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Under Eave Antenna
I would like to install an under eave antenna at my house.
Mostly for listening but maybe some low power transmitting. What I need is some input from all the experts here as to what supports would work best. Also I dont want it to upset the other half too much so it would have to be "pleasing" to the eye or damn near invisible. As I dont have any plans or thoughts as to what would work best I am open to all serious suggestions and ideas. It will be a loop fed with open wire feeders is all I have in mind at this time. Stan AH6JR |
Under Eave Antenna
stananger wrote:
I would like to install an under eave antenna at my house. Mostly for listening but maybe some low power transmitting. What I need is some input from all the experts here as to what supports would work best. Also I dont want it to upset the other half too much so it would have to be "pleasing" to the eye or damn near invisible. As I dont have any plans or thoughts as to what would work best I am open to all serious suggestions and ideas. It will be a loop fed with open wire feeders is all I have in mind at this time. Stan AH6JR Go to Home Depot, or equivalent, and buy 500 feet of wire the same color as your house. [Helps keep things invisible] Run a loop under the eaves all around the house. Bring the ends of the loop to ground level. Electrician staples with insulated facing will hold the wire in place. Feed the antenna at ground level through a small auto tuner similar to the ICOM AH-4, or one of the SGC units. Feed the Rf and control wires from the tuner into the shack through a window sill or equivalent. When finished, you will have a small box on or near the ground, hopefully on the back of the house, and two nearly invisible wires from the tuner to the loop. An alternative feed is to use end feed against a ground rod driven into the soil. An advantage here is that ground wire radials can be added to the rod and stapled below the grass line for a good counterpoise. |
Under Eave Antenna
In article LeKJf.1049$p13.631@trnddc08,
stananger stananger@********.*** wrote: I would like to install an under eave antenna at my house. Mostly for listening but maybe some low power transmitting. What I need is some input from all the experts here as to what supports would work best. Also I dont want it to upset the other half too much so it would have to be "pleasing" to the eye or damn near invisible. As I dont have any plans or thoughts as to what would work best I am open to all serious suggestions and ideas. It will be a loop fed with open wire feeders is all I have in mind at this time. One possibility would be the sort of standoffs which have traditionally been used to support runs of 300-ohm twinlead. They're something like a long-shafted eye bolt, with a plastic insert in the center of the eye to hold the twinlead away from the metal. Some of these are intended for mounting on a metal strap on an antenna mast (these have machine threads on their shaft), while others have a wood-screw-like threading and a sharp point and can be screwed into a wood beam. You'd probably want the latter. Radio Shack still sells 'em (15-853, $2.99 for a set of four) and they're probably available elsewhere as well. Another possibility would be to use short pieces of PVC or fiberglass tubing, mounted to the eves using one- or two-screw conduit brackets. 4"-6" pieces of 3/4" or 1" PVC tubing, with 1/4" holes cross-drilled in one end for the wire, then primed and painted to match your house's color scheme, might be cosmetically-acceptable. -- Dave Platt AE6EO Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads! |
Under Eave Antenna
stananger wrote:
I would like to install an under eave antenna at my house. Mostly for listening but maybe some low power transmitting. What I need is some input from all the experts here as to what supports would work best. Also I dont want it to upset the other half too much so it would have to be "pleasing" to the eye or damn near invisible. As I dont have any plans or thoughts as to what would work best I am open to all serious suggestions and ideas. It will be a loop fed with open wire feeders is all I have in mind at this time. I have used insulated cup hooks screwed into the wood through which I ran a loop of solid insulated wire. Both cup hooks and insulation are available in a number of colors. -- 73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp |
Under Eave Antenna
