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.