[Elecraft] (OT redoux) MAG LOOP ANTENNAS

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

It doesn't directly address KC5WA's need (unless his retirement home is at
the beach) but a subterfuge I see used on the coast for people at vacation
rentals involve long surf-fishing poles. Some are 20 feet or more long so it
is common to see them propped up near vertical at the deck railing at
people's apartments when they are not in use. They are a very common sight
with nothing "Ham Antenna" about them, but a wire instead of fishing line
running up the length of the pole can be a very effective outdoor radiator. 

And if it's a fine wire that was cast from the pole into a nearby tree
extending its length for a full half wave on 40 or 80 meters, all the
better!   

The old phrase, "Necessity is the Mother of invention" comes to mind. After
all, trolling the Ham bands is just a different sort of "fishing". 

73, Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Vic
Rosenthal
Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2017 10:07 PM
To: Ron D'Eau Claire
Cc: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] (OT redoux) MAG LOOP ANTENNAS

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....
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