Elecraft

[k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

Classic

List

Threaded

14 messages Options

David Guernsey

[k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

I have a K3/10 SN 4052 that I would like to use in an apartment/condo with no outdoor access. Have looked at
MFJ-1621as possibility. Any comments or other recommendations are desired.

73 de Dave KJ6CBS
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

David Gilbert

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

A wire dipole taped around the perimeter of the ceiling of a room and
fed through a homebrew antenna tuner (very inexpensive to make one for
only 10 watts) would be significantly more efficient.

73,
Dave AB7e

On 2/13/2014 5:49 PM, David Guernsey wrote:

> I have a K3/10 SN 4052 that I would like to use in an apartment/condo with no outdoor access. Have looked at
> MFJ-1621as possibility. Any comments or other recommendations are desired.
>
> 73 de Dave KJ6CBS
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

W6ODJ

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

In reply to this post by David Guernsey

Hi Dave,

Good luck with it. Two comments only: (1) Indoor antennas work well enough IF the house is wood frame without any chicken-wire-supported stucco facing. Also, if you have concrete walls, the rebar kills you. Either chicken wire or rebar makes a Faraday cage, keeping radiation from entering and exiting. (2) Whips beat loops.

73,

Oliver
W6ODJ

On 13 Jan. 2014, at 16:49 PM, David Guernsey <[hidden email]> wrote:

Vic Rosenthal

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

In reply to this post by David Guernsey

It's a 4-1/2 foot whip, working against the coax shield as a 'radial'.
Probably the coax will radiate more than the whip, especially if the
coax is stretched out full length.

An indoor dipole would certainly work better. A couple of pieces of wire
matched by the K3 tuner would work as well or better. There is also the
likelihood of RF on the coax affecting the transmitter, or arcing to the
operator if the circumstances are right!

Don't waste your money.

On 2/13/2014 4:49 PM, David Guernsey wrote:
> I have a K3/10 SN 4052 that I would like to use in an apartment/condo with no outdoor access. Have looked at
> MFJ-1621as possibility. Any comments or other recommendations are desired.
>
> 73 de Dave KJ6CBS

--
73,

Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

John Harper AE5X

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

In reply to this post by David Guernsey

You might want to contact Mike VE3WDM who is in a similar situation:

http://ve3wdm.blogspot.com/2014/02/mfj-1788-loop-contacts.html

John AE5X

http://www.ae5x.com/blog

>I have a K3/10 SN 4052 that I would like to use in an apartment/condo with
no outdoor access. Have looked at

>MFJ-1621as possibility. Any comments or other recommendations are desired.

>

>73 de Dave KJ6CBS

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Bill Turner

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

In reply to this post by David Guernsey

ORIGINAL MESSAGE: (may be snipped)

On 2/13/2014 4:49 PM, David Guernsey wrote:
> I have a K3/10 SN 4052 that I would like to use in an apartment/condo with no outdoor access. Have looked at
> MFJ-1621as possibility. Any comments or other recommendations are desired.
>
> 73 de Dave KJ6CBS

REPLY:

If you're in a wood frame apartment, my experience is that type of
construction is nearly transparent to RF, at least in the HF region.
Other construction types I don't know about. Any antenna that will fit
will work. Dipoles are great. Keep the center portion as straight as you
can and bend the ends any which way. You will probably need a tuner. I
earned DXCC with an apartment antenna. Piece of cake.

At ten watts you will probably not get to meet your neighbors. At 100
watts you will. :-)

73, Bill W6WRT

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Phil Salas

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

In reply to this post by David Guernsey

I’ve had surprisingly good results using a MFJ-935B loop tuner.

Phil – AD5X
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

David Guernsey

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

Should also note that the K3/10 has an automatic tuner installed. Do not know what type of building we will be in as we are still looking.

73 de Dave KJ6CBS

On Thursday, February 13, 2014 7:43 PM, Phil & Debbie Salas <[hidden email]> wrote:

I’ve had surprisingly good results using a MFJ-935B loop tuner.

