Stealth AntennasStealth Antennas

By Jack Ciaccia – WMØG

"Secrets" of Being a SuccessfulSecrets of Being a Successful Stealth Ham Radio Operator

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Who A e Stealth Ope ato s?Who A e Stealth Ope ato s?Who Are Stealth Operators?Who Are Stealth Operators?

Apt. & Condo dwellers.. Covenant controlled neighborhoods.. etc.Campus students in dorms & condos.Travelers truckers salespeopleTravelers, truckers, salespeople, campers, bicyclists, tourists, RV’ers, etc.YOU perhaps?YOU, perhaps?

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Wh Stealth?Wh Stealth?Why Stealth?Why Stealth?

Helps to keep the peace“The thrill is gone”The thrill is goneIt is the only way you can operateIt’s fun!It s fun!

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Anal e Yo Sit ationAnal e Yo Sit ationAnalyze Your SituationAnalyze Your Situation

Do you have an attic in your dwelling?Do you have any trees?Do you have any trees?Read your deed restrictions and CCRsDo you have a wooden fence?Do you have a wooden fence?Could you use your house?

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Band b BandBand b BandBand by BandBand by Band

160m & 80m – small, inefficient antennas.40m – good band for QRP & stealth operations.30m – BEST band – all at 200 watts.20m – crowded & high-powered stations.17m, 15m & 12m – good for stealth antennas.10m – great when open – BIG signals.

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What Mode Is Best?What Mode Is Best?What Mode Is Best?What Mode Is Best?

Morse code is BEST.. Period!SSB QSO’s better on higher bands.SSB QSO s better on higher bands.Digital modes are great too, especially PACTOR and PSK-31 etcPACTOR and PSK 31, etc..RTTY may be a good choice as well.

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RF T ismRF T ismRF TruismRF Truism RF might:Flow into antenna & be

f lRF has gotta go somewhere!

usefulHeat up your coaxRadiate from groundRadiate from groundInterfere (like TVI)Be rectified by bad

ticonnectionsFeed back from outside shield and bite youy

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G o ndingG o ndingGroundingGrounding

Two types of grounds – electrical safety ground and RF groundElectrical safety ground not good for RF – will aggravate noise & RFIagg a ate o se &RF ground – think of the earth covered in aluminum foil – bounces your signalin aluminum foil bounces your signal

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Types of Stealth AntennasTypes of Stealth Antennasypyp

Balanced antennas = Mobile whips on the loops, dipoles and vees.Mobile whip dipoles.House-mounted loops &

balcony.End-fed wires.E i ti t tHouse-mounted loops &

dipoles.Indoor loops & dipoles.

Existing structures.Commercial stealth antennas eg.. MFJ Mini

Antennas in the attic.Verticals & Inverted L antennas.

antennas eg.. MFJ Mini Loop, Bilal Isotron and Butternut Butterfly beam SGC Stealthantennas.

Flagpole verticals.beam, SGC Stealth Antenna Kit, etc..

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20m 2-element wire beam

20m

Dave Hassell – N5IW

Director20m

dri en 7’0”driven

insulatorsinsulators

6/10/2009 10This is a very good performing antenna for use in a large attic. Use a 1/2 wave length of feedline into a tuner(or use step-up balun) for use on entire breadth of band. About a 3 db gain over a normal dipole.

40m/15m/10m wire dipole (hidden in tree)hidden inside a large oak tree. It is practically ivisible. Only one 50ohm feedline required.

Dave Hassell – N5IW

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Specs:

(l f di l d b 120 d )

(pvc spacers)

40/15m dipole antenna

Overall length of antenna = 66 feet 10”Cut for 7.0 mhz resonant freq.

(legs of dipoles spread about 120 degrees apart)

40’

10m dipole antennaOverall length of antenna =16 feet 8in.Cut for 28.0 mhz

Requires a bit of tuning, repositioning of wires, and placement of feedline.

Antenna constucted of black 12ga. TW wire

feedline to radio shack

40m

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hanging weights

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80m Horizontal Loop(skyloop)

20 push up pole

(skyloop)

A loop hung in the horizontal80m

257 feet of #12 ga.

position can have remarkable propagation characteristics. Very good performance within continental USA.

257 feet of #12 ga.black wire.All loops exhibit about a 2db gain

over a common dipole.

Feed the loop one of 2 methods:1.) feed in the center of a side

G di l h ll(approx.150 ohms) , use 75 ohm coax cut to 1/4 wave length as amatching transformer to your 50 ohm coax into shack.2.) feed in a corner directly with

Go directly over the tallest paof the roof. Standoff from roofwith pvc pipe painted blace anscrewed into vent stacks.

top view of house,2 story. approx 35 feet to apex

6’ cedar fence50 ohm coax.

When used with a tuner this antennawill perform on all bands.

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Specs: black 12ga TW wireTotal length of loop = 257 feetResonant freq = 3.915mhz

Dave Hassell – N5IW

RAINGUTTER I and IIRAINGUTTER I and II

Raingutter I used a Dentron transmatch at rig

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g g

Raingutter II used the SGC-230 Autocoupler at antenna

RAINGUTTER IIIRAINGUTTER IIII

New location with SGC-230 – radial system and 25’ high downspout and 15’ horizontal section.

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CC&R InfoCC&R InfoCC&R InfoCC&R Info

Condo Communicator -- Help for Condo and Apartment Dwellers -- From WA5OESCC&R's? (You Got) -- Info from the ARRLK3QK's Legal Resources -- For hams can use it for that "tower project"eHam.net CC&R Survival SerieseHam.net CC&R Survival SerieseHam Forum on Antenna RestrictionsFCC Fact Sheet - Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule Preemption of Restrictions on Placement of Direct Broadcast Satellite, Multi-channel Multi-point Distribution Service, and Television Broadcast Antennas.Service, and Television Broadcast Antennas.Antenna Restrictions? -- From AC6TSAntenna Restrictions - How To Chart - From The ARRLAntenna Zoning for the Radio Amateur - ARRL Book On legal aspects of antenna restrictionsrestrictions

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H b St lth A tH b St lth A tHomebrew Stealth AntennasHomebrew Stealth AntennasBalcony Antenna -- From Harry Lythall - SMØVPOHidden Stealth HF Antennas From K3MT The GRASSWIRE You read it correctly!!Hidden, Stealth, HF Antennas -- From K3MT -- The GRASSWIRE -- You read it correctly!!Hidden, Stealth & Invisible Antennas -- Smartuners for Stealth Antennas From SGC, Inc.Hidden Antenna Ideas -- Links Via AC6TSHidden Antenna Ideas Loops, Operation Away From Home, Attic, From NØHCStealth Amateur Radio - Book From The ARRL -- (ISBN: 0-87259-757-1) #7571Stealth 40M Antenna - From K7ZBRadialWave™ Ground Radial System -- Great for DEED RESTRICTED BASE STATIONS, QRP, BACKPACKING, FIELD DAY, OR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.Secrets of a Successful Stealth Operator – Lots of good tips from Dave Hassell, N5IWStealth Antenna Experiences - From Clif's ham radio connectionStealth Antenna Experiences - From Clif s ham radio connection.SGC Smartuners for Stealth Antennas -- Free - Click on "Download your copy today!"Stealth 40M Antenna - From K7ZB2 M 1/2-Wave J-Pole -- VHF-FM (Stealth) Antenna Made From 450-Ohm Ladder Line -- From KB1GTR & KB1DIGN8TW St lth A t Whit Wi A t t d th hN8TW Stealth Antenna -- White Wire Antenna strung around the houseSmall Gauge Wire Makes an "Invisible Antenna" The Wireman sells #26 AWG "Invisible Toughcoat Silky" antenna wire which is a stranded & coated copperweld type, his catalog #534. Amazingly strong for it's size, very abrasion resistant and you have to go looking for it if you're more than twenty feet away from the stuff.

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y y y

Commercial Antennas Used For StealthCommercial Antennas Used For StealthCommercial Antennas Used For StealthCommercial Antennas Used For StealthBuddiPole -- W3FF ProductsB&W Balcony/Window Antenna AP 10AB&W Balcony/Window Antenna - AP-10ACliffDweller II antennaEnd-Fedz -- full length half wave dipoles, but with an important difference. The coax connector is at one end of the dipole, where it is most needed. From Universal Radio EZ HANG -- SlingShot & Reel Device for installing wire antennasForce 12- 9 Foot VerticalForce 12 Aluminum Flag Poles & AntennasHamSticksMFJ Apartment Antenna 40 Meters to 2 Meters MFJ-1622MFJ Super Loop AntennasMFJ Super Loop AntennasMFJ ScrewDriver AntennasOutbacker Antennas -- TerlinQuicksilver Radio Products MinuteMan™ HF Portable AntennasStealth Antennas -- HF Mobile Antennas By VE7BOCT B C t h GLA A tTexas BugCatcher - GLA AntennasTexas Twister - GLA AntennasVentennas -- The Forbes GroupVentanna HFP-2 10 Foot HF Antenna -- 6.5 to 30 MHz !!!Vern Wright's HF Mobile Antennas, MP1

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g ,WeatherVane Antennas

J st Do It!J st Do It!Just Do It!Just Do It!Learn about band propagationLearn about band propagationUse your CW skillsSet a goal – like DXCC or WAS within some reasonable time frameLow power + stealthy antennas = FUNLoad up something metallic and get onLoad up something metallic and get on the air!

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