I live in an apt complex. no antennas can be put on the roof or mounted to the building other then Direct TV or Dish network. With that said I can put up an antenna on my 2nd story open air balcony as long as it isn’t bolted or mounted in anyway shape or form and no wires can hang down from the balcony or be strung to any trees. I got the following multiband hf mobile antenna from Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/OPEK-HVT-600-HF-VHF-10-Band-Mobile-Antenna-w-3-Yr-Warranty-/321950080096?hash=item4af5b85c60:g:9vIAAOSwYaFWcIZC a few months ago and mounted the antenna to an old tv antenna tripod. The tripod sits on the balcony, held down by 3 cynder blocks strapped to the tripod legs. That part works good. The antenna didn’t fall down in the last wind storm, gusts to around 65mph. I have about 65’ of rg58/u running from the antenna in the sliding glass door. across the living room and down the hall to my bed room. I have an Icom IC-730 with a MFJ-901b antenna tuner and a swr/power meter. I also have a MFJ-269 antenna analyzer. With the analyzer and the tuner inline and the antenna tap set to 80m the best that I can get is a 3 to 1 match around 3.700 mhz. without the tuner inline the match gets down to a bit under 2 to 1 at around 3.460 mhz. I wrote the other band readings down but I can’t find the paper now.
With that said I hope that is enough info for someone to maby come up with some ideas to improve the antenna that I have or come up with something else that I can buy or build that won’t cost me an arm and a leg.
If I understand you correctly, you have a multi band whip on your balcony - and the ground plane is the TV antenna tripod? That’s part of your problem as it really won’t be doing much. The multi band things are compromise aerials really - they can be matched to a number of bands, but are likely to be quite inefficient. What can you hear? I’ve always found that having a perfect VSWR isn’t that important.
One thing to watch is that with this kind of aerial, it’s quite possible that you will be getting into all sorts of devices locally - TV’s hi-fis etc, as your transmitter is quite potent, but clearly the radiation pattern of the aerial is going to be a bit random.
I can hardly hear anything. The noise floor is very high. I think part of that problem is the switching power supply that I am using. the power supply is getting replaced with a better one at the Puyallup hamfest on March 5th. But the Kenwood R-600 short wave receiver that I have has it’s own built in ac supply and it has the same problem with the noise floor. I am wondering if there is also a rig grounding problem. If so I don’t know how to solve that problem. If things go the way I want this late spring we are moving (a local move). And if I am very lucky I can find a house or a duplex to rent were the landlord will let me put up outside antennas.
I need clarification on what I heard. Is there some kind of regulation from the FCC that states that an active ARES or MARS operator can get an over ride on a lanlord’s ban on outside antennas because the station may be needed in an emergency?
There is legislation pending in congress that if enacted and signed by the President that would apply the FCC’s “reasonable accommodation” standard to HOA and landlords. This is probably what you heard about. Personally, I don’t hold out much hope this will be passed this session, what with congress being preoccupied with the election and now the possible appointment of a new Supreme Court Justice.
If the other radio hears the same noise then I doubt the aerial is going to be any use in your location. Very often the physical size of an aerial gives a good guide as to how good it will work - capture area is quite important. A physically small antenna might match quite well electrically, it may just not be that good at receiving signals. In buildings al close with many occupiers there will be tons of electrical noise from power supplies and other devices, and it’s pollution - like light pollution that prevents city dwellers seeing the stars. You might be best to consider something for just one band - maybe 10m? half wave dipoles for 10 are short enough to perhaps string out around the balcony? Cost nothing to make, and might give you something you can hear?