[30m] Re: 30M Stealth Antenna

[Gary Tuck]

Just joined the list after seeing a link to the archives.  Thought  
I'd throw an idea in on stealth antennas.  We moved to antenna  
restricted neighborhood over 15 years ago.  We were having the house  
built and I installed a 40m loop in the attic after the electrical  
inspection and before the sheet rock went up.  It is 20'x40' and fed  
in the center of one of the short legs with ladder line and then to a  
4:1 current balun and then tuner.  It worked reasonably well on all  
bands 40 and above.  Being concerned about the RF I added an antenna  
outdoors.  This too was a 40m loop but in a delta configuration with  
the apex at about 20ft and fed in the corner with a 4:1 current balun  
and coax to the shack.  It performed on par with the indoor attic  
loop.  The wire was #16 copperweld and was nearly invisible to  
neighbors.

Finally, I installed a 80m sloping delta loop.  The apex is up 50' in  
a fir tree.  The base of the loop is no more than five feet above the  
ground running along a cedar fence.  It is fed like the old 40m  
delta.  The loop is sloping about 45 degrees from vertical.  When  
condx are reasonable I can work a lot of DX.  Worked both VK9X and  
VK9C with 100w on  30m.  You really have to look for the wire to see  
it unless we've had freezing rain and it is covered with ice.  Lost  
it once to squirrels who liked to chew thru the kevlar line I use to  
hoist it up the tree.  It is the best I can do in a small city lot  
with CCandR's which outlaw all outside antennas.  Not a single  
comment from a neighbor.  Of course I don't turn on the linear amp  
unless I absolutely have to and don't operate during the Super Bowl etc.

Sure hope we see more action on 30m.

73, Gary W7TEA