Chain Link Antenna

[riverrat373]

I have a 4' high chain link fence of about 250' continuous length on my property and was curious as to how well it would work as a shortwave antenna? Any ideas?

 

[krokus]

I have a 4' high chain link fence of about 250' continuous length on my property and was curious as to how well it would work as a shortwave antenna? Any ideas?

Not that well, or at least not reliably. They have questionable connection between the links, which can create an interference nightmare.

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[riverrat373]

That makes sense.

 

[ridgescan]

There was a guy here, k9rzz, who used to do crazy stuff like use a highway guardrail for swl. Cannot recall how well it worked-but the point was he tried it. You can try the fence, but I figure since it's ground-connected, it'd make a hell of a counterpoise to an swl wire more than the actual swl antenna. But it wouldn't take much to try the fence thing first if for nothing else, to see if it at least did work.

 

[riverrat373]

I think I will try it!

 

[krokus]

There was a guy here, k9rzz, who used to do crazy stuff like use a highway guardrail for swl. Cannot recall how well it worked-but the point was he tried it. You can try the fence, but I figure since it's ground-connected, it'd make a hell of a counterpoise to an swl wire more than the actual swl antenna. But it wouldn't take much to try the fence thing first if for nothing else, to see if it at least did work.

Guard rails have solid mechanical connections, and typically, are not connected to ground.

A fence could make a decent counterpoise, but could still be an IMI problem.

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[Boombox]

Depending on how long the cyclone fence is, it can boost MW signals by a db or more, in the direction of the straight line of fencing set your MW radio next to. Just set the portable next to it, pretending the top rail is the loop.

As for HF, in the old days some hams used bedsprings and the like for antennas (generally with a tuner or transmatch), so using a fence probably isn't impossible. I've never tried using one, though. Most of them are a bit too low to the ground for my taste, for SW.

At MW, if they are long enough (250' seems long enough to help on MW) being 3-6' from the ground isn't much farther from the dirt than a beverage antenna is....

 

[wtp]

could try

an electric fence set up.
use the standoffs and the wire just don't use the voltage.

 

[ridgescan]

Guard rails have solid mechanical connections, and typically, are not connected to ground.

A fence could make a decent counterpoise, but could still be an IMI problem.

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100% agree. You are no doubt correct with that. Also, riverrat373, be careful if the radio you use for this is a portable. These portables are uber-sensitive and if you have enough static build-up on the fence it could blow the ANT. circuit in the radio. What radio are you intending to use for this experiment?

There's a possibility that RFI from the house or nearby stuff could be riding along that fence too.

 

[RRR]

I remember a guy years ago once used the outer shielding from the countywide cable company wire as an input to his scanner. He claimed could hear portables all over the county, the old 46/49 phones, etc.. Don't know what he used for his "ground" or outer connection.....

I'd be afraid to try it, too much change of lightning, and I bet the overload and interference would be terrible

 

[oldradioguy2010]

chain link antenna

Ok got to jump into this one.
Back in the 1980s and I was in my novice days,
My friend and I ,after a few beers, we loaded up a chain link fence in his front yard.
And it worked on 80 meters at a 100 Watts.
We made contacts to 0 land from So. Call.
ts 520s. What a fun day.
Yes it could work. Give it a shot.
DW
So Cal

 

[GB46]

As for HF, in the old days some hams used bedsprings and the like for antennas (generally with a tuner or transmatch)

In the '60s a ham friend of mine did that. He was blind, and told me that he once inadvertently left his transmitter on overnight sending a dead carrier. Since the bedspring was on his own bed, he woke up in the morning with burns all over his back.

He must have been running a whole lot of power, unless he made the whole thing up.

Gerry

 

[riverrat373]

100% agree. You are no doubt correct with that. Also, riverrat373, be careful if the radio you use for this is a portable. These portables are uber-sensitive and if you have enough static build-up on the fence it could blow the ANT. circuit in the radio. What radio are you intending to use for this experiment?

There's a possibility that RFI from the house or nearby stuff could be riding along that fence too.

Icom r-75

 

[kb4mdz]

There is a story, I think it's a local legend without any proof, that the student radio station at North Carolina State University in here Raleigh, once loaded up on one rail of the railroad track that went thru campus.

I count as slightly more possible the story that WNTC, a little 10's of watts AM college student station in Potsdam NY (up near Canada) had their antenna fall down during a blizzard, contacting the copper roof of Snell Hall. Nobody bothered to check antenna current readings, even tho that was part of the rules back then. Story continues that they were heard full scale in Detroit - 400 + miles. Mr. FCC man was not happy when he came up for a visit after the blizzard cleared. :-( They were declared to never be free-air radiating, ever again.

 

[ipfd320]

Wow all these answers--this is ham radio--its all about experimenting with the possibilities to succeed in what your doing to make contacts

Just do it tie into the fence--dam whats gonna happen it wont tune / it gets alot of interference / It might actually work

the only way to find out is to hook up to it--easy--Heck i loaded up the gutter system where i used to live and counter poised to the street sign on the corner of the property and used an auto tuner--1st contact was to texas with a 5/5-on 50 watts from a 751a rig

I say go for it keep the wattage low and the swr meter in line---good luck brother

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Quote:Originally Posted by krokus
Guard rails have solid mechanical connections, and typically, are not connected to ground.
...............................
Guard Rails are considered grounded since the stanchions are embedded into the ground and most times cemented and the rails are like you said mechanically bonded to the stanchions

 

[ridgescan]

This aint ham, he wants an SWL antenna

 

[ipfd320]

Hey my Mistake----even with a swl just go for it its all about experimentation what can it hurt to toss a wire on it

 

[krokus]

Guard Rails are considered grounded since the stanchions are embedded into the ground and most times cemented and the rails are like you said mechanically bonded to the stanchions

The supports are wood, with most of the ends left in the air. (Some ends are run into the ground, but they are the minority.)

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[ipfd320]

Im Not Sure what Guardrails You Have where you are but most are Steel all the way

https://www.insurancejournal.com/app/uploads/2014/06/Guardrail-580x385.jpg

https://www.bishophouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/guard-rail-ws.jpg

2 image pics all steel

 

[kb4mdz]

Maybe he was talking about guard rails like these:

Long steel, insulated from ground, voila' !