nazi's in Tucson actually use field-strength meters to detect stealth installations...one notable HOA near my UNRESTRICTED QTH actually spells out the only LEGAL transmitters: Baby monitors, cordless phones, cell phones, bluetooth, 802.11x devices, to name some..as well as the usual spurious devices. And, they put aluminum sheeting on the roofs (under the shingles) to prevent attics being used for stealth antennae. Wonder if they actually discourage licenced hams from purchasing a home in those subdivisions???

[W3WN]

^I see.. that makes sense. I don't need a perfect pattern anyway, so I think there is a very good chance I'll be able to make this work!< snip >

You hardly ever get a perfect pattern anyway. How many of us can install a vertical in the clear, with no obstructions whatsoever (buildings, trees, fences, hills, indian burial mounds, etc.) within a few hundred yards?

A 1/4 wave vertical needs an electrical counterpoise to work correctly. In theory, the counterpoise or radials should also be an electrical 1/4 wave for each band desired, should be equally spaced, should be straight, etc.

That said, the reality is that for most installations, just get down as many radials as you can, in as many directions as you can, as long as you can. You won't be ideal, but you'll radiate a signal.

< snip >
I also considered that, but that removes my concealment. This install has to be very stealthy, otherwise my anal-retentive neighbor to the north will whine and bitch no end and take her case to the HOA. She keeps her nose up everybody's asses around here, much to the dismay of the entire neighborhood. At any rate, concealment is the best option for my sanity.

When we moved into our current home, I did the same thing I did when moving into the previous two homes I'd bought.

At least one vertical went up in the back yard right away. No radials, no coax, no tuning, no nothing. Didn't get to hooking it up for close to 6 weeks, with everything that we needed to do.

My then-next door neighbors asked what it was. I told them. They said "that's pretty neat!" (so help me, yes they did) and we talked about it for awhile. They also asked about interference, and we talked about that too.

6 weeks or so later, when I go to string coax and then started to operate, nobody batted an eye. After all, I hadn't caused any interference for weeks, so clearly I wouldn't do so now.

I have yet to have an interference complaint. None. Nada.

Of course, YMMV, VWPBL(STn)

[KG4CGC]

I know some of the HOA Nazi's in Tucson actually use field-strength meters to detect stealth installations...one notable HOA near my UNRESTRICTED QTH actually spells out the only LEGAL transmitters: Baby monitors, cordless phones, cell phones, bluetooth, 802.11x devices, to name some..as well as the usual spurious devices. And, they put aluminum sheeting on the roofs (under the shingles) to prevent attics being used for stealth antennae. Wonder if they actually discourage licenced hams from purchasing a home in those subdivisions???

IT'S FOR THE CHURLDINS FER CRISSAKE!

[WB0LSR]

Thanks for the advice!

VWPBL(STn)

'splain please?

[W3WN]

Thanks for the advice!

VWPBL(STn)

'splain please?

I'm glad you asked.

Did you ever watch the old Talk Soup program on "E!" This was one of John "Skunk Boy" Henson's favorite lines:

Void Where Prohibited By Law (Sorry Tennessee!)

[WB0LSR]

LOL.. I see.

[N8YX]

Get yourself a 6BTV, about 25ft of PVC pipe into which the 'BTV can slide and a toilet-tank float. Paint said float gold, install on top of PVC and put the assembled antenna into your new "flagpole". For mounting I would use a 4-6ft pipe driven into the ground. Lay 30-40 25' radials in the grass using a slitter and sod staples. At the base of the flagpole, install an SGC-230, AH-4 or similar random-wire tuner. The make and model of rig you're using will determine which tuner to purchase, as some transceivers can directly control an attached remote tuner.

Place a nice concourse of flagstones around the base (to hide the tuner) and install some low-voltage directional 'flag lighting' (which gives you sufficient cover to run the coax, tuner control lines, etc).

Ceremonially raise and lower the flag in inclement weather, as you are supposed to do. Extra points awarded for doing this every morning/night. If anyone bitches about it, get in touch with area veterans groups then explain your plight to them.

[N8YX]

I know some of the HOA Nazi's in Tucson actually use field-strength meters to detect stealth installations...

Any radio enthusiast who willingly resides in such environs is a fucking moron.

I'd far rather take my chances out amongst the unwashed country masses than with a group of anal-retentive, restrictive, cloistered little giddy-biddies such as can be found in those "upscale" developments. :roll:

[KC2UGV]

I know some of the HOA Nazi's in Tucson actually use field-strength meters to detect stealth installations...one notable HOA near my UNRESTRICTED QTH actually spells out the only LEGAL transmitters: Baby monitors, cordless phones, cell phones, bluetooth, 802.11x devices, to name some..as well as the usual spurious devices. And, they put aluminum sheeting on the roofs (under the shingles) to prevent attics being used for stealth antennae. Wonder if they actually discourage licenced hams from purchasing a home in those subdivisions???

Good thing they state "Legal Transmitters". Like amateur gear :)

As an aside, I wonder what would happen if one were to load up the aluminum sheeting?

[KG4CGC]

Good thing they state "Legal Transmitters". Like amateur gear :)

As an aside, I wonder what would happen if one were to load up the aluminum sheeting?

Yep. I bet it's broadbanded too.