I am considering installing a stealth antenna on the porch of my first-floor
apartment and would like some suggestions. Here's the deal.

-- First floor apartment.
-- Porch is a concrete slab, 10 X 10.
-- The ceiling of the porch is the underside of the balcony of the apartment
above me. It's all wooden.
-- Thus, the ceiling of my porch is 10 X 10, wood.

How about I build a 40-meter dipole, 67 feet long, feed with coax and a
balun in the center. Attach the coax and the balun to one of the corner
posts that supports the balcony above my porch. Run the two sides of the
dipole in opposite directions, but, instead of stretching the wire straight
as I normally would if hanging the dipole from trees, towers, etc., what if
I run the wires around the underside of the balcony deck? This would give
me a horizontal loop made up of two pieces of wire, each 33.5 feet long,
with the loop being 10 feet on a side, thus, each end of the dipole would
run around underneath the balcony deck and come back almost to the center of
the dipole.

That is -- the balun would be secured to one of the corner posts. One piece
of wire, 33.5 feet long would run straight out from the balun along the 2 X
8 rim joist for 10 feet, make a 90-deg turn (20 ft), run another 10 feet and
make another 90-deg turn (30 ft), and end up 3.5 feet after the third turn.
The other end of the dipole would do the same thing, only run in the
opposite direction. At the balun, the two wires making up the dipole would
run at a 90-deg angle to each other. And, the two wires would overlap (or
be only a few inches apart) for 27 feet of their length.

I probably didn't explain this idea too well but I'd like to hear some
suggestions. Thanks.

Joe S. wrote:
I am considering installing a stealth antenna on the porch of my first-floor
apartment and would like some suggestions. Here's the deal.

-- First floor apartment.
-- Porch is a concrete slab, 10 X 10.
-- The ceiling of the porch is the underside of the balcony of the apartment
above me. It's all wooden.
-- Thus, the ceiling of my porch is 10 X 10, wood.

How about I build a 40-meter dipole, 67 feet long, feed with coax and a
balun in the center. Attach the coax and the balun to one of the corner
posts that supports the balcony above my porch. Run the two sides of the
dipole in opposite directions, but, instead of stretching the wire straight
as I normally would if hanging the dipole from trees, towers, etc., what if
I run the wires around the underside of the balcony deck? This would give
me a horizontal loop made up of two pieces of wire, each 33.5 feet long,
with the loop being 10 feet on a side, thus, each end of the dipole would
run around underneath the balcony deck and come back almost to the center of
the dipole.

That is -- the balun would be secured to one of the corner posts. One piece
of wire, 33.5 feet long would run straight out from the balun along the 2 X
8 rim joist for 10 feet, make a 90-deg turn (20 ft), run another 10 feet and
make another 90-deg turn (30 ft), and end up 3.5 feet after the third turn.
The other end of the dipole would do the same thing, only run in the
opposite direction. At the balun, the two wires making up the dipole would
run at a 90-deg angle to each other. And, the two wires would overlap (or
be only a few inches apart) for 27 feet of their length.

I probably didn't explain this idea too well but I'd like to hear some
suggestions. Thanks.


What ever you do make sure that your neighbors upstairs aren't exposed
to excessive RF Radiation.

Dave WD9BDZ

"David G. Nagel" wrote in message
...
Joe S. wrote:
I am considering installing a stealth antenna on the porch of my
first-floor apartment and would like some suggestions. Here's the deal.

-- First floor apartment.
-- Porch is a concrete slab, 10 X 10.
-- The ceiling of the porch is the underside of the balcony of the
apartment above me. It's all wooden.
-- Thus, the ceiling of my porch is 10 X 10, wood.

How about I build a 40-meter dipole, 67 feet long, feed with coax and a
balun in the center. Attach the coax and the balun to one of the corner
posts that supports the balcony above my porch. Run the two sides of the
dipole in opposite directions, but, instead of stretching the wire
straight as I normally would if hanging the dipole from trees, towers,
etc., what if I run the wires around the underside of the balcony deck?
This would give me a horizontal loop made up of two pieces of wire, each
33.5 feet long, with the loop being 10 feet on a side, thus, each end of
the dipole would run around underneath the balcony deck and come back
almost to the center of the dipole.

That is -- the balun would be secured to one of the corner posts. One
piece of wire, 33.5 feet long would run straight out from the balun along
the 2 X 8 rim joist for 10 feet, make a 90-deg turn (20 ft), run another
10 feet and make another 90-deg turn (30 ft), and end up 3.5 feet after
the third turn. The other end of the dipole would do the same thing, only
run in the opposite direction. At the balun, the two wires making up the
dipole would run at a 90-deg angle to each other. And, the two wires
would overlap (or be only a few inches apart) for 27 feet of their
length.

