[Boatanchors] Ham Radio & XYL's

[Glen Zook]

Over 40-years ago, when we were living in another house, I had obtained a tri-band (20, 15, 10) "spider" quad and had it assembled in my back yard.  Then, I looked around and saw that it wasn't really safe to put the antenna on my tower because of nearby power lines.  I was just starting to disassemble the quad when my wife walked out into the back yard and said, "you are NOT going to put THAT up!"  Then, she pointed to my 3-element 15-meter yagi which would have been replaced by the quad and said, "THAT kind of antenna is fine!"

To this day, she still believes that she "got her way" with the quad!  Nowadays I do have a fairly extensive array of yagis and verticals.

http://k9sth.com/uploads/Antennas_At_K9STH.pdf


You just have to give your wife a choice!  :>)

I live 1/2-block from the highest point in the city and my main tower is visible from the freeway over 1/2-mile away.  Since I have lived on this block longer than anyone else, every neighbor has purchased their house knowing that the antennas were there.  Several neighbors have told me that if I move, I have to leave the tower!  It seems that the tower is the landmark that they use when telling friends how to find their house!
 
Glen, K9STH


Website:  http://k9sth.com


________________________________
 From: Rob Atkinson <ranchorobbo at gmail.com>
To: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net 
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2012 6:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Ham Radio & XYL's
 
A lot has been written over the past decade or two about antenna
restrictions in towns and housing developments but I have never seen a
thing about another hurdle for many hams--the XYL restricting their
antennas or banning them outright.  I have heard of XYLs vetoing open
wire line (unsightly), guyed masts (same thing), and all sorts of
other prohibitions.   I was not a ham 50 or 60 years ago but I have
often wondered if hams of my parents' generation (Great Depression and
WW2) dealt with the same domestic issue or if this is a modern
marriage thing.