RadioBanter - apartment antennas

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apartment antennas

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

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

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

Hi Phil:

A Fire Escape !

Wow ! ! !

You can get out on the fire escape & hook up all Sorts of antennas.

My suggestion is to use Black Stranded, insulated Radio Shack hookup wire;
- comes in 100 foot rolls.

Whilst waiting for your new Toy to arrive, go out on said fire escape with a
transistor radio hooked up to headphones.
Move arond a bit,
trying NOT to look like a Spy or Burglar, & see what dirction
signals come in from best.

- Also, make a wire lead-in to where your radio will eventually sit.

A Fire escape.!

How Brutally Cool !!!

YOu can probably hook up wire between your windows(s) as listed below,
OR string wire all along the hand rail up & down

Start slow, don't terrify ( or **** off ) the neighbors & you should have all
sorts of opportunities ahead

Signed

- Jealous -

( Dan / NYC )

( Below is some other instructions ( modifiable ) that may come in handy )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~

MATERIALS

Some Stranded, Insulated copper wire from Radio shack
Colors so it matches the bricks / outside of your building

Some stick-on Cord holders
One tube clear Silicone sealer glue
One black magic marker
One Rusty red magic marker
A roll of Duct tape color of outside of apt.

One Mop
One piece of twine or string.

PROCEDU

See how far it is in between two windows of your Apt..

Measure out a piece of string this distance + ~ 6 - 8 feet.
Attach a small soft edged weight to it.

( Look Outside to see no one is looking !! )

Secure curious household pets

Open Both Windows.
Insert mop part way out one]
Close that window to secure mop handle

Run over to the other window QUICK!
Take the twine with the weight on it & (without risking life & limb)
Toss the string over the mop.
Secure the end of that end of the string with a bit of slack
Close that window
Run over to the other window with the mop that has the twine handing down off
it

Pull the mop in
Close the window.
NOW
Attach stranded wire to the end of the string.
Slightly open window
Run over to other window.
Open it & pull in string until wire / string connection is through..

Pull in enough so that wire will reach SWR
Attach wire to SWR.
Close window.

- That's basically it. Modify as needed.

You can take Square stick -on cord holders
Camouflage them with magic Markers, &
Silicone glue them to the outside corners of the window,
Then loop more wire

( DONT FALL OUT WHEN DOING THIS !!)

around the cord holders. This makes the antenna longer.
repeat for other windows..This should help lots..

( Works for me !!)

In article ,
(Philip Levine) writes:

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

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

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

Try looking under antennas at the AMANDX site listed below. A few ideas
that may be of help depending on your situation. Sometimes you have to
try a few things to see what is best

--
73 and Best of DX
Shawn Axelrod

Visit the AMANDX DX site with info for the new or experienced listener:

http://www.angelfire.com/mb/amandx/index.html

REMEMBER ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN HEAR FOREVER

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

The book I am referring to was published about 1959, and dealt with variable
types of vertical antennas. I have recently moved and will be attempting to
locate it in about 206 boxes of books. I am sorry if I have offended you,
sir, it was not my intent.
"WShoots1" wrote in message
...
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

The book I am referring to was published about 1959, and dealt with variable
types of vertical antennas. I have recently moved and will be attempting to
locate it in about 206 boxes of books. I am sorry if I have offended you, sir,
it was not my intent.

Oh no, Gregory. You haven't offended me. In fact, I was probably too blunt. But
I am very interested. Remember me and post what you find, whenever you finally
get a chance to go through your books. I'll look for Subject: Slinky Navy
Antenna.

When I moved here 12 years ago, I downsized by a factor of 4, so I had to give
up a lot of my books. (Sob!) That was my last move ever. At age 73, I can say
that with assurance -- unless a hurricane or fire takes me out. G

Anyhow, maybe in the meantime, I might find something on the Internet about
slinky Navy antennas. All the vertical HF antennas I'd been aware of was the
common 33-foot vertical, plus the discone-discage. Even the 2-3 Mhz tug boat
rigs fed those 33-footers, using a VHF type of coax -- 4-inch copper pipe
"shield" with a 1/4-inch copper tubing "center conductor." LOL

Oh and I suggested to Navy design in Philly, in 1960, to turn part of the
"sail" of a sub into an antenna embedded in fiberglass for HF, to overcome the
problem of having to wait until the sal****er drained off the 33-foot vertical'
insulator before transmitting. I underestand they did. Oh, and I was offered a
GS-9 job then as reward for that and for a field test I'd conducted of an
antenna multicoupler. (The latter had flaws.) I turned it down because my
current employer then gave me an opportunity to go to work with big digital
computers.

Best wishes in your new abode,
Bill, K5BY