stananger wrote: I would like to install an under eave antenna at my house. Mostly for listening but maybe some low power transmitting. What I need is some input from all the experts here as to what supports would work best. Also I dont want it to upset the other half too much so it would have to be "pleasing" to the eye or damn near invisible. As I dont have any plans or thoughts as to what would work best I am open to all serious suggestions and ideas. It will be a loop fed with open wire feeders is all I have in mind at this time. Stan AH6JR I have considered the same idea, however my soffit, fascia and eavestrough are all metal, and not electrically connected to each other. Does anyone have any suggestions on how far below these I would have to string my wire? I have also considered bonding both the individual sections of each, and bonding all three together; but I'm not sure how successful such an attempt would be. Dave VE3HLU |
Under Eave Antenna
stananger wrote:
I would like to install an under eave antenna at my house. Mostly for listening but maybe some low power transmitting. What I need is some input from all the experts here as to what supports would work best. Also I dont want it to upset the other half too much so it would have to be "pleasing" to the eye or damn near invisible. As I dont have any plans or thoughts as to what would work best I am open to all serious suggestions and ideas. It will be a loop fed with open wire feeders is all I have in mind at this time. Stan AH6JR I ran a loop on the roof using plastic 35mm film containers as standoffs. I see no reason why you couldn't hang them under the eaves. A small dab of silicone seal was sufficient to glue the bottles in place. I used a soldering iron tip to put holes into and out of the bottles and strung the wire through them. My downlead was light 300 ohm twinlead. The antenna worked well and was up for a few years. A simple firm pull removed the bottles when I moved and didn't leave any damage on the shingles. I didn't worry about things like radiation angles, radiation resistance, UV deterioration and all those things that can drive you nuts if you think about them long enough -- I just worked loads of stations and had a pile of fun. It's cheap and simple. Irv VE6BP -- -------------------------------------- Diagnosed Type II Diabetes March 5 2001 Beating it with diet and exercise! 297/215/210 (to be revised lower) 58"/43"(!)/44" (already lower too!) -------------------------------------- Visit my HomePage at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv/index.html Visit my Baby Sofia website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv4/index.htm Visit my OLDTIMERS website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv5/index.htm -------------------- Irv Finkleman, Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
Under Eave Antenna
Dave Holford wrote:
stananger wrote: I would like to install an under eave antenna at my house. Mostly for listening but maybe some low power transmitting. What I need is some input from all the experts here as to what supports would work best. Also I dont want it to upset the other half too much so it would have to be "pleasing" to the eye or damn near invisible. As I dont have any plans or thoughts as to what would work best I am open to all serious suggestions and ideas. It will be a loop fed with open wire feeders is all I have in mind at this time. Stan AH6JR I have considered the same idea, however my soffit, fascia and eavestrough are all metal, and not electrically connected to each other. Does anyone have any suggestions on how far below these I would have to string my wire? I have also considered bonding both the individual sections of each, and bonding all three together; but I'm not sure how successful such an attempt would be. Dave VE3HLU I used pill bottles that were about three inches long. This placed the wire about 2-1/2 inches above the shingles. Irv VE6BP -- -------------------------------------- Diagnosed Type II Diabetes March 5 2001 Beating it with diet and exercise! 297/215/210 (to be revised lower) 58"/43"(!)/44" (already lower too!) -------------------------------------- Visit my HomePage at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv/index.html Visit my Baby Sofia website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv4/index.htm Visit my OLDTIMERS website at http://members.shaw.ca/finkirv5/index.htm -------------------- Irv Finkleman, Grampa/Ex-Navy/Old Fart/Ham Radio VE6BP Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
Under Eave Antenna
Just hang up some wire and see what happens.