I probably didn't explain this idea too well but I'd like to hear some
suggestions. Thanks.


What ever you do make sure that your neighbors upstairs aren't exposed to
excessive RF Radiation.

Dave WD9BDZ

Thanks for the warning but this is not much of a consideration. The
apartment is rented full-time by a local corporation and it's used
occasionally, a few days at a time, by traveling executives who generally
come to town, check in late at night, leave early in the morning, and put in
long days while they are here and never go out onto the balcony.

"Joe S." wrote in
:

I am considering installing a stealth antenna on the porch of my
first-floor apartment and would like some suggestions. Here's the
deal.

-- First floor apartment.
-- Porch is a concrete slab, 10 X 10.
-- The ceiling of the porch is the underside of the balcony of the
apartment above me. It's all wooden.
-- Thus, the ceiling of my porch is 10 X 10, wood.

How about I build a 40-meter dipole, 67 feet long, feed with coax and
a balun in the center. Attach the coax and the balun to one of the
corner posts that supports the balcony above my porch. Run the two
sides of the dipole in opposite directions, but, instead of stretching
the wire straight as I normally would if hanging the dipole from
trees, towers, etc., what if I run the wires around the underside of
the balcony deck? This would give me a horizontal loop made up of two
pieces of wire, each 33.5 feet long, with the loop being 10 feet on a
side, thus, each end of the dipole would run around underneath the
balcony deck and come back almost to the center of the dipole.

That is -- the balun would be secured to one of the corner posts. One
piece of wire, 33.5 feet long would run straight out from the balun
along the 2 X 8 rim joist for 10 feet, make a 90-deg turn (20 ft), run
another 10 feet and make another 90-deg turn (30 ft), and end up 3.5
feet after the third turn. The other end of the dipole would do the
same thing, only run in the opposite direction. At the balun, the two
wires making up the dipole would run at a 90-deg angle to each other.
And, the two wires would overlap (or be only a few inches apart) for
27 feet of their length.

I probably didn't explain this idea too well but I'd like to hear some
suggestions. Thanks.

The real problem is going to be that winding the antenna back on itself
like that has the effect of lowering its radiation resistance. I ran it
up in Mininec and it comes out to less than 1 ohm at resonance. At that
rate, you'd be better off making a dipole of two screwdriver antennas
back to back.


--
Dave Oldridge+
ICQ 1800667

I don't know your budget, but the SGC Stealth Kit sounds like what you
need. It uses an automatic tuner and an 80 foot length of wire that
can be configured as a multi-loop. In your case you would string the
wire twice around the wooden ceiling. I am in the process of
installing one in my third floor attic. I will have to use a four turn
loop to fit the space.

Good luck, jimbo

Joe S. wrote:
I am considering installing a stealth antenna on the porch of my first-floor
apartment and would like some suggestions. Here's the deal.

-- First floor apartment.
-- Porch is a concrete slab, 10 X 10.
-- The ceiling of the porch is the underside of the balcony of the apartment
above me. It's all wooden.
-- Thus, the ceiling of my porch is 10 X 10, wood.

How about I build a 40-meter dipole, 67 feet long, feed with coax and a
balun in the center. Attach the coax and the balun to one of the corner
posts that supports the balcony above my porch. Run the two sides of the
dipole in opposite directions, but, instead of stretching the wire straight
as I normally would if hanging the dipole from trees, towers, etc., what if
I run the wires around the underside of the balcony deck? This would give
me a horizontal loop made up of two pieces of wire, each 33.5 feet long,
with the loop being 10 feet on a side, thus, each end of the dipole would
run around underneath the balcony deck and come back almost to the center of
the dipole.

That is -- the balun would be secured to one of the corner posts. One piece
of wire, 33.5 feet long would run straight out from the balun along the 2 X
8 rim joist for 10 feet, make a 90-deg turn (20 ft), run another 10 feet and
make another 90-deg turn (30 ft), and end up 3.5 feet after the third turn.
The other end of the dipole would do the same thing, only run in the
opposite direction. At the balun, the two wires making up the dipole would
run at a 90-deg angle to each other. And, the two wires would overlap (or
be only a few inches apart) for 27 feet of their length.

I probably didn't explain this idea too well but I'd like to hear some
suggestions. Thanks.

"jimbo" wrote in message
...
I don't know your budget, but the SGC Stealth Kit sounds like what you
need. It uses an automatic tuner and an 80 foot length of wire that can be
configured as a multi-loop. In your case you would string the wire twice
around the wooden ceiling. I am in the process of installing one in my
third floor attic. I will have to use a four turn loop to fit the space.

