In my HOA I converted a light string to a real antenna...

I tried something like this in the past, too. Here I took copper strands for to build a kind of helical. So 40 meters of that wire wrapped around an old windowframe and together with a manual tuner and a QRP device, it works fine. The antenna stood always indoor and was a 1/2 wave 80M antenna. Together with this project I made different brillant contacts across Europe in the Greyline and some bad / not so clear contacts across the pond.

https://www.block.eu/de_DE/produktvariante/cli-20060/

 

With vinyl gutters, I've always thought it would be easy to hide a remote wire tuner at the bottom of the downspout and run the wire up and into the gutter. An alternative would be a loop using the gutters going around the house. Radials could be hidden in the yard stapled down etc. hth
73,
Rob

 

I've read of people actually using the light string, load both sides of the string so the bulbs aren't affected and work it against a ground field. hth
73,
Rob

 

I appreciate the OP's creativeness and drive to "put up the best antenna possible". However, especially for HF DX'ing, I suggest another possible approach toward skirting HOA rules for Holiday deco. A practicle solution for that leans toward VERTICAL polarization.

So let's also celebrate ...

FESTIVUS "... for the rest of us" !!! Put up an extended version of The Pole

In EI-land they have the right idea



Politically permitted even in FL, soon to be the Republic of Gilead.

73, John, WØPV

 

I just keep weeds in my flowerbeds - while the inspectors are looking at that, they never look up in the trees!

 

I made an receive antenna which one goes from my window around to a rain gutter to the total length on THAT one is about 60 feet. My other one is about 200 feet long and I will add more to that is goes through my woods to the edge of the thickest part so if I can do it, it will be about 300 feet long! so a spare wire from patching up a internet cable is doing ok. I will have hopefully some good receive after this. I just need to fling it up higher at some points.

 

Do they GLOW when you Transmit..????.LOL...!!! Ahhh the days of 100watt bulbs and fluorescent lights.....

 

I will now never look at beer gardens in the same way;-)

 

We don't have HOA's, as such, in the UK - we just call them "Nosey Bs'tards". That said, I run my HF dipole clipped inside the plastic guttering/down spout, to stop it getting blown down by our wonderful weather

 

Great video. I moved from a 60 ft tower into an apartment so I feel ur pain Take care 73 Dave n4cwz

 

I am in an HOA and they are a RPIA for some things. Our HOA is not as militant as the others, but my antenna is not visible, and it is not a wire. I have a DX Commander Rapide with 24 10 ft radials under mulch, and I glued the antenna together for a permanent install. I painted the spreaders and the whole mast FLAT black. I am using flat black line for the guys, the line is very thin, great for a permanent install. The antenna is right behind a spruce. I attached a pic of the bottom portion so you can see the actual antenna, and a pic of the whole enchilada. It is snowing now, but evergreens are evergreens, they will always be a reliable source of stealth.

This DX Commander is not a compromised anything, the bands are resonant to allow SWRs below 1.4 across the SSB portion of 20, 17, 15, 12. & 10. Once spring gets here I am adding the 40 meter element, testing it, and if it does the trick, I will be removing a 40 meter dipole I have on the roof. I am running an ACOM 1010, usually at 500 to 700 watts, when needed. Everything works, SWRs are good, and QSOs are plentiful. I do NOT use my radio for anything other than SSB. Some people use this antenna for the digital modes, but I can't speak to that. If SSB is what you seek, then the DX Commander will work. Find a tree!

 

Metal gutters with a plastic separation section to avoid ground feed, but with full metal gutters you can do a gamma feed too.

As long as you run limited power it should be fine.

 

Funny thought, an ota contest for hoa antennas. I like that thought. Maybe in the future,

 

I lived in an HOA for about 8 months.

Had an FT101EE and cheap MFJ antenna 300 watt tuna.

Worked well. I used a piece of wire stapled to the bottom of the fascia board. When the HOA Karen's came by I explained I was setting up an easy and hidable way to set up xmas lights. They hung from the drip wire. Drop wire was really a loop antenna fed with open wire line that disappeared behind the fascia board and entered the condo with a pair of holes the size of pen tubes.

When I left about 10 or so houses had converted to the method!

Easy peasy. Used carabiner every 5 feet to hold up the lights.

Ham Radio for the WIN!

Was so happy to get out of the HOA!

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI

 

I like the way you think 73