Another Condo/ Stealth Antenna

wb7rbn writes "Seems lately there is has been a lot of articles on condo/restrictive/stealth antennas. Having lived in a condo and ran a wire in the attic, I can attest that it's not the best solution. Now here comes an alternative.





Have you tried the half size G5RV? I know it's only good for 10 through 40 meters. Wrong. While the XYL (K7MMS) and I were doing volunteer work for the National Park Service at Fort Caroline National Monument, Jacksonville, Florida, I wanted something quick and easy to put up in the trees that would be better than the Hustler I run mobile and which would allow me to change bands without climbing the ladder of the motorhome to change coils.



Solution: The G5RV. So down to the local hardware store to get some lamp cord, a half-inch PVC tee and two PVC pipe joint connectors. Twenty-seven feet of lamp cord split down the center yields two 27-foot wires. Now for some feed line. Radio Shack 300 ohm TV twin lead, the cheap clear stuff.



The dimensions for a 10-40 Meter are well documented so I won't bore you with the details. The insulation on the lamp cord is striped off about 2 inches and run through holes drilled in the PVC tee. Measure each leg 26 feet plus 2 inches for attaching the PVC insulators. Twist and solder the striped ends at the PVC tee and PVC insulators. Split the 300-ohm twin lead down middle about two inches. Strip approximately an inch of insulation off each side of the twin lead. Run it up through the center of the PVC tee and solder it to each leg of the antenna. Measure 14.4 feet of twin lead from the tee and attach whatever connector you want at that end. I used a BNC because it's light and quick to attach coax to. You can however attach 50 ohm coax directly to the twin lead.



The antenna can be used on 80 meters if feed through a tuner. Does it work? After putting it up, I was able resonant it at 3960 kHz, my chosen frequency, and checked into the Columbia Basin Net in Washington State form Florida using the IC-706MKIIG and a LDG Electronics automatic antenna tuner. SWR was less than 1.5:1. Granted conditions were good.



This antenna can be used if you live in a condo. To do so eliminate the PVC tee and attach the twin lead directly to the antenna legs and attach RG-58 coax directly to the twin lead. Use some 22 or smaller gauge wire for the antenna legs. Mount the antenna under the eaves and run the twin lead down the outside wall. Bring the coax in through any convenient location.



Nice thing about this antenna is it's size, and the fact that it can be used on 75/80 meters.



73,



Jim"