wrote in message
...
Just some thoughts...

That #26 wire is going to be a problem no matter what type antenna you
end up with. For the longer antennas, HF, etc, it's strength is going
to be sort of limiting. It is sort of difficult to see, but it's far
from being invisible. So, if you are in one of 'those' neighborhoods
that don't like 'visible' antennas there is another choice instead of
an invisible antenna. That's using something that is very visible,
but not normally associated with antennas. The first thing that comes
to mind is a flag pole. Certainly 'do-able', and certainly not going
to be 'simple' if it covers more than one 'chunk' of HF. The 'simple'
way of 'curing' that sort of thingy is to throw money at it, to some
ridiculous point. (Wonder how 'they'd feel about a 'commemorative'
Atlas missile monument in your yard?)

I think you might do some thinking about what's the longest, sort of
straight, 'run' you can manage using the roof ridge and tree. A few
'bends' in that 'straight' run are allowable, sort of. And then
consider various ways of 'loading' that run. One option might be a
'short' but 'long' inverted 'L', a "lazy-L"? Not exactly the best,
has it's own set of 'problems', but if it works, who cares...much.
Having 'been there, done that' at one time or another, I really
wish you luck.
- 'Doc


Thanks for your thoughts - I am NOT allowed either of the 2 items that you
suggested (flag pole or missile - although I would like to have a Gatling
Gun mounted and take pot shots at the senior citizens that use my street as
a tune up for drag racing).

1] In my current configuration I have a #13ga jacketed wire coming out of
a Icom A4 auto- tuner (which is in the attic next to the vent window). From
the tuner, it goes up about 3 feet to the roof peak, makes a 90 degree turn
and then traverses down the edge (15ft) to make a 90 degree turn down to the
end of the roof (90ft) running along each of the gutters sides (but actual
on the roof). Then it makes another 90 degree turn and goes up and over the
peak to the other side of the roof, about (30ft) and makes another 90 degree
turn and comes back (90ft) turns back up to the peak (15ft) and back down to
the ground side of the tuner.

I am hearing a lot of sigs, but I am having probs being heard! 100w!

2] Before I had this configuration, it was basically the same, except the
auto-tuner wasn't in line, instead I was using a manual tuner. I had the
same configuration on the roof, and an additional 2 runs (LOOPS) of the same
size wire inside of the attic, total length of approximately 540ft. It was
working (80-10), but I couldn't get it to tune to 160m. On the VHF/UHF
frequencies, 6m thru 70cm it was working as a multi-wavelength RHOMBIC. I
was able to work a bunch more stations, but still I thought I wanted more.

But the problem is that the outside portion - the signals being
transmitted - that the roof was probably absorbing most of them.

3] Whether I use a manual or auto tuner, I am trying to get the best
configuration other laying the wire on the roof or stringing it along the
rafters in the attic.

The distance is approximately 20 feet from the tree to the house. I can
bury a piece of coax from the house to the tree, and then run it up the tree
to a center connection for a dipole, but the arms of the dipole are going to
have to be bent into a "V" and terminate at some point along the longest
sides of the roof just above the gutters.

4] As you suggested, I could run a dipole (using more of the #13ga wire,
the ends facing N/S) along the ridge line and center or off-center feed it
with coax, but then again, it will be laying on the roof. (90ft straight
ridge line).

73's