"John Popelish" wrote in message
...
wrote:
All,
I have the opportunity to turn a walk-in closet with door into a ham
station. ...
Question is this: what type of metal would provide acceptable results:
aluminum foil, copper foil, or tin-plated zinc sheets nailed
overlapping along the closet inside?
Thanks in advance,
The Eternal Squire
Just as important as the conductivity and thickness of the shield is
the continuity. Nonconducting seams can act as slot antennas. So
aluminum, though it is a very good conductor, is very difficult to
seam in a conductive way. Well connected, galvanized chicken wire
(with 1 inch or so holes) may work as well as aluminum foil that has
non conductive seams, as long as the holes are much smaller than the
shortest wavelengths you are trying to shield.
Lungren screen rooms use a copper screen which is just like screen door.
However, they are rated up into the GHz range. You'll also need some type
of "finger stock" around the door to provide an electrical seal. The
Lungren screen rooms have a brass-like finger stock all around the door.
The grounds _ALL_ go to one single point and only one single point
However... I'm not sure what this buys you for a ham shack...unless you want
to do receiver design and testing and need the quiet, RF free environment.
Connecting the antenna eliminates all your work, so to speak.
73, Steve, K,9.D;C'I