On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 11:10:33 -0400, North wrote:
On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 10:01:20 GMT, Gunner
said:
Over the weekend, I stumbled into a Panasonic RF-4800 general
communications receiver. It looks like it just came out of the box.
Mint+.
I have some issues that perhaps some of you can help with.
First of all, as some of you know, I spend most of the week working
out of an RV in an RV park. The park rules are such that they really
frown on antennas other than TV. So it leaves out a long wire antenna.
My TV antenna (no cable in the park) is about 12' to the yagi. So I
have a mounting height issue..the Slinky trick is out.
Anyone got a good suggestion for a low profile antenna that will cover
broadcast to 31 mhz? Vertically polarized, or
horizontally..horizontal would be best. The RV has a surface aprox 7'
wide by 20' long.
loop antennas are out. No way to turn it from inside and are a bit
high profile.
Second big question. The only place to put this receiver is within 3
feet of my computer. So Im getting freaking huge birdies all over the
spectrum with the puter/monitor turned on.
The receiver has a 50ohm Pl259 coax connector, as well as a binding
post for a long wire. Plus a binding post for AM broadcast and a
third for FM broadcast.
The RV itself is a damned good Faraday cage. Aluminum siding, aluminum
window frames and screen. Even the local stations fade to zip when
the door is closed. I have to leave the cell phone near a window to
work. So the antenna has to be external. Shrug.
Anyone got any suggestions? Ive got a chunk of wire tossed over the
roof at the moment, but tis not particularly effective.
Gunner
Mount a ball and spring mount to the side of the RV, the same way you
would mount a whip antenna to any car. Using 2 inch PVC pipe (about 18
inches long, end caps, yada, yada), some #10 mag wire, a bunch of
threaded fittings, etc..and of course an old 102" whip.. Build
yourself a tunable texas bug catcher antenna. Basiclly you'll have a
102" steel whip mounted on your HOMEMADE RF TRAP, mounted to the RV
just like any old CB antenna.
Google "Texas Bug Catcher antennas" for ideas.
Another option would be to build a wood frame in the shape of an X,
wrap the frame with about 20 feet of bare coppper wire (you are
building an active X antenna) Simply set you frame on the roof of your
RV and turn the antenna till you get the direction you want.
(in fact, this maybe your best choice because you can center the
antenna on the roof, the roof will act as the ground plane).
Here's one I had bookmarked:
http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=10174
Google "Homeade SWL antenns" and "low profile antennas" also there is
a book called "low profile ham radio" I forget who wrote it, but it
had tons of hidable antenna plans for SWL.
n.
While I thank you for the link (one Id already followed during my
investigations)...i did make this comment in the original post.
loop antennas are out. No way to turn it from inside and are a bit
high profile.
Im sure you are aware that Im quite good at research on the internet,
and did a fair amount of that, before posting my question. But there
are often tricks that individuals have come up that might be
appropriate
Gunner
Rule #35
"That which does not kill you,
has made a huge tactical error"