From: a-kevinp@microsoft.COM (Kevin Purcell, Rho)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Apartment antennas
Date: 20 Dec 92 01:23:27 GMT
Organization: UCSD Usenet Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucsd.edu
Originator: daemon@ucsd.edu

The possibilities abound:

invisible long wire attached to some object a distance away

a dipole made from al foil placed under the carpet

A Spider (or Outbacker or other mobile antenna) attached the balcony 
with a G-clamp.

How is the balcony attached to the building. If its ungrounded why not 
tune it up and it acts as a radiator!

For grounds (which are most problematic) cut a set of 1/4 wave wires 
for the bands of interest and tape them out of the way. You can bundle 
them up, whatever is convenient to keep them out of the way (run them 
around the floor). Remember to tape the far ends with an insulating 
tape to make sure nobody or a pet comes into contact it.

Another ground solution is to tune the ground connections so it always 
looks like its a low impedance (even if you are 1/2 wave form the 
nearest ground). This is the so called "artificial ground", but its 
really an ATU for a ground connection. MFJ make one commercial, and a 
review of this appeared in a QST (complete with its circuit for you to 
copy). The tuning indicator is just for max current (i.e. lowest 
impedance) at the rig ground (the artificial ground).

For DX try the half-square if you can dangle it out of a pair of windows:

     ---------------------------- Feed here with 50ohm coax (with a 1:1 
balun?)
     |        1/2 wave            |
     |                            |
     |                            |
     |                            |
     |                            |
     |                            |
     |                            |

the vertical elements are a 1/4 wave. Low radiation angle. Max 
radiation off the ends.

Try a full wave loop mounted vertically on a wall (for 20m and above).

If the walls are appropriable spaced try a pair of quad elements (8" 3' 
on side for 20m) to make a switchable non rotatable quad beam.

Try running a loop around the edge of the apartment and feed it with 
balanced feeder via an ATU.

Small loops -- like the Rockey loop.

Buy a commercial magnetic loop: AEA IsoLoop and MFJ copy look OK. 
Expensive but may well be worth it.

MFJs vertical might be OK, never seen it reviewed. Even works on 2m and 6m!

If you use any indoor antennas it is prudent to keep the power down.

I'm apartment bound and have decided to turn the problem into a 
solution and investigate the number of different antennas one can use 
in an apartment. Unfortunately I have no carpet which rules out an 
whole class of undercover antennas.

Finally, get a copy of Les Moxton's "HF Antennas for all locations" a 
lot of interesting ideas there and a chapter on apartment antennas. 
Don't for get all the ARRL books for interesting ideas!

73 de Kevin Purcell N7WIM/G8UDP (Seattle, WA)          a-kevinp@microsoft.com
Do your interests match mine? If so call me. I'd like to hear from you.
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