Counterpoints if you please. I have tried every kind of attic antenna there
is: dipoles, folded dipoles, G5RV, 8JK's, J-poles, Isotrons, aluminum tape
on the windows, ad infinitum, and at one location a small tribander inside a
very big attic. In my experience and opinion:
1. Antennas in the attic never work very well and are down at least 3 dB
from the same antenna outside, and often a lot more. Dipoles under the
eaves actually seem to work better than inside the attic, and the same
dipole outside in a tree is better still.
2. Attic antennas are the TVI/RFI champions of the universe. You can get
into every device in the house easily from the attic. Whether it is
intercoms, TVs, radios, garage door openers, computers, videogames, you name
it and you can wipe it out! Fundamental overload and lousy consumer
electronic shielding techniques mean you will be the king of the RFI
universe. Even QRP with an Argonaut 505 I still took out 75% of the devices
in the house when I transmitted. The telephone is especially sensitive to
this.
3. A further corollary is that you can't run a KW to help you get out, or
all of the above is magnified ten fold, literally and figuratively.
4. The converse is also true: everything in the house will get into your
receiver. Thermostats, attic fans, ceiling fans, timers, controllers, you
name it, it is a noisy little transmitter and it is virtually directly
connected to your receiver. If your overall noise level is less than S9 it
is a miracle.
5. The ZR is the only thing I could put up here due to restrictive
covenants, since it is low enough to be hidden by a fence. I operate from a
remote location instead and do very well, but if I didn't have the remote, I
would have a ZR, or maybe a phased array of ZRs.
6. The ZR has a relatively broad bandwidth, and will take full legal power.
7. The "Team Vertical" guys have shown how well the ZR can work. I know the
saltwater helps, but it remains a data point.
I don't think it is a "no-brainer", at the very least.
73 John N5CQ
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
[mailto:owner-towertalk@contesting.com]On Behalf Of ValErwin@aol.com
Sent: Monday, November 29, 1999 1:19 PM
To: avraham@cruzio.com; towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] ZR3 vs. Attic Dipole
Howdy!
Before I would lay down my hard earned cash, for a ZR3, (dipole design) that
essentially lays on the ground, I would seriously look at an attic dipole.
It
is real easy to poke a hole in the sheet rock for coax or ladder line. The
repair of the hole takes but a few minutes.
Over the years I have had many attic dipoles. The most efficient was a Zepp
with ladder line and a tuner. (Worked 163 countries/100W) Another location
prevented me from using a very long dipole in the attic sooooo, I used two
Slinky's (toy,metal version) in a Zepp configuration, again fed with ladder
line. The non-Slinky Zepp covered 10-40M whereas the Slinky Zepp covered
10-80M. I never tried a trap dipole but you may want to go that way if you
don't like ladder line --
An attic dipole is a no-brainer! Save your money for the Dayton Hamvention!
Regards,
Val L. Erwin
W5PUT
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