Hello,

I searched this group first and didn't find an exact answer to my
situation. I have a large attic in a single story 2100 sq ft. house. I
just bought this house a few years ago and it is to be my retirement
home. Recently, I got the ham radio bug again and have most of my new
gear here ready to go and I overlooked the fact that there is foil on
the back of my attic roofing. I am disabled and cannot get in the attic
easily and usually have to get my wife or somelse go up there. So I
overlooked this.

I want to operate most VHF but I like 20 CW and 10 FM and 6 meters -
440 mhz both SSB and FM. So I've been trying to come up with an antenna
to cover that. I have the antennas pretty much decided but Bingo -- the
roofing material problem pops up and I don't have any idea how much
signal I will lose through that stuff. If it is a few DB and messes the
pattern up a little I don't care, but if it is 20 db and won't tune I
do care. I'm not a contester -- just like to have fun and have a 100
Watt FT-857D and I'll keep the power down to were I don't start triping
the GPFs

I have used a HT downstairs and never suspected a problem because it
was a little VX-2R and I mostly just listened with it but I could hear
all the repeaters and the aircraft band came in like gang busters and
SW Broadcast was loud on a little whip. I just sold the HT when I
ordered the new rig so I can't make the tests I would like up in the
attic now.

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of attic. I have heard
everything from it wont work to people that said it worked better than
in other standard plywood attics.

I thought a shield had to be at "ground" potential to effectively block
a signal (eg Faraday shield). For instance shielded audio cable remains
unshielded unless grounded at one end. Does the same hold true for this
foil barrier heat shield?

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Frank, K5OX