Disguise antennas for CAP

wuzafuzz · January 09, 2009, 10:30:25 PM

Some of you, like me, probably live in HOA's with antenna restrictions. If anyone has experience using hidden or disguise antennas for CAP radios at their home, please share. VHF and HF.

I've considered a Ventenna, but they don't seem to cover the necessary bandwidth. (I worked my way onto the HOA board

but can't totally change the rules.)

Share your ideas and even photos of crafty installs!

Major Lord · January 09, 2009, 10:54:13 PM

I found an antenna that looks like two slinkies, and it worked pretty well in my attic for HF. Totally covert. I don't have room in my yard for a big-ticket tower, but I do have room for a vertical. I will probably attach U.S. Colors to the top. I have to confess my roof top VHF antenna is a Radio Shack ground plane hiding on the leeward side of my Chimney. I plan on buying and installing one of those MFJ verticals that covers HF to VHF and makes your house look like the soviet embassy.

Major Lord

MIKE · January 09, 2009, 11:20:12 PM

Dipole. I'm thinking one you can string up in the attic or pull double duty as a clothesline. Maybe run some plants up it.

Gunner C · January 09, 2009, 11:53:03 PM

Quote from: MIKE on January 09, 2009, 11:20:12 PM
Dipole. I'm thinking one you can string up in the attic or pull double duty as a clothesline. Maybe run some plants up it.

That would be interesting if someone puts wet wash on it during the local HF net!

[singing] You light up my wife [/singing]

desertengineer1 · January 10, 2009, 12:14:59 AM

Eric,

Tomorrow I'll take a picture of mine and post it here. I think you'll like.

IceNine · January 10, 2009, 01:19:14 AM

Quote from: Major Lord on January 09, 2009, 10:54:13 PM
I found an antenna that looks like two slinkies, and it worked pretty well in my attic for HF. Totally covert. I don't have room in my yard for a big-ticket tower, but I do have room for a vertical. I will probably attach U.S. Colors to the top. I have to confess my roof top VHF antenna is a Radio Shack ground plane hiding on the leeward side of my Chimney. I plan on buying and installing one of those MFJ verticals that covers HF to VHF and makes your house look like the soviet embassy.

Major Lord

Pic or link? I'd be interested in putting an antenna in my attic

Chief2009 · January 10, 2009, 01:32:05 AM

Talk to the ham radio guys in your area about this. They usually have some pretty ingenious ideas.

DN

Major Lord · January 10, 2009, 02:21:19 AM

Quote from: IceNine on January 10, 2009, 01:19:14 AM
Quote from: Major Lord on January 09, 2009, 10:54:13 PM
I found an antenna that looks like two slinkies, and it worked pretty well in my attic for HF. Totally covert. I don't have room in my yard for a big-ticket tower, but I do have room for a vertical. I will probably attach U.S. Colors to the top. I have to confess my roof top VHF antenna is a Radio Shack ground plane hiding on the leeward side of my Chimney. I plan on buying and installing one of those MFJ verticals that covers HF to VHF and makes your house look like the soviet embassy.

Major Lord

Pic or link? I'd be interested in putting an antenna in my attic

I found one on E-Bay that looks about the same as mine, but seems a little improved. Mine was more bailing wire/bubble gummish....but it worked.

http://cgi.ebay.com/STEALTH-SLINKY-DIPOLE-HF-SWL-HAM-ANTENNA_W0QQitemZ320330068996QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item320330068996&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

If the link is FUBARD, just go to E-Bay and type "HF antenna" good luck!

Major Lord

IceNine · January 10, 2009, 02:40:10 AM

Heh, I'm fairly certain that actually <IS> a slinky

Thanks for the link

Dirtman · January 10, 2009, 04:02:48 AM

start with this book

http://www.amazon.com/Low-Profile-Amateur-Radio-Publication/dp/0872594114

It has good info in it, you can set up a loop or folded dipole in you attic if you have room, or set up a loop on/around the eves of your house. VHF is pretty simple as far as a J pole or ground plane in the attic. Lots of guys around here run in attic antennas for use during storm season to avoid taking a direct hit from lightening vs their outside towers and long wires.

There was also a good article or two in one of the recent issues of QST about in attic antennas. Give that a look also

Getting ready to build our wing CV an in attic setup for VHF and HF. He just moved into a "no outside antenna" covenant.

Another idea is the HamStick dipole. Do a web search, but it is two Hamstick whip antennas connected together to make what looks like a dipole. I use these when camping and I don't have trees or room for a full sized dipole. Buy the ones for 80mtrs with the adapter, get an antenna analyzer and trim them to the HF channel you wish, total length of the antenna for CAP HF work on mine is about 15 ft. That will fit into about any attic. Again a tuner will be needed in some cases.

BTW you will need a tuner for a lot of the antennas you will find on the web and in that book.

JoeTomasone · January 10, 2009, 06:00:59 AM

I work the local VHF repeater with a j-pole in the window on the first floor.

For HF, I have a dipole laying on the roof. Not grand, but with a tuner it gets the job done.

JAFO78 · January 10, 2009, 09:41:07 AM

Down here in FL, Disney has all their cell towers look like trees. EZ to tell cause the "tree" is higher then all the rest, but at lest they try. I wish I could post a photo, but don't have one, don't know how.

Dirtman · January 10, 2009, 02:25:51 PM

Like this Rob?
http://antennastructures.blogspot.com/2006/08/cellular-antenna-disguised-as-conifer.html

Got picture of bird house as vhf but dont know how to post pictures yet.

JAFO78 · January 10, 2009, 09:20:06 PM

Yea that's like it but with Disney, you'd swear it was a tree. They are good at hiding things behind landscaping.

IceNine · January 10, 2009, 09:36:16 PM

I can't find much on radiation patterns maybe someone here will have some advice.

Peak of my roof runs North to South and is 40ft long. The house is only 26 ft wide.

I am almost geographically dead center in Illinois and a great deal of my HF work will be to the north of me.

Would I have much luck running the antenna along the peak, or possibly diagonally from corner to corner.

Or should I look at something completely different? I see a lot of square and diamond loop designs but no
radiation patterns to help me decide.

addo1 · January 10, 2009, 09:54:50 PM

Quote from: Rob Goodman on January 10, 2009, 09:20:06 PM
Yea that's like it but with Disney, you'd swear it was a tree. They are good at hiding things behind landscaping.

Yeah, I know what you mean.. When I was there awile back, we would go around trying to count how many we could find...

desertengineer1 · January 10, 2009, 11:53:15 PM

Can you see the antennas?

desertengineer1 · January 10, 2009, 11:55:09 PM

Here's what's really there. You have to look really close to see the outside HF.

Red = main radiator. Green = Ground plane / radial. Blue = Ground Rod.

The distances are rough. The tuner is fed with Andrew LDF4-50 Heliax. Altogether, HF gets really good coverage in ALE and SSB.

IceNine · January 10, 2009, 11:56:52 PM

Low light, NO FAIR!!

Nicely done by the way

desertengineer1 · January 11, 2009, 12:00:35 AM

Quote from: IceNine on January 10, 2009, 11:56:52 PM
Low light, NO FAIR!!

Nicely done by the way

Unfortunately, I work 7 days a week and don't see home in any other light

The VHF is obviously in the attic, perched under the peak of the roof frame.

I get EXCELLENT coverage of the Southeast Region nets.

For you comm folks, this is the "Oil Well" station.

Cheers,

James