I am looking for some recommendations on what kind of HF antenna I
might be able to install cheaply on my home.

I am looking for something that will offer a range of bands (most
used) especially 40m and 80m. and will not be overly conspicuous.

My home is a 1 story bungalow, there is no existing tower or mast. My
backyard is about 60ftx25ft and there are 5 trees about 50ft high in
the backyard.

I have no experience installing antennas, and am only moderately
handy.

I am concerned about the trees, as they are directly south west. Not a
great direction to block from North America.

I had originally hoped to install an inverted V or basic dipole, but
my yard does not seem to be large enough, and my house not high-enough
without a tower.

Am I stuck with an indoor dipole here? Or will I have to invest in a
tower and vertical to get anything decent? I am ruling out any kind of
yagi because of cost and aesthetics.

Thanks!

mj

There are "shortened" 80M dipoles, having inductors in the legs to reduce
the length at resonance. A friend of mine has a commercial antenna of
this sort - I don't know the name offhand - which is fed with about 100
feet of ladder line and with a tuner will operate on all the amateur
bands 80M and down. It's not as good as a full length dipole, but he
is making contacts and having fun. You do what you can.
--

jhhaynes at earthlink dot net

Mr. Jerk wrote:

I am looking for something that will offer a range of bands (most
used) especially 40m and 80m.

Am I stuck with an indoor dipole here? Or will I have to invest in a
tower and vertical to get anything decent.

I would try to get up a dipole / inverted "V" of at least 33 feet per
side (1/2 wave on 40 meters). If you can make it longer (like 80 feet
per side) do it. The wire length isn't critical and it doesn't have to
run in a straight line. Zig-zag it as needed. Use the trees as
supports.

Now the important part: Feed the center with 450-ohm ladder line. With
an inexpensive antenna tuner, that antenna will do a decent job on 40
through 10 meters, and a fair job on 80 meters.

If you're primarily interested in 40/80 meters, I wouldn't recommend a
vertical.

Art N2AH

I wrote:

If you can make it longer (like 80 feet per side) do it.
Oops. Make that "like 40 or 50 feet per side."

Art N2AH

It's true that my trees are 50feet in height, but is attaching a dipole
from a tree to a house a safe operation? I'm also not sure that it's
legal in my municipality, though not sure who would be the wiser.
How would I access the antenna for maintenance, and how would I attach
the lower end? I assume the lower end must be high enough off the
ground not to allow someone to touch it.
Thanks much for the advice!!

73,

You can bend your dipole or random wire in any shape that you have to and it
will still work.

If you've got 50ft high trees, then I'd use them as much as possible. A 'wrist
rocket', fishing pole, and bolt/nut combo works great for stringing wires up
to 70' high (use fishing line to pull up a nylon cord, which is used to pull up
rope).

jw
k9rzz

(J999w) wrote:
You can bend your dipole or random wire in any shape that you have to and
it will still work.

If you've got 50ft high trees, then I'd use them as much as possible. A
'wrist rocket', fishing pole, and bolt/nut combo works great for
stringing wires up to 70' high (use fishing line to pull up a nylon cord,
which is used to pull up rope).

jw
k9rzz

Yep, here's a tid-bit.

http://www.qsl.net/n1lo/slingsht.txt

Vincent Valle wrote:

It's true that my trees are 50feet in height, but is attaching a
dipole
from a tree to a house a safe operation? I'm also not sure that it's
legal in my municipality.

Hams and SWLs have been doing it for decades. What is the danger? Or
install the antenna between two trees, and just run the feedline to the
house.

How would I access the antenna for maintenance, and how would I
attach
the lower end?

You would have insulators at the ends of the antenna wires. Attach
nylon or polypropolene rope from the insulator to some accessible
tie-off point. If you need to lower the antenna, untie the end ropes.

Another option is to install a 10 foot TV type mast on top of your roof
(on a tripod mount), or on your chimney, and use that as the center
support. Then attach the ends of the antenna to trees.

Art N2AH