John wrote:
I have been refused permission for any kind of outdoor Antenna due to the
area in which I live in the UK having "permitted development rights
removed"
I think that this may be a conservation area. Having recently passed the
foundation course I am getting impatient - and dissapointed to say the
least.
I am now faced with only one or two alternatives - an Indoor or Loft
Antenna. I realise that this may restrict me to 2m only but at least it
will be better than nothing - or to operate mobile only.
Has anyone on the group got any suggestions ? I have a fair sized loft with
approx. 2.5m headroom, which runs the whole width of the house -almost
30ft. - is there anything I use in the loft like a loop Antenna for instance
? Or a fixed Station Antenna ?
Lots of good advice elsewhere in the thread. You certainly can operate
HF from a loft that size... though RF interference may be a problem.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves - it's too soon to give up on
outside antennas yet.
No matter where you are, the planners don't have the authority to issue
a blanket refusal. Even in a conservation area, there are still plenty
of legitimate options involving 'stealth' antennas, night-time operation
etc.
Here in town, there's an amateur who lives in a Listed building that is
right opposite the District Council offices - the planning officer's
desk is by the window, literally overlooking the rear of his house! It's
hard to imagine a worse situation than that, yet he *can* put up outside
antennas, and he gets out fine on 80m and VHF.
So don't ever accept a flat "No" for an answer. Push back at
officialdom. Find out if you really are in a conservation area, and by
what right they are restricting you. Ask them for chapter-and-verse on
that. On the technical side, think up some solutions for outdoor
antennas that they cannot reasonably refuse. Keep pushing - politely,
but also relentlessly. When they eventually realise that you're not
going to give up, they *will* say "Yes" to something.
Talk to the RSGB Planning Panel (details at
www.rsgb.org) and I'm sure
they can help you.
--
73 from Ian G3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek