Red Wave Radio

What mast would present the minimal profile except when raised?

Re verticals, what is your opinion of the GAP Titan DX relative to
others of similar specs?

Have you any recommendations re other approaches?

A quick response is needed please.

73                  Chuck

Lou WA8PHD

->   I'm planning to move into a neighborhood that has CC&Rs and
->have to get an antenna approved.  The 1 acre lots are reasonably well
->treed with heights approaching 30 feet so screening of a vertical or a
->mast should not be a problem, but the committee has strong control and
->may want minimal or none and must be convinced.

Lemme see if I've got this straight.  You are moving into a community knowing
full well that antennas might not be approved.  You are doing it anyway and
hoping against hope that you might get some sort of antenna past the homeowner's
association committee.  Is that about it?

->A quick response is needed please.

Simple.  Get preapproval before you move in.  If approval is not forthcoming,
you've got a pretty clear choice, don't you?  Move in and use an attic antenna
or live elsewhere.

Jim
Jim Weir, VP Eng. RST Eng.      WX6RST
A&P, CFI, and other good alphabet soup

Quote:>The big problem [with #30 antenna wire] is mechanical,

Could you get a wire antenna up into the trees?  If done carefully, it
could be nearly invisible.  For multiple bands, you could either run
ladder line into the shack (admittedly that poses an aesthetic problem:
ladder line is difficult to hide without comprimising its electrical
characteristics, but if the foliage is thick enough it may not be a
problem)  or put several dipoles on a common center insulator.  

Invisible random end-fed wires can work pretty well.  If you can find
some #30 magnet wire (Radio Shack used to sell 200' spools) it will work
nicely.  The big problem is mechanical, providing enough flex to keep it
from breaking.  I'm told *** bands are the answer to that problem.
Don't worry about power-handling capability or losses; a #30 antenna
will handle the full output of a 100-watt transceiver.

I've heard less-than-good comments about the Gap antennas, though I've
never tried one myself.  Of the ones I've used, I've had the best luck
with the Butternuts.  But their exposed coils (while quite effective
RF-wise) are not all that aesthetically pleasing.  

It's too bad AEA is out of business, their Isoloop worked very well
either as an attic antenna or something you could stick in the top of a
larger tree.  Maybe you can find a used one?  The big problem with
magnetic loops is very narrow bandwidth, you have to retune the antenna
if you QSY more than a few kilohertz.  

If worse comes to worse...  you could put up a flagpole...  few
committees put aesthetics before patriotism, though there are some that
do...
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.redwaveradio.com/~w9wi

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  I stayed in a fairly nice townhouse community several years ago.  The
first couple of years, antennas were no problem.  However, shortly after
construction started on several new units, notices were sent out banning
all antennas.  After a long argument, the community owner finally told
me that the cable company had offered to install cable wiring and
outlets free inside the new units during construction, but one of the
stipulations for this deal was a ban on all antennas.

  It seems the cable company did not want competition for their cable
television service (free broadcast television), or for their cable radio
service (free broadcast radio).  Since it is hard (in their minds) to
tell the difference between these antennas and the antennas used with
the hobby radio services, the solution was a ban on all antennas.

  The owner agreed since he could advertise that cable was available in
the new units, and he would save money by not having to run the cable
wiring throughout the interiors of the new units.

  Since then, after staying in several other places, I have discovered
that cable companies are doing this all over the country.  So, if we
want to get rid of these rules, we have to reel in the cable companies.

  The solution is state laws, or federal laws, to restrict cable
companies from making these types of arrangements with developers.  Or
at least laws protecting hobby radio use in these communities.

Dwight Stewart
Amateur Radio, Technician
F.C.C. License: W5NET
http://www.qsl.net/w5net

On Mon, 27 Sep 1999 02:12:59 -0700, Dwight Stewart

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Just random thoughts

  I trimmed my lawn with a weedeater just last week.  Hey, I ran out of
gas in the lawnmower, okay?  And I'm too lazy to go to the station for
another can of gas.  The lawn didn't come out too smooth, but it is cut
(so my neighbors should be happy).  Maybe next month, when I cut it
again, I'll take to time to do it better.

  What, me worry about what my neighbors think about antennas?  Hah, if
they complain, I can easily turn into the neighbor from hell. <big grin>

Dwight Stewart
Amateur Radio, Technician
F.C.C. License: W5NET
http://www.qsl.net/w5net

Quote:>What, me worry about what my neighbors think about antennas?  Hah, if
>they complain, I can easily turn into the neighbor from hell. <big grin>

Quote:>To stereotype, those who are more worried about the perception of
>property values than other people's freedom.

Quote:>sure wouldn't want them for neighbors.

I guessing it is too late, but you could have made it part of the offer
that the antenna be pre-approved by the CCR board.  If new, the builder
has a lot, if not total say what is approved.

A last option, if you like working traffic, join MARS and/or RACES, these
are federal government agencies and any requirements usually have to be
excepted because Federal Government preempts CCRS.

Quote:>My point exactly.  Voting with your feet.

I, for one, wouldn't mind living next door to a
garage.  

Quote:>>sure wouldn't want them for neighbors.

>Then don't buy there...

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Just random thoughts