Stealthy Antenna?

Morning All. 

I’m thinking of hiding a Hawkins 1/2 wave antenna in the tree
at the bottom of my garden. 

I have interference from the neighbours about my Thunderpole 1/2 wave on a pole
So trying to not make waves for a while!

I can go back to that one when people aren’t in their gardens very much 
So then they won’t care what’s in the sky!

I was thinking of putting it on a 33ft fibreglass pole (Black) running parallel with the tree trunk 
so it won’t actually be attached to the tree!

Any thoughts/pros and cons?

Thanks

John

Hi John,

All sounds like interesting stuff mate, love a play with antennas

I can see your previous 'legal' argument if you're getting nonsense from the neighbours. Why can't people just "Live & let Live"?
Although I personally took the opinion of not imposing dirty big verticals to my neighbours with every antenna hidden in my loft space....monkeys no see, monkeys no know

Does limit me though, not enough room for a vertical, (although I tried a 1/4 wave GP but found an Inverted V dipole miles better).


"Thoughts/Pros/Cons"? I have a feeling you might regret that one

Honestly, if you've ever seen what heated debates arise from antennas it'd make you give up before you start!
(I built a terminated bowtie despite being told not to bother and currently playing with a V style Moxon which is interesting to say the least)


My opinion? Give it a go mate!
Put the bugger up, see how it works......then let us other monkeys know so we can howl impressed at your results

All the best,
Victor

Haha!
Hi Victor!

Yes I have two antennas in the loft that work reasonably well. 
I have a dipole, slightly inverted to fit the loft that as you would expect is good for distance but not so good for local signals. 

Also a Sirio Signal Keeper, vertical that just fits the height of the loft which does well with local but not as good as the dipole for distant signals. 

Both have to put up with internal interference from my own house which isn’t so bad since we walked around identifying and disposing of problems where possible. But the next door neighbours washing machines! Grief!
They could knock out satellite signals!

That’s why I thought tree at the bottom of the garden could solve the washing machine problems and keeping it stealthy!

Your right. I’m going to put it up and see what happens!

Just waiting for the rain and thunderstorms to stop!

Sounds like you're already growing the veritable antenna farm John!

Same here mate. The 1/4 GP was great for local and the Inverted V for DX, the bowtie is for SWL and I fancy a simple beam hence the Moxon......they keep growing!

Think you're onto something there though mate, get that antenna away from household electricals as much as you can. Should be good.


Keep us abreast of how you do. Love seeing how people get on with things in their radio quest.


All the best mate,
Victor

Homebrewed Gainmaster using the tree trunk/branches to attach the cable to instead of it being in a fibreglass tube.

Hi  
Well it’s up and yes I got bloody soaked but no lightning strikes!
(I’ll count that as a win!). 

So far the signals have improved by s2 and the interference has dropped too from s7 to s3!
So far I’m really pleased. 
I’ll play over the weekend with it and see how things level out with hopefully some dry weather!

The coax I’m using is mini 8 low loss so hopefully that will help as I’m using a 65ft length and it’s full stretch in to my radio in the conservatory. The good thing is that the gardens are about the same length that back onto us so apart from led fairy lights there’s a good distance between me and led electrical equipment. 

It’s on a 33ft fibreglass pole so I’m optimistic ????????????????????????

Cor, you don't hang about John!!

Considering there's no standard to s-meter counts, (except the S9 'anchor'), that is a flipping impressive difference!
Well worth the rain soaking and so glad you didn't fish a lightning strike from the heavens

Monkeys are well impressed


I hope you having a fantastic weekend testing out your new antenna. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the radio gods bless you with some good propogation conditions.

Ha! Well chuffed for you Thanks for posting.

All the best,
Victor

Hi Victor. 

Just finished chatting for the night. The locals have said they have heard a difference. Clearer signal, dragging less static etc through and my receive signal remains much better. 

I must have got away from most of the nasty interference that I’ve been trying to dodge for the past few weeks! Fingers crossed. 

It was a bit of a sword fight getting the pole up and finding a pathway that it would go. It’s not exactly where I first thought I’d place it as it just wouldn’t go there so it took a bit of wriggle to get it up the 33ft
that I managed. 
I would try putting a photo on the site but being stealthy was also a main goal so all you would see is the bottom of the pole

I doubt next door will know where it has gone!
It’s a Hawkins half wave in the tree. 
On Wednesday I put up a Thunderpole half wave at approximately the same height to see how the two 
compared and therefore whether it would be worth trying the one hidden in the tree. 

I was impressed with the Hawkins as there was little between the two so I figured it would be worth the effort doing it. The advantage of the Thunderpole was that it had clear sky. So clear that I could see it from several places around our estate. 
As I need to keep it under the radar I’d love to use it one day but this keeps peace with the neighbours and doesn’t make us a target for evening shoppers!

I’m also disabled and the effort to do this will be with me for the next few days so I needed to be reassured it had a good chance of success before trying it and so far so good!
Have a great weekend 
Stay safe.

John.

Know how you feel about paying for stuff you did the day after and following few days, it's like that with my back.

No substitute for height for locals and it sounds like you've done well out of it.

Yep  
Just going to play with the rig now and see how it goes. 

I’ve got a bucket of pain killers that I CAN take but they either make me dizzy, sleepy or destroys my memory!
I call that one”Pain or brain tablet”!

I either am out of pain but lose my ability to think, read or remember anything!
If I start to read, I will get to the end of the paragraph and remember nothing. 
It’s like early dementia. The drug actually stops the brain making and retaining memory. 

Anyway I try to only break into those when I really have no alternative. 

I hope you are having a pain free weekend and are able to enjoy your radio to the full. 

All the best. 

John

You take it easy John.

You've done the hard work, now sit back with a deserved rest up and enjoy your radio with that new antenna setup
Honestly, well chuffed for you. Now reap what you've sown.

(I know what you mean with painkillers mate, but I won't compare notes..... we'll land up sounding like an 80m morning QSO! )

All the best and enjoy your weekend,
Victor

I live on pain killers and also my memory is none existent these days never thought of the pill's.