Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

Because of restrictions i am unable to put up a two meter fm vertical
antenna. What is the feasability of putting up a random or long wire
antenna for the two meter fm band? Doing a Google search i could not
find any information concerning the above. Any assistance would be
appreciated. Thank You.

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

N3 wrote:
Because of restrictions i am unable to put up a two meter fm vertical
antenna. What is the feasability of putting up a random or long wire
antenna for the two meter fm band? Doing a Google search i could not
find any information concerning the above. Any assistance would be
appreciated. Thank You.

You can try several thinks. One is a J-Pole antenna, if you have enough room.
It can be made from clear twin lead, like the kind that come with FM stereo
systems.

Another choice would be a dipole. Two 19 inch pieces of wire will do fine.

Using the right thickness of wire and small enough coax would make it almost
impossible to see.

Due to the polarization issue, a horizontal wire is not very usefull

You can also find if you look around a base for a "rubber duckie" type antenna
that has a suction cup. You use it to put mount your antenna on a window
while you are using it.

73,

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

A vee beam or rhombic set up would give you impressive gain, albeit
with a narrow beamwidth... All the factors would have to be right...
I won't take the time to do the search for you, but 'try vhf rhombic'
for starting a search... Older ARRL VHF antenna books address this
issue...

If you can run a wire out the window, you can run a rope.. Think about
a homebrew, long boom Quagi/Yagi, but with the elements vertical...
Again, what directions are available to you... Also a broadside array
could be suspended from a rope for directions opposite the direction of
the rope...

denny / k8do

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

"Denny" wrote in message
ups.com...
A vee beam or rhombic set up would give you impressive gain, albeit
with a narrow beamwidth... All the factors would have to be right...
I won't take the time to do the search for you, but 'try vhf rhombic'
for starting a search... Older ARRL VHF antenna books address this
issue...

If you can run a wire out the window, you can run a rope.. Think about
a homebrew, long boom Quagi/Yagi, but with the elements vertical...
Again, what directions are available to you... Also a broadside array
could be suspended from a rope for directions opposite the direction of
the rope...

denny / k8do

Of what use is a directional antenna on 2M if you cannot rotate it?

Dale W4OP

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

On Mon, 09 Oct 2006 18:19:29 GMT, "Dale Parfitt"
wrote:
"Denny" wrote in message
oups.com...
A vee beam or rhombic set up would give you impressive gain, albeit
with a narrow beamwidth... All the factors would have to be right...
I won't take the time to do the search for you, but 'try vhf rhombic'
for starting a search... Older ARRL VHF antenna books address this
issue...

Of what use is a directional antenna on 2M if you cannot rotate it?

Dale W4OP

Hi Dale,

I couldn't resist.

If you make the rhombic with stretchable mounting points (and do not
load the end of the rhombic, so as to make it bi-directional) you can
change the major axis. This would alter EW to NS, and, I bet, if you
didn't stretch it strictly to the typical elongated axis (the major
axis) you would probably fill in the lobes in between.

However, this (admittedly rube Goldberg design) and the original
suggestion of a rhombic seems prohibitive in a neighborhood already
far too sensitive to even a quarterwave vertical.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

"N3" wrote in message
oups.com...
Because of restrictions i am unable to put up a two meter fm vertical
antenna. What is the feasability of putting up a random or long wire
antenna for the two meter fm band? Doing a Google search i could not
find any information concerning the above. Any assistance would be
appreciated. Thank You.

I had a home made 1/4 wave ground plane vertical in the attic. Worked as
well as an Isopole on the roof. Gave away the Isopole. If you don't have an
attic, try the top of a closet. If you give up one radial, you can tape the
whole thing to walls and the front of the shelf.

Tam/WB2TT

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

Richard Clark wrote:

Hi Dale,

I couldn't resist.

If you make the rhombic with stretchable mounting points (and do not
load the end of the rhombic, so as to make it bi-directional) you can
change the major axis. This would alter EW to NS, and, I bet, if you
didn't stretch it strictly to the typical elongated axis (the major
axis) you would probably fill in the lobes in between.

However, this (admittedly rube Goldberg design) and the original
suggestion of a rhombic seems prohibitive in a neighborhood already
far too sensitive to even a quarterwave vertical.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

Richard

I'm not sure who you are responding to, certainly NOT the original
poster. He can't put up a quarter wave, let alone an effing RHOMBIC!

I am amazed at how these threads can take off in only 3 responses into
something that has absolutely nothing to do with the question that was
asked.

-----------------------------

N3

Please contact me directly at the address shown on this post, and I will
attempt to help you.

tom
K0TAR

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

Richard Clark wrote:

Hi Dale,

I couldn't resist.

