Live in a CCNR paradise too with no external antennas allowed. When we
had this house built 15 years ago, I installed a 40m loop in the attic.
It is 40'x20' fed with ladder line down thru the wall and to a 4:1
balun. No problem loading on a any band but if set off the alarm horn
on 15m--not good. Then I tried outdoor loops fed the same way. Now I
have a 80m loop somewhat in a delta configuration fed at the bottom
corner. The apex is up 55' in a fir tree. I used #16 copperweld line
which after it loses its shine, is nearly invisible. Not a great
antenna but did get FT5XO this morning on 40m CW.
73, Gary W7TEA
On Mar 24, 2005, at 11:43 AM, Stuart Rohre wrote:
500 watts to a non antenna, (the gutters) is not going to fix the basic
problem.
It could cause arcing and even a fire hazard at some of the gutter
joints,
that might heat up.
You need a designed antenna radiator that is more easily tuned to
resonance
and has predictable take off angles and antenna pattern.
Gutters have usually galvanized metal, or painted. Joint conduction
is hit
or miss unless you add screws to each joint, which might introduce
leaks.
Work on getting up a stealth doublet, in the trees, or for DX, a
vertical
dipole in the trees for the high bands. Inside the attic you might
get a
"droopy loop" from the peak of the gable down to attic floor level, and
around the largest enclosed square or rectangular area you can manage.
On the web are write ups on modeling various Attic Loop antennas
including
the droopy loop. Check those out for ideas.
Unless a downspout approaches an electrical quarter wave length at
least it
will have a poor pattern as a vertical antenna for DX. In any case, it
would have to be operated against earth ground, using 16 radials at
least,
but it would favor the direction away from the house, (along the
radials).
Use that height of the peak of the house, or any trees you have and
you will
be amazed at the improved working of a true antenna.
73,
Stuart
K5KVH
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