I make no predictions but you will probably be pleased with results. ---- Reg. |
Under Eave Antenna
If the soffits are not metal, they will probably be dry and just about
anything will do for an insulator/standoff. When you said "eaves", some of us assumed you meant under the lowest edge of the roof. Technically, eaves are the under part of a roof that hangs over a wall. So the overhangs at the ends of a gable roof are also called eaves. An inverted vee at one of the ends, fed in the center, would be something to consider seriously if you have a gable roof. The center would be perhaps 18 feet above ground. On the other hand, if you have a hip roof, then a wire under the eaves will be entirely horizontal and approximately eight feet high. Such an antenna will exhibit a near-vertical radiation pattern and it will not be much of a performer for DX on the HF bands. Good luck Chuck Reg Edwards wrote: Just hang up some wire and see what happens. I make no predictions but you will probably be pleased with results. ---- Reg. |
Under Eave Antenna
chuck wrote:
If the soffits are not metal, they will probably be dry and just about anything will do for an insulator/standoff. When you said "eaves", some of us assumed you meant under the lowest edge of the roof. Technically, eaves are the under part of a roof that hangs over a wall. So the overhangs at the ends of a gable roof are also called eaves. An inverted vee at one of the ends, fed in the center, would be something to consider seriously if you have a gable roof. The center would be perhaps 18 feet above ground. On the other hand, if you have a hip roof, then a wire under the eaves will be entirely horizontal and approximately eight feet high. Such an antenna will exhibit a near-vertical radiation pattern and it will not be much of a performer for DX on the HF bands. Good luck Chuck Reg Edwards wrote: Just hang up some wire and see what happens. I make no predictions but you will probably be pleased with results. ---- Reg. Everything is wood When you said "eaves", some of us assumed you meant under the lowest edge of the roof. Technically, eaves are the under part of a roof that hangs over a wall. So the overhangs at the ends of a gable roof are also called eaves. An inverted vee at one of the ends, fed in the center, would be something to consider seriously if you have a gable roof. The center would be perhaps 18 feet above ground. its going to be a loop and the location you describe is accurate I just wanted to know what the best way to hang this wire from the eave is. |
Under Eave Antenna
Dot wrote:
On Mon, 20 Feb 2006 16:27:24 GMT, stananger stananger@********.*** wrote: Everything is wood ... I just wanted to know what the best way to hang this wire from the eave is. If everything is wood, you could probably just staple the wire under the eves of your house. But staples are metal, which might compress the wire against the wood and damage the wire. Not sure if the staples being metal would effect anything but it I was hoping someone had some experience with this kind of setup. I was thinking of stapling a black UV resistant cable tie every 10-15 ft and running the wire thru the loop made by the cable tie. Actually a bad idea I think. Someone did mention the screw in type tv cable standoffs. Thats a possibility but I guess I am looking for someone who has actually done this to see what they had done and what problems they had encountered. Another poster also mentioned it would be a poor DX antenna, maybe, as my house sits on sloping ground and is post and pier the eaves are over 25' on 1/2 of the house. This could be a decent antenna for maybe 15 & 10 meters. But in my original post the idea was to be used as a receiving antenna maybe for transmitting on 40 & 75 locally. One point I do want to make again - the other half wants me to make sure its as eye pleasing as possible, which means it cant be easy to see. When I first thought about doing this I never realized it actually required as much time to come up with a solution as it has. Simple project? You and I would have thought so. |
Under Eave Antenna
STAPLES
Electrician Staples are INSULATED. Look into these: "BRISCON Insulated SN 40". They are 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide. I've used them for years in a WX protected location. stananger wrote: I would like to install an under eave antenna at my house. Mostly for listening but maybe some low power transmitting. What I need is some input from all the experts here as to what supports would work best. Also I dont want it to upset the other half too much so it would have to be "pleasing" to the eye or damn near invisible. As I dont have any plans or thoughts as to what would work best I am open to all serious suggestions and ideas. It will be a loop fed with open wire feeders is all I have in mind at this time. Stan AH6JR |
Under Eave Antenna
stananger wrote:
When I first thought about doing this I never realized it actually required as much time to come up with a solution as it has. If you keep thinking and talking about it until you have a perfect solution, it will never get done. :-) -- 73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp |
Under Eave Antenna
On Mon, 20 Feb 2006 19:27:30 GMT, stananger stananger@********.***
wrote: Simple project? You and I would have thought so. Hang it up there, sloppily, just to see if it works. Otherwise, you may go to a lot of refinement and trouble for naught. bob k5qwg |
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