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Posted: 1/19/2021 4:00:46 PM EDT
[#1]
Quoted: And before gamma asks, yes I am liscenced. I have a space 4’ high by 7’ wide in my attic. I can’t have anything outside, no matter how stealthy like the Ventenna...and yes, I know that I’m sacrificing performance. I was looking at the TakTenna, but reviews are mixed on it. Any suggestions? You may wish to study small magnetic loop antennas. 
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Posted: 1/19/2021 4:08:57 PM EDT
[#2]
FPNI, magloop. Note that it's a severe compromise, but your constraints are a severe compromise.
MFJ sells very good full-power antennas. You're going to have a lot of issues with the loop interacting with wiring, etc in that close of a location. There are QRP versions that are cheaper, but the issues will remain, but you will need to be at the antenna to tune it. The MFJ is suitable for mounting in a remote location, as tuning is done by a control box on the radio side of the coax. |
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Posted: 1/19/2021 4:09:13 PM EDT
[#3]
are you talking HF,
I see that the TakTenna is 40-10M As said above, a remote tuned mag loop your only option is a mag loop |
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Posted: 1/19/2021 4:13:53 PM EDT
[#4]
Nvm. Topic says HF.
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Posted: 1/19/2021 4:14:06 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The MFJ is suitable for mounting in a remote location, as tuning is done by a control box on the radio side of the coax. And you will need to aim it. A mag loop antenna is very directional. Edit: OP said HF, in the title. |
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Posted: 1/19/2021 4:16:51 PM EDT
[#6]
There will be no "good" options here, especially as you go lower in the bands. Some options above like a mag loop (be aware of power limits and the need for fine tuning) will "work", but prepare to be extremely underwhelmed by the results.
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Posted: 1/19/2021 4:16:54 PM EDT
[#7]
Getting something multiband HF in that space is going to be really tough. I hope your rig has a kickass tuner.
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Posted: 1/19/2021 4:19:11 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Getting something multiband HF in that space is going to be really tough. I hope your rig has a kickass tuner. |
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Posted: 1/19/2021 4:19:37 PM EDT
[#9]
Do you have aluminum gutters?
If so I have read about people connecting the different gutters electrically and tuning the gutters. Why the restriction of not outside, what exactly is the restriction you have to work with? |
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Posted: 1/19/2021 4:20:56 PM EDT
[#10]
if you had 14 feet wide you could use a hamstick dipole, but only 4' high and 7' wide is pretty much a nonstarter.
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Posted: 1/19/2021 5:03:28 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: And you will need to aim it. A mag loop antenna is very directional. Edit: OP said HF, in the title. A mag loop is about as directional as a dipole. A mag loop in an attic is going to be under 1/4 WL high for most bands and have a pattern heavily distorted by house wiring, etc. It's basically going to be the equivalent of an inefficient low dipole with a cloud warmer type pattern. It'll work but it'll be way less than awesome. |
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Posted: 1/19/2021 5:09:21 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: A tuner doesn't make an antenna perform any better than without, it just presents a closer match for your radio to keep the finals from getting too toasty warm and releasing their smoke on the TX side of things. A well tuned dummy load is still a dummy load. No, it doesn't, but it may well keep him from blowing his finals, professor. |
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Posted: 1/19/2021 5:27:32 PM EDT
[#13]
Mount screwdriver antenna on car sitting in driveway with this. Run coax from garage out to car when you want to operate.
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Posted: 1/19/2021 6:09:43 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: As said above, a remote tuned mag loop your only option is a mag loop This. One of the plusses is that with the very narrow tuning, it will cut down on interference/front end overload. |
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Posted: 1/19/2021 8:21:39 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: No, it doesn't, but it may well keep him from blowing his finals, professor. True dat, an antenna tuner provides a conjugate match where in maximum current flows through out the antenna system. There will still be some losses but the tuner will make the best of the situation. 73, Rob |
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Posted: 1/19/2021 10:47:24 PM EDT
[#16]
go mobile
  . . . or slingshot a ZS6BKW into some trees and go portable 
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Posted: 1/19/2021 10:54:02 PM EDT
[#17]
The noise generated by most consumer electronics will make any indoor antenna useless for any real practical purposes. Transmitting HF inside you home is also poor solution and comes with many issues.
Derek is correct, mobile or maybe even portable operation would be your best bet. An outside stealth antenna would be a better option. Many hams in HOA's use the flag pole or bird feeder vertical antennas with good results. I have worked many more of these guys than those using a magnetic loop antenna. YMMV |
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Posted: 1/22/2021 9:28:16 AM EDT
[#18]
You might just barely be able to use a Comet UHV-6. It's designed as a mobile antenna and does a really decent job. You'd probably have to attach the coils horizontally to get under the 4ft height. But, it would work. What I've found with it is I can either tune the whip ends for the upper part of the bands or the lower part of the bands (each band has its own coil). So, if you want to use it for digital stuff, tune the whips for the lower parts of those bands. For voice, tune it for the middle of the voice upper part of the bands.
MFJ makes an octopus center body for attaching ham sticks. But, all the ham sticks I have are longer than 7ft so that probably wouldn't work in your particular case. |
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Posted: 1/22/2021 9:40:37 AM EDT
[#19]
I think isotrons are as small as you can get, but they're not multiband, and not much better than a dummy load.
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Posted: 1/22/2021 10:14:51 AM EDT
[#20]
What is the reason you can't run a wire outside?
You could run coax up to the attic and then run a half wave end fed wire out of the attic to outside and nobody would see it. |
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Posted: 1/22/2021 10:24:02 AM EDT
[#21]
This should be obvious, but no metal roof?
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