Help! I'm having withdrawal symptoms.

[ke6ats]

Looking for any suggestions here and I'm sure my choices are limited. I just moved in to an apartment. Landlord is adamant regarding no outside antennas. I have no attic. My ceiling is 8' 6". This is killing me! At my last place I had 5 masts all between 25 & 45 feet. I am in a heavily wooded, hilly area. I live alone & guests are discouraged (fine by me ), so aesthetics are not an issue, but I have do something indoors. I usually monitor CHP on lo-band, fire service on hi-band, law enforcement on uhf. Any ideas would be sincerely appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Danny37]

Looking for any suggestions here and I'm sure my choices are limited. I just moved in to an apartment. Landlord is adamant regarding no outside antennas. I have no attic. My ceiling is 8' 6". This is killing me! At my last place I had 5 masts all between 25 & 45 feet. I am in a heavily wooded, hilly area. I live alone & guests are discouraged (fine by me ), so aesthetics are not an issue, but I have do something indoors. I usually monitor CHP on lo-band, fire service on hi-band, law enforcement on uhf. Any ideas would be sincerely appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Do you have any balcony space? Maybe an outdoor plant? When I lived in Brooklyn I had an outdoor window plant stuck antenna through the dirt and zip tied it to the trunk of the plant. Worked pretty well and was very discreet. I also wasn't allowed any outdoor antenna but this worked well. Back in the day I used to stick a mag mount antenna on top of window AC unit, worked pretty good to. They were all for scanning anyway.

 

[pb_lonny]

Mag mount near a window?

 

[ke6ats]

Thank for your reply Danny37. I guess I should've included that I'm in a ground floor unit. No balcony. I was thinking about the plant pot idea or a mag-mount on the patio cover, however, neither of those will work as the patio cover is corrugated plastic and all the tree limbs come right to the roof line and patio cover. So, if I were to try the outdoor method to, let's say the patio 4x4 support post or plant pot, I would still have to have at least 30 feet of mast to clear the trees.

 

[ke6ats]

Mag mount near a window?

Still considering that, yes. thank you.

 

[BushDoctor]

Looking for any suggestions here and I'm sure my choices are limited. I just moved in to an apartment. Landlord is adamant regarding no outside antennas. I have no attic. My ceiling is 8' 6". This is killing me! At my last place I had 5 masts all between 25 & 45 feet. I am in a heavily wooded, hilly area. I live alone & guests are discouraged (fine by me ), so aesthetics are not an issue, but I have do something indoors. I usually monitor CHP on lo-band, fire service on hi-band, law enforcement on uhf. Any ideas would be sincerely appreciated. Thanks in advance.

For the CHP make a square 75 inches on each side. To do this you will need to make the first side 37.5 inches and connect the open 37.5 inch side to the top terminal of a 2 terminal or more terminal block. At the top of the 37.5 inch side make a 45 degree angle to the left for 75 inches then make a 45 degree angle going down the left side of the square at 75 inches again make a 45 degree angle across the bottom 75 iniches then another 45 degree angle going up the right side 37.5 inches and screw this end to terminal 2 on your terminal board I have a short piece of RG 58C the center to terminal 1 on the terminal board and the braid to terminal 2. it is connected to my BC 300 scanner via a Motorola (car radio) connector. I use this to listen to Low Band and have heard Oklahoma and Missouri and California Highway Patrol as well as local low band traffic. Once i even heard a motorcycle direct on the mobil channel for that TX frequency that i first heard the dispatcher talking to him on. He was on a ramp on Interstate 5. The top 75 inches is supported by 3 wooden dowels 1/4 inch in diameter the 2 end ones rubber banded to my wifes curtain rods using 5 or 6 rubber bands each put them up the bottom of the dowel then around the curtain rods then up the bottom of the dowel and on the top of the dowels i have a screwed in eyelet that the wire is fed through as i am making the bends I used one dowel to hold up the center of the top 75 inch run. I did notice an improvement raising the top to within a 1/4 inch of the ceiling away from the curtain rods over 6 inches. As for my other scanners I just use the antennas that came with them they are on my dresser next to the 2 bay window which is surrounded by my square antenna. I heard the Netherlands once on 10 meters on 29.67 as well as Fort hood on 30.45 when the band is open. local traffic as far away as 80 miles for Baltimore County MD Fire on 46.46 and Washington County Md on 33.86 53 miles away and Loudon County Fire on 46.38 50 miles away. Baltimore county is weak in the daytime(interference). My ham antennas are in my attic I installed them and ran RG 213 to my bedroom and radio shop as my house was being built and gave my 40 foot tower to my son.

 

[w4amp]

Is your parking spot close to a window? If so you could just run coax to your vehicle when it is parked. When you leave just throw the coax on the ground by the wall.

 

[iMONITOR]

For indoors an inexpensive 9' adjustable light stand makes an excellent platform for antennas, especially Yagi's!

9 Feet Aluminum Alloy Photography Light Stand for Video Portrait Lighting Black | eBay

You can use this on a window or door-wall for small antennas.

Valor BNCSCRS


Valor BNCSCRS Suction Cup mount

Do you have access to the attic space? Years ago when I lived in a three story apartment I had an entire antenna farm, one even had a rotor, up in the attic! It was perfect, it was high, very little metalic items up there and very easy to poke a tiny hole in the drywall ceiling to drop coax down into my room!

 

[ke6ats]

@BushDoctor- I'll definitely try that
@w4amp- Unfortunately, I have to park across the street, on the street.
@iMONITOR- That model is too tall for inside. Not sure if my landlord will let me do a tripod outdoors. I do have a 3' & 5' tripod. And literally just a few minutes ago, I found that I did have a suction cup mount w/ coax.
@pb_lonny- still considering that.
Great ideas. Thanks all.

 

[hardsuit]

ashgoon - Recommend either a Suction cup mount on a Large Window or using a LOW Tripod with Legs spayed out , then mount your Antenna on top.

 

[iMONITOR]

The light stand adjust down to about 4 feet. Mine in my office. It's also great when I go to the St. Clair River with the wife, a cooler with a couple sub sandwiches, some pop or ice tea and hang out listening to the freighters, pleasure boaters, USCG, etc.

 

[krokus]

For the CHP make a square 75 inches on each side. To do this you will need to make the first side 37.5 inches and connect the open 37.5 inch side to the top terminal of a 2 terminal or more terminal block. At the top of the 37.5 inch side make a 45 degree angle to the left for 75 inches then make a 45 degree angle going down the left side of the square at 75 inches again make a 45 degree angle across the bottom 75 iniches then another 45 degree angle going up the right side 37.5 inches and screw this end to terminal 2 on your terminal board I have a short piece of RG 58C the center to terminal 1 on the terminal board and the braid to terminal 2.

Any pics of this antenna, or a link to a page with specs?

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[BushDoctor]

Any pics of this antenna, or a link to a page with specs?

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The angles are 90 degrees to make a square not 45 degrees to make a square

 

[krokus]

The angles are 90 degrees to make a square not 45 degrees to make a square

Yes, a square uses right angles. That is why the description, above, is confusing.

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[spongella]

Many years ago we moved to an apartment and I had a vertical I wanted to mount on the roof. After talking it over with the landlord, he gave me permission provided I pay an extra amount he would add to the monthly rent. This was for any extra wear and tear on the roof that may result from me. Just a suggestion.