Phil – AD5X
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Phil Wheeler-2

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

Well then, Dave -- you're problems may be less
than you expect. I've lived in apartments where I
could put up substantial wire antennas outdoors;
also in one where I used a stealth outdoor antenna
of #22 magnet wire laid over a roof under cover of
night and did well with it most times (rain on the
roof was an issue!).

In many cases you'll need an external tuner
capable of dealing with a random wire.

73, Phil w7ox

On 2/13/14, 6:31 PM, David Guernsey wrote:

> Should also note that the K3/10 has an automatic tuner installed. Do not know what type of building we will be in as we are still looking.
>
> 73 de Dave KJ6CBS
>
>
>
> On Thursday, February 13, 2014 7:43 PM, Phil & Debbie Salas <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I’ve had surprisingly good results using a MFJ-935B loop tuner.
>
> Phil – AD5X

pu2clr

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

In reply to this post by Bill Turner

I Dave,
I have made good contacts with my homebrew Magnetic Loop Antenna on 10 and 12 meters.
In the most of the case indoor and QRP.
You can see some pictures and video in my QRZ web pages (Call sign: PU2CLR) and my Youtube channel (look for PU23CLR and magnetic loop antenna).

73.
Ricardo.
PU2CLR.

Mike Furrey

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

In reply to this post by David Guernsey

I have done a lot of this ... used an inverted L for 20 meters (tacked along
the wall), a square 1 wavelength loop on 10 and 15 tacked on a wall
(slightly elongated) a 20 meter helically wound vertical, and one of my
favorites, a 2 element helically wound 10 meter beam (elements were
physically 8 feet long. I used a wire from floor to ceiling with large
loading coil at the ceiling and tacked a top hat around the perimeter of the
the room along the ceiling. For what it was, it did ok on 40 and 80. Made
almost 600 Qs one weekend in CWSS.

Oh yeah, there would always be one or two radials one the floor around the
perimeter of the room.

Hope that gives you a few ideas.

73 es GL! Mike WA5POK

--------------------------------------------------
From: "David Guernsey" <[hidden email]>
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2014 7:49 PM
To: <[hidden email]>
Subject: [Elecraft] [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

> I have a K3/10 SN 4052 that I would like to use in an apartment/condo with
> no outdoor access. Have looked at
> MFJ-1621as possibility. Any comments or other recommendations are
> desired.
>
> 73 de Dave KJ6CBS
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Jim Brown-10

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

In reply to this post by pu2clr

The other big issue with operating from an apartment (or with neighbors
in general) is noise. You may be able to get your own apartment
relatively free of noise-makers, but don't count on the rest of the
building or other buildings nearby.

73, Jim K9YC
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

W6NF

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

There is a huge amount of noise in our apartment building largely, I
believe, from the DSL Internet/Cable TV distribution network to 300+
apartments. 80 and 40 are completely useless, 20 is only slightly better.

The only useable, non-WARC, bands are 15 and 10, for which we have a
bent 15-meter dipole on the outer wall. Each leg is about 60% horizontal
and the remainder vertical in an exterior corner. It worked tolerably
well in our 3rd floor apartment but we have not yet done any operating
from our present 1st floor unit. The tuner in the K3 does a fine job
allowing us to use the antenna on both 15 and 10.

We acquired a tuner from K9YC and will be experimenting with other wire
antenna configurations.

73,

Jack, W6NF/VE4SNA
Shelley, K7MKL
Reno, NV

On 2/14/2014 2:03 PM, Jim Brown wrote:

> The other big issue with operating from an apartment (or with
> neighbors in general) is noise. You may be able to get your own
> apartment relatively free of noise-makers, but don't count on the rest
> of the building or other buildings nearby.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Lee*3

Re: [k3] OT - Antenna for apartment use

In reply to this post by David Guernsey

Quite a nice post!! I am so glad that you shared these details here. We are thinking to purchase a property in Dove Mountain Real Estate as properties here are dirt cheap when you compare them in other regions.