[Elecraft] Attic Antenna

[Vic K2VCO]

Fred (FL) wrote:

> Back to subject - what type of ATTIC ANTENNAS are
> good, for us living in restricted communities (no
> antennas) - with attics?
> 
> B&W makes a "Folded Dipole", 7-30mhz, 45 feet long -
> with supposed flat swr?  Like $245.  Our attic antenna
> needs to be pretty much left by itself - no trips up
> there to change frequencies.  And 40 thru 10 would
> be nice.

This *is* resistively loaded. It is not a scam like some, but it is less 
efficient than an ordinary dipole.  A dipole as long as possible in the 
attic, not parallel to wires/pipes if possible, and fed with ladder line 
and a balanced tuner would be close to optimum.

> I'm suprised no-one mentioned the performance of
> that octagonal sheet metal HF antenna that is
> always advertised in QST.

It's poor.  Like anything, it works to some extent.  Again, a simple 
dipole would be much better.

> I guess I could get my old ARRL Antenna Book out,
> and build a trap dipole for the attic ......
> Or stick a Buddipole up there.

A trap dipole might require a lot of adjustment due to coupling to 
nearby conductors.  It might be a complicated process to get a 
reasonable SWR on many bands.  It would be easier to just make a tuned 
doublet and let the balanced tuner take care of it.

A buddipole would work, of course, but it is too short for good 
efficiency on the lower bands and would require you to bound up the 
stairs to adjust it whenever you changed bands.
-- 
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco