> Living in a small townhouse with all of its restrictions on antennas, a > good EWE, Super Loop or other highly directional terminated antenna was > always just a dream, until I discovered that such antennas can be placed > indoors with good results.
Just for grins I made one in my computer room. The top wire was wedged underneath the molding at the ceiling and the bottom wire run underneath the forced hot water pipe. Initially I used a 450:50 ohm balun on one lower corner and a 2500 ohm pot on the other lower corner. Roughly 7 feet high and 18 feet long. Initially I tried a 7x13 foot on another wall, but this was markedly better. This could be adjusted to significantly lower the ambient noise level, as well as many of the locals. Reception of some of the distant clears was quite decent compared to the usual noise battles. Due to the orientation (SE-NW) there were no TA hets and darn few South American and Caribbean stations. Just getting rid of most Cuban stations was a big plus. Tonight I modified it. I took out the 2500 ohm pot and put in another identical 450:50 ohm balun. Both baluns were then connected with identical RG-58 cables to the DX Engineering phaser. One huge benefit was that I could then drop the noise level down about 20db. And, I could null a number of locals down to the noise floor. Some couldn't be nulled, but most could be dropped to the point where they didn't splatter adjacents. The wire on this antenna is essentially invisible. When the weather improves, I may build one outside. What I'll do is run a wire up the corner of one of the outside walls of the house, along the top edge of the siding and down another corner. It'll make a good sized rectangle. Then run a wire along the bottom of the siding at the foundation. I will use the same baluns and run coax in the house. An advantage to this is that the antenna could be made invisible. When someone lives in a place that forbids outside antennas, this might work. Craig Healy Providence, RI _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: [email protected]
