I could use some help in setting up a HF antenna and another antenna to work
VHF. I live in a condo that doesn't allow outside antennas at all, so I'm
trying to set something up in my garage...maybe set up in the rafters above
the car.

I have a set of Iron Horse HF antenna sticks for the HF radio and a Diamond
X50 for the VHF/UHF radio. The problem is I can't get either to work. I
suspect it is because there is no ground going to the antennas. They are
mounted on a antenna mast that is sitting on the concrete slap of the
garage.

Does anyone have some ideas of what I can do? Is there a different
antenna that I should consider that would solve this problem (of not having
a real ground...just a cement floor)?

-Bruce

I used an aluminum extension ladder as
a ground plane with a Hustler vertical
antenna attached to it.
W7ALC

Magloop? Trapped dipole (use coaxial traps)

You could always do some tuning by moving the car back and forth! (grin)

Cheers Bob VK2QYA

I could use some help in setting up a HF antenna and another antenna to
work
VHF. I live in a condo that doesn't allow outside antennas at all, so
I'm trying to set something up in my garage...maybe set up in the rafters
above the car.


(The reply address is broken. Put bcnoop in front of the at!)

Can you run a ground lead out your garage door to any real dirt? Pound in a
ground rod and tie off to it. Any ground rod is better than no ground rod.
You aren't looking for perfection here.

Good luck,

Bill, W4WNT

"res08z36" wrote in message
...
I could use some help in setting up a HF antenna and another antenna to
work
VHF. I live in a condo that doesn't allow outside antennas at all, so
I'm
trying to set something up in my garage...maybe set up in the rafters
above
the car.

I have a set of Iron Horse HF antenna sticks for the HF radio and a
Diamond
X50 for the VHF/UHF radio. The problem is I can't get either to work.
I
suspect it is because there is no ground going to the antennas. They are
mounted on a antenna mast that is sitting on the concrete slap of the
garage.

Does anyone have some ideas of what I can do? Is there a different
antenna that I should consider that would solve this problem (of not
having
a real ground...just a cement floor)?

-Bruce

On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 16:19:09 GMT, "res08z36"
wrote:

I could use some help in setting up a HF antenna and another antenna to work
VHF. I live in a condo that doesn't allow outside antennas at all, so I'm
trying to set something up in my garage...maybe set up in the rafters above
the car.

I have a set of Iron Horse HF antenna sticks for the HF radio and a Diamond
X50 for the VHF/UHF radio. The problem is I can't get either to work. I
suspect it is because there is no ground going to the antennas. They are
mounted on a antenna mast that is sitting on the concrete slap of the
garage.

Get some wire, and cut some radials that you attach to the ground side
of the antenna (coax braid side). Lay the radials on the concrete. You
may have to adjust their length to get a low swr. Basically, you're
setting up a ground plane antenna, with the Iron Horse doo-dad as the
vertical element, and some homebrew radials for the ground plane. I'd
try 4 radials per band.

Another idea would be to string up, in and around your property, a
crooked dipole of nearly invisible wire -- I believe the Wireman has
#26 wire at his web site -- use little plastic buttons for insulators,
and feed it with that clear-colored 300 ohm line from Radio Shack, to
a little antenna tuner. That might do ya a lot better than trying to
cram a vertical into your garage.

Bob
k5qwg



Does anyone have some ideas of what I can do? Is there a different
antenna that I should consider that would solve this problem (of not having
a real ground...just a cement floor)?

-Bruce

"Bob Miller" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 16:19:09 GMT, "res08z36"
wrote:

I could use some help in setting up a HF antenna and another antenna to
work
VHF. I live in a condo that doesn't allow outside antennas at all, so
I'm
trying to set something up in my garage...maybe set up in the rafters
above
the car.

I have a set of Iron Horse HF antenna sticks for the HF radio and a
Diamond
X50 for the VHF/UHF radio. The problem is I can't get either to work.
I
suspect it is because there is no ground going to the antennas. They
are
mounted on a antenna mast that is sitting on the concrete slap of the
garage.

Get some wire, and cut some radials that you attach to the ground side
of the antenna (coax braid side). Lay the radials on the concrete. You
may have to adjust their length to get a low swr. Basically, you're
setting up a ground plane antenna, with the Iron Horse doo-dad as the
vertical element, and some homebrew radials for the ground plane. I'd
try 4 radials per band.

Another idea would be to string up, in and around your property, a
crooked dipole of nearly invisible wire -- I believe the Wireman has
#26 wire at his web site -- use little plastic buttons for insulators,
and feed it with that clear-colored 300 ohm line from Radio Shack, to
a little antenna tuner. That might do ya a lot better than trying to
cram a vertical into your garage.

Bob
k5qwg



Does anyone have some ideas of what I can do? Is there a different
antenna that I should consider that would solve this problem (of not
having
a real ground...just a cement floor)?

-Bruce



There are several antennas that do not require a ground. Try a half wave
dipole mounted vertically. Or you can try a 1/2 wave vertical. This latter
will require some inductance and/or capacitance to get the feed point
impedance down to 50 ohms but no ground plane is required. Another antenna
that does not require a ground plane is the discone. I used the Radio Shack
one quite successfully and it will work on both 2 meters and 440mhz bands
with no tuner.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE