This was very helpful! I have the same problem and I actually went to a Ham Radio Outlet store today and the very knowledgeable salesperson told me that magnetic loop antennas are the way to go.

This brings up a very interesting point. I recently watched a video here on KZread. A ham posted an antenna that is "antenna restriction" friendly. His idea was to run a 14ga. wire along the whole ridge vent on the roof, using zip ties along the way, then fishing the end of the wire into the attic. I made a comment that this is a good idea, but the antenna needed to be grounded, per NEC, along with the required surge protector BEFORE it enters the structure. Well, you would think I had suggested that the poster and his viewers walk, barefoot, across broken glass. After being called names, being accused of being uneducated, and "any respectable ham should know better" and even one comment that said "you can't ground an antenna because you would have no signal, stupid." (This is what happens when you try to be helpful) What is it about hams and understanding grounding, much less bonding? I mean, I took my novice test 33 years ago, but I am pretty sure proper grounding was stressed on that element! Does the new tech question pool not cover this? If so, why don't hams (a lot of them) understand this very basic idea? People became so triggered by the idea of grounding an antenna before it entered, that I just referred them all to your channel, Dave and I'll let you deal with them. LoL 😂

@charleswoods2996

2 жыл бұрын

Don't you just love those Hams that seemed to have skipped right past the part of "Amateur Radio Philosophy", or they seemed to have blatantly forgotten that upon getting their licenses, LoL? They are rude, condescending and belligerent. And then they validate that with arguing that "THIS" format here, comments on such a thread "..are NOT Ham Radio." Pull no punches, they'are IDIOTS with licenses. KD8EFQ/73!

@MidlifeRenaissanceMan

2 жыл бұрын

@@charleswoods2996 because social media. Social media is the worst. It brings out the worst in people. Spills over into real life. Ted is right. The internet should be dismantled (I’m sure doing so would boost the uptake of Ham Radio....but that’s not the end goal)

@Mysyzplx

2 жыл бұрын

Likely people who approached their license exams by memorizing the question pool answers rather than taking the time and effort to learn the material.

@MidlifeRenaissanceMan

2 жыл бұрын

@@Mysyzplx I guess there is a different type of operator who throws the most amount of money they can at the hobby to rack up contacts, and there are those who want to genuinely experiment and further their knowledge, and are humbled by how much they have discovered they don't know

@James_Bowie

2 жыл бұрын

Where ignorance is bliss, Tis folly to be wise.

I have a very similar situation. Used a mag loop off my balcony in Connecticut which faces Florida and I can easily work the east coast. Also had luck with ham sticks

How about a simple yagi? You don't need to radiate through the appartment. You'd get more gain in the right direction.

@stevenfeavearyear7567

2 жыл бұрын

Thats what i was thinking too, if you can only radiate out one way, you may as well focus as best as possible with a yagi.

I live in a similar situation and I've had good luck with mini hamsticks, using a magmount on a metal table.

Good onya Dave 🥳👍

Great video Dave, right down my alley today, in fact based on the apartment photo you used, I am right below the writer’s on the 3rd floor. I intend to use my Ic-7300 (which has a built-in tuner as you well know) and will go look at the MFJ loop antenna you suggested (MFJ 636 IIRC) and other loop makers. Take care and 73 Tom KC3QAC

Depending on band frequency required you could attach an end fed/co linear, dipole ,beam or a Delta loop ( with stand off brackets) on the outside of the bottom rails or top! Delta loop's are great, low noise antennas...low cost and are easy to built yourself

I would also recommend mag loops but also worth a try is a slinky antenna as they pack a lot of antenna into a small space too (look at an old 2m helical "rubber duck" & scale it up to 20 or 40m & basically you just get a slinky). Either in "dipole/doublet" config strung internally across the balcony diagonally or using the railing as a ground & reaching vertically up the very middle.

I always like seeing that typewriter. It looks like cat ear antenna is on it. Great RTTY. Thanks so much for all you do for us. WB7ORB

I'd be using a Buddistick antenna, nice and easy, portable too

I know the problems you are having with antenna. I live in a three story, concrete rebar building. I'm on the first floor. Concrete and steel above and below me. I made a home brewed mag loop antenna with 1/2 inch copper tubing bent in 8 places. Octagon shape. Using a wiper style capacitor for tuning. I can make contact with Florida and Georgia stations in early morning and Texas traffic nets in the day time on 40, 30 and 20 meters. I'm in the DFW area. From his location and height. Dx would be possible. The apartments generate a lot of RF noises from all of the electric devices in the building. 2 meter would be easy to put on the balcony. Using a magnet mount antenna. Have fun with the amateur radio hobby and enjoy meeting some of the nicest people. Tom AF5AG.

You could do a linear loaded doublet dipole inverted V fed with 450 ohm ladder line it would require a tuner - The legs of the antenna would be made also out of 450 ohm ladder line - and you would need to leave a third wire within the two existing wires - The end opposite the food point would be shorter together and this would give you 30 m and higher band coverage, the legs would be 11’ long each And go from the roof to the floor

How does one get a ground from a balcony?

Inverted V Bazooka fits right in. IM doing it

@davecasler

Жыл бұрын

Glad it works for you!

I have a similar layout but 17' wide. I use a center-loaded Buddi-dipole. It is tuned for 20m but I use the Elecraft T1 tuner with my KX3. After five months on FT8 I have about 120 grids and 45 states. A couple of weeks ago I worked Brazil on 10m from CN89. Yes, I use it from 6m to 30m. I have space for a turnaround of about 60 degrees. Definitely good enough for me. I'm VE7VIE and WV2J.

@Mysyzplx

2 жыл бұрын

Thanx! I was planning to call them and get their take on what’s possible. I’ve got 4’ less but hopefully enough for high bands.

@barrybogart5436

2 жыл бұрын

@@Mysyzplx I don't think I am using all the 17' I have. My balcony is only about four feet deep. I don't have a calculator handy but maybe you could run a dipole diagonally and get close enough. With the T1 tuner it seems to work well on 10, 15, 17, 20.... I used to worry about resonance, especially with QRP, but I am getting results. You should try it. There is a Buddipole User's Group that can provide some answers, and a free book to download.

@Mysyzplx

2 жыл бұрын

@@barrybogart5436 I will do that. Really appreciate the info! 73

What about them "dipole" Buddipole antennas for "Paul, KC9FHV's " situation? I mean, just perch them right on the tripod on the balcony that he could probably manually turn on a 45-degree angle towards the outer corner of the balcony if he wanted to, and, (I think), some of them dipoles can handle a pretty large amount of power! I've lived in and worked from apartments for years until recently and I've always thought about those HF Buddipole dipoles, KD8EFQ/73!

Dave, I suggest seeing if he couldn't put an MFJ-2104, HF OCTOPUS ANTENNA on the roof. That would give him a good setup. KC0ELC Walt Macon Mo.

Thanx, Dave! I appreciate all the comment suggestions, but as you suspected, roof access is not happening (the solar panel installers got up there via cherry-picker). I’ll take your suggestion and contact HRO (only an hour’s drive to Orlando to see them in person). We’ve only lived in the area a couple years so it’s time I check out the clubs and get some assistance from the Elmers. I truly appreciate everyone’s suggestions. 73

@MidlifeRenaissanceMan

2 жыл бұрын

Might be worthwhile operating portable out on the vacant lot. I have a small back yard and operate semi portable on the kitchen table with a 10m telescopic aluminium tube end fed half wave vertical for 20m with a trap extension to give me 40m that adds 2m to the total height. I strap this antenna to the back fence which fortunately is an old hardwood timber, not a powder coated steel one. I can put that up for a session in under 10m and pull it down in under 5 minutes. I have made loops for 40 through 10m that I can poke out a window, with the 15m and 10m band ones being the most effective. I also have one larger loop for 40m that is almost 3m across made from aluminium strap and a timber frame I use with a small 3.5m push up tripod lighting stand That takes a little more to set up, but it brings the RFI noise down from S7 to S3 on 40m. It can be pulled down in around 10mins or so Your mag loop only needs to be 1” wide aluminium and 1/8 wavelength in circumference to get within 6 dog biscuits of a full size dipole. If you can go a quarter wave you’ll lose less than 3dB on transmit. Your power will be limited by the voltage rating of the capacitor. 6m of aluminium pipe in a loop hooked up to a 5-100pF vacuum cap will cover 40m through 15m and work well on 40m. My friend Colin VK2DVA built one with those specs and it really is a solid performer though he is hard pressed to get below 7010Khz which is right on the edge. An extra short length of capacitor coupling material or a slightly longer tube would see to that. Remember any antenna is better than no antenna. And I disagree with Dave. I’d go out and get your gear as it will motivate you to pass, and when you get your receipt from the authorities, you’re on the air....besides, as a tech, you can use CW on HF straight away.....all the nice hams use CW.

@erpece

2 жыл бұрын

+1 on a magloop - that will be your best option. You could mount one on a light weight camera tripod and move it to the side of the balcony when not in use. An end-fed random wire running in an inverted "U" on your balcony may also work, but I fear it will have trouble with all the metal on your balcony... However, it's easy to try if you already have (or can borrow) a wide range external tuner.

@Mysyzplx

2 жыл бұрын

@@erpece Thanx, I will try the long wire before investing in the loop.

Sounds like it's time to tune up the gutters of the apartment building lol

Please do a show on QCX+ firmware update using both the Arduino Uno and other methods. There is not very much on that on KZread

Make a "wire-size" hole in the lower corner of the balcony screen and lower a "3-story" piece of wire for your antenna?

@Mysyzplx

2 жыл бұрын

Brand new, pristine building. We’re the first occupants. Sold a home last summer and just riding out the market for maybe another 18mos until it settles down and we get another house. If we were going to be here longer I might be tempted to make a “mod”, but I’ll just play the hand I’ve been dealt for now.

DX Engineering DXE-TW-2010-P might work for the upper bands but not for 40m

@Mysyzplx

2 жыл бұрын

Thanx! Expensive but looks very promising. I’ll call them and see if they think it could work in my situation, especially since it is 8.25’ tall and I only have 9 exactly to work with.

Possible alternative suggestion... there shouldn't be any restrictions on the antenna on your car. Find a way to bluetooth remote control run your mobile set-up from the balcony.

This helpful looks like my apartment

A loop without an autotuner will be a nuisance. A loop with remote tuning may be an RFI hazard. Best to spring for the autotuner, no? And that aluminum railing may interfere. A situation where you have to do the best you can.

So do I on 5th floor I work allover u.s..and international countries with ham stick off window guard I do s?5/20 to Europe s.a. Caribbean no problem. My build tied to pull that but believe it or not our license holds alot of weight..They do not bother me know more. I Said I'd report them to f.c.c.

I’m in the exact same situation with the exception that I am a middle balcony with cement and rebar overhead. I have the Chameleon P Loop antenna (no longer sold) and have owned the MFJ 935c Loop Tuner. I have not ONCE been able to make a SSB contact in years. However, can do digital (J65,FT8) all day. Thankfully. I can also do Winlink with no problem. But I seriously doubt this person will ever make a SSB voice contact based upon my experience. To that end, I just bought a Xiegu x6100 and a Chameleon MPAS 2.0 antenna, and proved to myself easily that SSB contacts can be made outside of my Faraday apartment design.

im engaging

Daytime just get a tripod, and a hamstick dipole setup. Maybe even something like the octopus, or the chameleon version of it. Chameleon makes a 2 band version too. Just set it up in the yard.

Use a FN window. Don't make something simple complicated.. Jeezzz

I am not satisfied with these answers. There must be some dipole or wire antenna that can be set up on a 2 floor apartment balcony with access to the HF bands. Otherwise, antenna technology is still in its infancy.