[HCRA] Attic Antennas

[Daniel J. Sullivan]

Hello all on both lists.=20

First, I apologize to those on each list getting this twice because you =
belong to both clubs. Just trying to cast a very wide net soliciting =
ideas.

I have spent some time tossing the idea of an attic antenna around in my =
head and with Steve, N1SR. So here is the situation:=20

I am an apartment dweller. I have an attic app.: 45' x 25' ---51.5' =
diagonal--- give or take a few inches here or there. It is located 3 =
stories up and begging for an HF antenna of some kind allowing me to =
operate. I am trying to get 10-80m (I am insane but not fooling myself =
about 160m) operation using a Kenwood TS 820S and/or a Drake TR4CW thru =
a Dentron MT2000a Tuner. I would like to use at least do 100 watts =
although I am afraid of RFI. I think I may have gotten lucky with some =
lattice in the walls protecting the few brain cells I have left after =
some of my other stunts.

My options as I see them:=20

1) Trap Dipole: I have seen a decent article on one design but I am wary =
of all the crud they emit for RFI. =
http://www.nerc.com/~jdegood/coaxtrap/

2) G5RV: I can contort one into the attic, but G5RV seems to argue =
against twisting his antenna too much. =
http://www.radiohamsontheweb.co.uk/antenna/g5rv/g5rv.htm

3) Loop: I could whip up a 40m loop easily in that attic. It wouldn't be =
a perfect square but it would accomplish what I want. It is also a =
damned quiet antenna to operate in a city setting. I would still have =
RFI problems on 75 and 80 though. *As I sit and think I am wondering if =
I would have much RFI on properly balanced and fed loop.*

4) Random Wire: I have done this with a friend once before. The only =
worry I found was we needed to stay away from roofing nails. The buggers =
load up wrong and/or ground you out.

I would like some feedback about which antennas people have tried and =
how well they performed. Have you had big problems with RFI or QRM? Do =
any of these antennas perform better then the rest? Also, I am looking =
almost exclusively at feeding these antennas with some form of twin =
lead. I think I would a much wider resonant frequency response, and I =
want to hook it up to an old short-wave receiver sometime.

I appreciate any feedback I get.=20

73's
Dan Sullivan, AA1TE
ex- N1LYJ, M0CDR

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