Hey Wolf,
YouTube is getting to be about like the internet - search for it, and you
will find it!
See: https://youtu.be/_6_kcs_NAlQ
I would defer to Rick Hiller's expertise on evaluating the potential of
this less-than-2 meter, 2" PVC, 160-6 MHz, top and mid-loaded broomstick,
but I could for sure knock one out for you in about 23 minutes! White duct
tape and all for the stealthiness!
The YouTube author refers to the 100 Watt, ATU100 - a very common and
affordable automatic antenna tuner found on AliExpress, TEMU, and Amazon:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808429034750.html
...and, a 1:9 unun, also found at all the regular sources.
Together, we know everything.
73
Dan KJ5IZK
[image: Screenshot 2026-01-09 at 8.01.39 PM Medium.jpeg]
On Fri, Jan 9, 2026 at 5:59 PM Wolfgang G. Propfe via BVARC <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Dear all:
> Thank you for your replies. They bring up some clarity but even more
> questions. Frankly, I underestimated the antenna size. I thought some big
> indoor antenna would work. I saw wires with a balun that I could possibly
> run along the walls, but they range from 30 feet to 40 meters. Unless I
> arrange them back and forth like an "S", it won't fit. And I might RF-fry
> myself as soon as I hit the PTT key...
>
> To Daniel Poirot:
> I have limited access to the outside (small balcony near the roof), but I
> want to avoid drilling holes in the walls. When I retire, I'd like to sell
> this place and get a rural one-story house. There I can do more or less
> what I want, but here my space and my modification options are limited. I
> might need to look more into the end-fed antennas you suggested.
>
> To Rick Hiller:
> I have a small balcony on the roof (with the AirCon compressor taking up
> most of the space) which would be better than the second floor balcony. My
> third floor overhangs a bit and would not let me put a vertical antenna
> straight. The truck is my son's and it will not be there regularly. I have
> no idea what a network/tuner is. I am a bloody beginner, afraid of frying
> my ICOM. :-)
>
> To Steve Flowers:
> I saw the Wolf River Coils website (looks like a one-man show, but
> interesting). The Silver Bullet 1000 TIA for $150 looks promising, but it
> has 33 foot radials. If I can dangle those from the balcony, it might work.
> But if they need to go 120 degrees apart and horizontal, maybe not. My ICOM
> will be on the third floor, but I hesitate to run cables through the
> exterior walls. If I can lay out the radials like repetitive "S" lines to
> shorten the distance, I could set up the antenna in my bedroom and run the
> cable indoors. For starters, I will mainly listen anyway, but I would like
> to be able to press PTT one day when I am more comfortable. I need to look
> more into the EFHW antenna you suggested. If the Silver Bullet 1000 TIA
> works well in a Park, maybe I will get that and only use my station
> temporarily outside. Not optimal, but at least I would know it works. Then
> I have one more reason to count down the years and months to my retirement
> where I can pick a better place to live. Near downtown Houston is great for
> my commute, but not so great for many other things. If I get the SB1000, do
> I need anything else for the antenna part?
>
> To John Stevens:
> I will google the 44' Norcal dipole later. On the roof, I have some room
> for a vertical antenna, although due to storms I would not want it to be
> too high. Maybe a telescopic antenna would work. Again, the problem is to
> run the cable to the outside without holes.
>
>
>
> It appears that I may need some kind of SWR-meter as well. And I am still
> not sure how to do the station evaluation.
>
> Thanks again for all your help. Since I don't want to spam this list, you
> can also reach me directly at [email protected] if you like.
>
> Best regards,
> Wolfgang
>
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