Just getting back into shortwave listening after a 30 year absence.
Now I live in an apartment in NYC and have access to the fire escape
on the 3rd floor outside my window. While waiting for my radio to come
in the mail I'm researching all kinds of antenna possibilities which
do not look too conspicuous.

I'm sure there are plenty of ideas out there and I'd love to hear from
you. Would a balcony vertical antenna work better than a long wire
(well, not particularly long) or a slinky type. The good news is that
I can probably get some kind of antenna outside on the fire escape so
there should be some options there.

Thanks to all.

Phil

On 1 Dec 2003 15:26:42 -0800, (Philip
Levine) wrote:

Just getting back into shortwave listening after a 30 year absence.
Now I live in an apartment in NYC and have access to the fire escape
on the 3rd floor outside my window. While waiting for my radio to come
in the mail I'm researching all kinds of antenna possibilities which
do not look too conspicuous.

I'm sure there are plenty of ideas out there and I'd love to hear from
you. Would a balcony vertical antenna work better than a long wire
(well, not particularly long) or a slinky type. The good news is that
I can probably get some kind of antenna outside on the fire escape so
there should be some options there.

Thanks to all.

Phil


You could always try the fire escape itself! Maybe with a counterpoise
or even directly with a delta match. In any case, good luck with the
RFI. I used to live in north Jersey and don't miss all the
interference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gary Sanford

Hang a Slinky@ by the window by the fire escape, use the escape as a
counterpoise. I used the Slinky for years as an indoor antenna in a house
that I could not have an outdoor antenna and it worked well. Greg
"Gary Sanford" wrote in message
...
On 1 Dec 2003 15:26:42 -0800, (Philip
Levine) wrote:

Just getting back into shortwave listening after a 30 year absence.
Now I live in an apartment in NYC and have access to the fire escape
on the 3rd floor outside my window. While waiting for my radio to come
in the mail I'm researching all kinds of antenna possibilities which
do not look too conspicuous.

I'm sure there are plenty of ideas out there and I'd love to hear from
you. Would a balcony vertical antenna work better than a long wire
(well, not particularly long) or a slinky type. The good news is that
I can probably get some kind of antenna outside on the fire escape so
there should be some options there.

Thanks to all.

Phil


You could always try the fire escape itself! Maybe with a counterpoise
or even directly with a delta match. In any case, good luck with the
RFI. I used to live in north Jersey and don't miss all the
interference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gary Sanford

Must be on the same wavelength. If you have done this, how successfull was
it?

I recently read somewhere where, and please don't laugh, someone actually
used a metal slinky toy as an antenna in just your situation. He said that
he simply let it drop out a window for DX'ing and when he was done, just
pulled it back in.

I've never heard of how successful it was, but it may be cheap and fun way
to experiment.

73's,
Todd
KB3KNV

I recently read somewhere where, and please don't laugh, someone actually
used a metal slinky toy as an antenna in just your situation.

What's to laugh at? The Slinky-as-antenna concept has been around for a LONG
time, and has many, many proponents in the SW and amateur realm. Do a search
for 'slinky antenna' on google or your favorite engine, see how many hits you
garner.
I've experimented with Slinky antennas in the past, but more out of curiousity
than outright need (I use a 75" sloper and a large horizontal loop 'skywire',
about 200" a side, for my outdoor antennas) but they can be rewarding antennas.
For about a year I had an indoor Slinky antenna 'loop' running around the
ceiling in my room, all four walls. When storms or wind were howling outside,
or in snowy conditions (blowing snow and sand can cause a LOT of static
build-up on a longer wire antenna!) I could still do some rather nice listening
without fear of frying my radios. Worked pretty well on my scanners, too.
And you're right, it's cheap and it's fun!
Linus

The U.S. Navy used them for transmitting from ships in the 50's........hung
from the rigging vertical.
"Macman" wrote in message
...
I recently read somewhere where, and please don't laugh, someone actually
used a metal slinky toy as an antenna in just your situation. He said
that
he simply let it drop out a window for DX'ing and when he was done, just
pulled it back in.

I've never heard of how successful it was, but it may be cheap and fun way
to experiment.

73's,
Todd
KB3KNV

The U.S. Navy used them for transmitting from ships in the 50's........ hung
from the rigging vertical.

Yeah, sure. Only if some ham was bootlegging. At that time, ham operation
wasn't allowed on Navy vessels.

Bill, K5BY

check it out . I have the book somewhere and try to find it. It states it
was used by the Navy for transmitting military frequencies, not amateur.
"WShoots1" wrote in message
...
The U.S. Navy used them for transmitting from ships in the 50's........
hung
from the rigging vertical.

Yeah, sure. Only if some ham was bootlegging. At that time, ham operation
wasn't allowed on Navy vessels.

Bill, K5BY

check it out . I have the book somewhere and try to find it. It states it
was used by the Navy for transmitting military frequencies, not amateur.

I'll certainly try to do that. The reason for my doubt is that, in the 1950s, I
worked on Navy comm systems, in a factory and on some ships while working in
shipyards. Vessels ranged from tugs, landing craft, and minesweepers to a
cruiser.

Bill, K5BY