If you make the rhombic with stretchable mounting points (and do not
load the end of the rhombic, so as to make it bi-directional) you can
change the major axis. This would alter EW to NS, and, I bet, if you
didn't stretch it strictly to the typical elongated axis (the major
axis) you would probably fill in the lobes in between.

However, this (admittedly rube Goldberg design) and the original
suggestion of a rhombic seems prohibitive in a neighborhood already
far too sensitive to even a quarterwave vertical.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

One thing the newcomers to the group should know, and this information
should be passed on on a regular basis, is that Richard is one of the
most intelligent people here. Unfortunately, he is about the least
helpful person here. He seldom answers questions directly, although he
will try to pretend he is trying to make you learn something. He is
not, he is simply showing you how much more knowledgeable he is than
everyone else.

In this case the poster could not put up a quarter wave, and asked about
putting up a long wire. Obviously if the poster couldn't put up a
long wire, a flexible rhombic, which is absurd on the face of it, would
be absolutely unacceptable.

tom
K0TAR


tom
K0TAR

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

N3 wrote:
Because of restrictions i am unable to put up a two meter fm vertical
antenna. What is the feasibility of putting up a random or long wire
antenna for the two meter fm band? Doing a Google search i could not
find any information concerning the above. Any assistance would be
appreciated. Thank You.

I find it hard to imagine a 2M antenna that is easy to spot from a
short distance away. However, the first 2M antenna I made took 5 pieces
of copper wire, each 19 inches long, and a SO239 coax fitting (The
type used on a panel, that has 4 holes in a flange to bolt it on). Four
of the wires are bent at the end to make a short leg "L". the short leg
is poked through the connector flange and soldered. The remaining wire
is soldered into the center fitting of the connector, from the back.
This is now a "Ground plane antenna". if the four wires pointing out
from the connector are bent down at about 15-20 degrees, it should
match 50 Ohms, or near it.
Mine started life hanging from a light fixture in my bedroom, connected
to the transmitter with a short piece of Coax. With 3 Watts, I could
hit a repeater 30 Miles away.
Good luck- Bill-W4BSG

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 21:01:53 -0500, Tom Ring
wrote:
Richard Clark wrote:
Hi Dale,

I'm not sure who you are responding to

Hi Tom,

I thought I would cut down the intervening criticism to reveal the
answer.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 21:30:24 -0500, Tom Ring
wrote:

Richard Clark wrote:
suggestion of a rhombic seems prohibitive in a neighborhood already
far too sensitive to even a quarterwave vertical.

is absurd on the face of it, would
be absolutely unacceptable.

Hi Tom,

Again, a little judicous trimming reveals your complaint was already
anticipated.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

Geoff Mendleson offered some good advice.
The dipole he suggested can be made using one 19-inch whip as the upper
half of a vertical dipole and a 19-inch metal tube as the lower half of
the dipole. The tube is also used as a sleeve over the coax which feeds
the dipole at its center.

This antenna is often called a coaxial or sleeve antenna. It is also
often disguised to appear as something else such as a flagpole, etc.
This antenna has 0 dBd gain and is omnidirectional in the horizontal
plane. It works well in almost any line of sight direction and so is
useful with portable and mobile stations. It is as good as a ground
plane antenna without projections to cause injuries.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI

Two Meter FM Wire Antenna Question
 

Richard Harrison wrote:

Geoff Mendleson offered some good advice.

Thanks Richard. I appreciate the mention.

The dipole he suggested can be made using one 19-inch whip as the upper
half of a vertical dipole and a 19-inch metal tube as the lower half of
the dipole. The tube is also used as a sleeve over the coax which feeds
the dipole at its center.

The advantage of using a whip and tube are the much wider bandwith than
with a wire antenna. However if you are really stuck for places to put
it, two 19" pieces of wire will do. Since most people only use a few
watts on 2m FM, then the thinnest wire you can find will probably do.

This antenna is often called a coaxial or sleeve antenna. It is also
often disguised to appear as something else such as a flagpole, etc.
This antenna has 0 dBd gain and is omnidirectional in the horizontal
plane. It works well in almost any line of sight direction and so is
useful with portable and mobile stations. It is as good as a ground
plane antenna without projections to cause injuries.

I think someone sells one that is a plastic pipe you slip over a vent
pipe.

If you are allowed TV antennas, you can build a "CIA special" which is
a 2m and 440 beam fed by 300 ohm twinlead. On HF, the twinlead becomes
the antenna and the beam part a capacative hat.

I hid a J-Pole made of 300 ohm twinlead in side a white plastic pipe.
If you use thin enough coax to feed it, it can be used to support all
sorts of things, a pin-wheel or wind speed gage for example.


73,


Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/