Hi Reed,
 I've been gathering my parts and pieces for two loop antennas I built 
and tried at the previous apartment. They did not help there. I am 
missing one part, but have everything for the big loop. Hehe, I might 
have room for it.
 I had forgotten all about K8NDS. Being in an apartment does mean trying 
to keep RF out of other's equipment. So I figure if I don't get into 
ours then we should be good, I hope. So far 15 watts or so has been safe.
 One thing I have been wanting to do is put my Jupiter and Eagle side by 
side to compare the receivers. Hoping to move to a house in the next 
couple years! Oh and speaking about hills. Analog TV was pretty noisy on 
the HF bands. Digital TV is no problem. I tested it one night when I did 
maintenance and briefly turned RF off. So the idea of having equipment 
up on a hill at a TV transmitter site or doing FD there is not a problem 
depending on what else might be at the site.
Tim
KE4KE
On 03/19/2016 11:48 PM, Reed wrote:
 
Hi Tim,
 Another antenna that works good portable,  or if space is a problem 
like motel room or apartment, is a loop antenna.  For the size they 
really work well.  I have 3 here. An old AEA in the attic, a MFJ-933 & 
the little Alexloop.  Alexloop works really well on a little tripod 
sitting on a balcony.   I also found that in a condo or motel room 
forget CW, just go PSK-31.  So much noise inside those buildings that 
it is really hard to copy CW.  The magnetic loop antenna cuts a lot of 
the man made noise down compared to other antennas I have used.   I've 
run as little as 3 watts and had no problems carrying on a good QSO 
where CW I was running 15 watts and barely getting a few QSOs in 
because of the noise.
 Here is a home brew magnetic loop antenna that K8NDS, Rich, built that 
you can see at this site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YpyLAULKqg
 I've worked Rich several times & he does put out a very good signal 
from his qth with his loops.  He said he gets his vacuum capacitors 
from Russia.  Most of the time he just runs 100 watts, but he said he 
can run the legal limit.  I wouldn't want to be near it when he did!  
Loops put out a lot of RF in a close space.
 Another antenna I want to build is a Moxon for 17 meters.  Cheap and 
easy to build!  Should work portable, but probably little much to 
carry very far.
 Buddiepole beam works well too from the reviews I have read, but will 
take extra time to setup & don't know about the weight thing if 
walking pretty far.
 Know the hill you are talking about!  We don't have mountains here, as 
you know, but we dang sure have our share of hills.  The one I live on 
is just a tad smaller than the one behind Donelson Plaza.
73,
Reed  W4JZ
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