Good luck, jimbo

Thanks -- I'll check it out.

I have an extra ATAS-120 -- it's a long story -- my original ATAS-120 went
under (salt) water in Katrina along with my truck. I removed the antenna
from the truck and the insurance company took the rest. I replaced my
drowned FT-857 and ATAS-120 and truck and installed the new rig and antenna
on the new truck.

Last week, I took the drowned ATAS-120 apart, cleaned it up -- there was
very little corrosion, probably because of the seals on the antenna -- tried
it on my truck in place of the new ATAS-120, and it's working fine.

I may try to mount the old ATAS-120 on my porch railing (wooden) and figure
out a way to ground it and use it as my apartment antenna.

XYL and I are refugees from Katrina -- we were living in an apartment in Bay
Saint Louis, MS, and building a house nearby -- it was all washed away in
Katrina and we took a big uninsured loss. We are now looking for a home
here in NE Tennessee -- 1,500 feet or more above sea level.

I may just wait until we find a house because we are looking for houses with
land attached and I feel an antenna farm coming on!!



Joe S. wrote:
I am considering installing a stealth antenna on the porch of my
first-floor apartment and would like some suggestions. Here's the deal.

-- First floor apartment.
-- Porch is a concrete slab, 10 X 10.
-- The ceiling of the porch is the underside of the balcony of the
apartment above me. It's all wooden.
-- Thus, the ceiling of my porch is 10 X 10, wood.

How about I build a 40-meter dipole, 67 feet long, feed with coax and a
balun in the center. Attach the coax and the balun to one of the corner
posts that supports the balcony above my porch. Run the two sides of the
dipole in opposite directions, but, instead of stretching the wire
straight as I normally would if hanging the dipole from trees, towers,
etc., what if I run the wires around the underside of the balcony deck?
This would give me a horizontal loop made up of two pieces of wire, each
33.5 feet long, with the loop being 10 feet on a side, thus, each end of
the dipole would run around underneath the balcony deck and come back
almost to the center of the dipole.

That is -- the balun would be secured to one of the corner posts. One
piece of wire, 33.5 feet long would run straight out from the balun along
the 2 X 8 rim joist for 10 feet, make a 90-deg turn (20 ft), run another
10 feet and make another 90-deg turn (30 ft), and end up 3.5 feet after
the third turn. The other end of the dipole would do the same thing, only
run in the opposite direction. At the balun, the two wires making up the
dipole would run at a 90-deg angle to each other. And, the two wires
would overlap (or be only a few inches apart) for 27 feet of their
length.

I probably didn't explain this idea too well but I'd like to hear some
suggestions. Thanks.

"Joe S." wrote in message
...

"jimbo" wrote in message
...
XYL and I are refugees from Katrina -- we were living in an apartment in
Bay Saint Louis, MS, and building a house nearby -- it was all washed away
in Katrina and we took a big uninsured loss. We are now looking for a
home here in NE Tennessee -- 1,500 feet or more above sea level.

Now there is one of the better decisions I've heard from recipents of
Katrinas
free demolition services (G) God grant you and your family a long and safe
life
at this more fortuitous elevation. Oh, and good luck with the antenna farm
acquisition, also.

Harold
KD5SAK

kd5sak wrote:

"Joe S." wrote in message
...

"jimbo" wrote in message
...
XYL and I are refugees from Katrina -- we were living in an apartment in
Bay Saint Louis, MS, and building a house nearby -- it was all washed away
in Katrina and we took a big uninsured loss. We are now looking for a
home here in NE Tennessee -- 1,500 feet or more above sea level.


Following the example of NOAH ???

Seriously, I am truly sorry for your loss. I am impressed by your
determination to rebuild. Use a good Real Estate attorney to assure the
absence of CC&Rs. [Or, that you fully understand the CC&Rs].

"Amos Keag" wrote in message
...
kd5sak wrote:

"Joe S." wrote in message
...

"jimbo" wrote in message
...
XYL and I are refugees from Katrina -- we were living in an apartment in
Bay Saint Louis, MS, and building a house nearby -- it was all washed
away in Katrina and we took a big uninsured loss. We are now looking for
a home here in NE Tennessee -- 1,500 feet or more above sea level.


Following the example of NOAH ???

Seriously, I am truly sorry for your loss. I am impressed by your
determination to rebuild. Use a good Real Estate attorney to assure the
absence of CC&Rs. [Or, that you fully understand the CC&Rs].


Yep, we have dealt with CC&R's time and again. Served 30 years in the Army
and often it was easier to stick up an antenna when living on post than when
living in subdivisions. We are looking for a house or property in remote
"hollers" where folks can't even spell CC&R - hihi!!