[NJARC] Transmitting Antennas in Attics

[Robert Flory]

Hi Scott and others,

I have used attic antennas before, though I prefer stealthy outdoor ones when they are not allowed.

You do have to be quite careful about fire hazards.  I only ever used resonant antennas, and made sure ends were well insulated and physically isolated from flammables. 

If you get into using antennas on harmonics of their half-wave resonance, or using high-impedance open-wire lines, you can get into extremely high voltages that cause arcs, or extremely high currents that cause heat, neither of which you want inside your house(or anyone else's).

There is always a lot more "irate neighbor" factor if you live in a building with other people and are transmitting inside the building.  Stereos that speak when switched off, jumping TV pictures, etc.

I ran 3-element yagis on 10 and 15 meters in attics in couple of rental situations.  I could work people, but only after everyone running real antennas got through first.

I had much better luck with hidden verticals and dipoles in trees, with buried feedlines.  

RF
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