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Old March 31st 07, 05:11 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
AndyS AndyS is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 119
Default How do I break it to the neighbors

Use of thin wire or wire, maybe with suitably colored insulation or
spray paint, should help hide it. If they don't see you install it it
may take weeks for them to notice it. That failure to notice
immediately would go a long way toward countering how big an eyesore
it really is.



Andy adds:
Well, I don't have neighbors but I have a wife who does not see the
existence of outside antennae as an art form. We just moved into
a new house 2 years ago, and recently I decided to get all the ham
gear working again......
I put the dipoles, and a 2 meter gnd plane, in my attic near the
top
of the roofline on the inside.
They work just fine, low SWR, and receive and transmit well......
Being
under a half inch of plywood doesn't alter the characteristics
significantly.
If your roof line will accommodate this, it is a thought....

Also, rather than dipoles, a loaded flagpole or TV antenna mast
would
be another option.....

No way your neighbors could possibly be as picky as my wife.......

I realize that there may be a difference of opinion about mounting
an
antenna in the attic versus on top of the roof, but I've never been
able
to tell any difference in performance for dipoles and gnd planes....
The measure I use is : " When the H F antenna is connected to the
receiver
input, if the ambient noise level rises appreciably, the antenna is
working
just fine ( noise level is due to the cosmos and not receiver
generated) "

Andy W4OAH