[Elecraft] (OT redoux) MAG LOOP ANTENNAS

[Vic Rosenthal]

I agree with Ron that the best solution is wire outdoors. I too lived in apartments and did similar things. Best results always seemed to come from some sort of balanced antenna when possible. Nowadays there are so many noise sources in buildings that getting a wire outside is worth the struggle. Indoors, you are within the loop of the AC lines, Ethernet cables, etc. Try to get out of the loop and use a balun to decouple the outside of the feed line if it's coax.
Small wire like no. 20 enameled wire can be almost invisible from a few feet away.
Another possibility is a temporary antenna. You can make a little stand for a mag loop and place it outdoors to operate and then bring it inside when you are done.
I have a little game I play whenever I visit a new place. I ask myself "how would I put up an antenna if I lived here?" My wife is used to my walking around looking at trees, etc.

Vic 4X6GP

> On 23 Jan 2017, at 02:49, Ron D'Eau Claire <ron at cobi.biz> wrote:
> 
> Over the years I've done a fair bit of operating from inside apartments. My
> tactic was to get as much wire up as high as possible while still being
> unobtrusive. I was running 10 watts or less, CW.  
> 
> In one location I had a tree about 20 feet away from a window at my
> operating desk. I slipped a fine wire out of the window (so I could still
> close it) and hooked it to some fishing line leader which I then tossed into
> the tree, succeeding in getting it about 20 feet above the ground. It was
> not visible and survived some surprising winds. Worked it against a
> counterpoise made from fine white wire held along the (apartment white) wall
> with pushpins. 
> 
> Where I had a 2nd (top) floor unit, I had good success with a thin white
> wire 'doublet' tacked onto the wall near the ceiling with the two halves
> running as nearly in opposite directions as possible I was able to get about
> 50 feet of wire up that way and made a lot of contacts including some DX. Of
> course being indoors brings you closer to all sources of noise and,
> depending upon the construction of the building a certain amount of
> "shielding". 
> 
> One apartment building had a flat roof. The manager okayed me installing a
> simple antenna on the roof. It never hurts to ask. In another top floor
> location I discovered I had an attic access door in one closet, so I
> installed a "doublet" in the attic just under the roof rafters. Got a full
> half wave on 40 in that space with a bend in each half. The "feeder" was
> open wire - thin white wires that passed through two tiny holes in the
> ceiling next to the wall at my operating position and down to the rig. It
> worked beautifully on 40 through 10 meters. On that one when I moved I never
> got into the attic space to remove the antenna, insulators, etc. I just cut
> the feeder at the ceiling and filled the tiny holes. Eventually someone
> needing to do work in the attic probably scratched their head wondering what
> that was - unless they were a Ham. 
> 
> 73, Ron AC7AC
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Robert
> 'RC' Conley
> Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2017 6:16 AM
> To: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] (OT redoux) MAG LOOP ANTENNAS
> 
> Guys;
> I'm anticipating a move to a seniors villa and I know I will be unable to to
> take my antenna farm and most of the ham shack. I've decided on my KX2 with
> ATU (grab-n go). A MAG LOOP should allow indoor operations at QRP power
> levels.Thanks for your thoughts.
> 73
> KC5WA
> 
> --
> May You Live Long and Prosper....
> what's life without a few dragons....