xpyttl wrote:

Is the ridge vent metal? Usually it is covered with shingles, but sometimes
it is aluminum, sometimes plastic. I trust any foil backed insulation is in
the floor of the attic rather than the roof.

**** Correct. All the metal is well removed. Just a wood
sheathing/asphalt
shingle roof..


All other things being equal, I would expect the antenna to be noticeably
better above the roof, because there will be some attenuation indoors, and
greater proximity to noise makers, and things that can get overloaded by
your transmitter.. But I doubt it would be a huge difference, although on
wet days it may well be sigificant. If the vent is metal, then the attic
antenna, because you can get it farther from the vent, may well be better.

**** I didn't think of the "wet days" situation..... I haven't seen
much difference
in antenna performance due to rain or weather tho... However, it
doesn't
snow here much at all.


But "better" is a relative term. I suspect in 4-land you don't get the snow
and ice we get up here on the tundra, but I imagine you have pretty decent
storms come by once in a while. It may well be that the slight attentatuon
is a small price to pay for not having to re-string the antenna every time
hurricane season rolls around.

**** No hurricanes in Eureka, Texas... Just tornadoes... And the
antenna
will usually land somewhere around where the house comes down at .....
:)))))

*** The main reason for the question is my wife's opinion of acceptable
adornment for the exterior of our new house...... She doesn't share
my fascination with "electronical stuff" as an art form...

:) Andy W4OAH in Eureka, Texas