Load up some rain gutters

[LarryMax]

I'm quite bored today and was wondering, How does one use rain gutters for HF reception?

My gutters are aluminum, My shack is on the second story, and I have easy access to my gutters.

Only problem I can think of is grounding.

Short term. Attach wire to gutter (scrape paint off first) Run wire through window attach to radio?

I do understand the importance of grounding. But just to try and see for a few hours.

I may also try a wire dipole in the attic. I have one laying around here somewhere. Is horizontal better than the v shape. If I remember correctly horizontal is more for dx, v shape is for local....right.

BTW this will be for reception only and just for quick experimentation

Thanks

 

[ka3jjz]

I have a friend that used rain gutters for HF reception. Not a bad way to go, assuming that the joints for the entire system are in good shape and aren't corroded. I'd suggest making the connection using a star washer and nut (after you've sanded a small part to expose the metal), then you will likely need to keep the connection clean and free of corrosion with a compound (I can't off the top of my head think of the name...). It might work even better with a 9:1 transformer (notice I didn't call it a balun - see the other threads about this in the HF forum), assuming your receiver will work with a coax load.

[edit] here's the link to the thread, which I moved to the antennas forum (since that's part of what this discussion is about anyway...)

http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120115

A dipole in the attic would also work, but probably not as well as it being outside. I had an inverted V in mine at one time that heard like gangbusters (of course, this was during the last solar peak when 10m was wide open, and you could work stations with a wet noodle for an antenna...those were the days <sigh>).

In fact doing both would give you a little flexibility - if the desired signal is not coming in well on one, if you put both on a coax switch, you can check the other antenna. Propagation may play a role here in how well you hear it, and how it's actually getting to you....something to think about.

What receiver are you planning to use? 73 Mike

 

[LarryMax]

Radio will be an icom 718. For corrosion prevention I have always used RTV. I smother the heck out of connections with it. Never had a problem (it also peels right off if I need to change anything.)

 

[SAR923]

I've got a trapped long-wire mounted in my attic and it does a really good job. I've used gutters before for temporaty antennas but the usual problem is that the gutter sections arent bonded too well together at the corners to you really only get the one length of gutter that acts as an antenna. It also may not be too well oriented for the direction you want, for example north/south if you want to maximize your east/west reception. I'd go along with KA3 on this one. Try the gutter and a simple long wire strung between two insulators in the attic, oriented in the best direction for your preferred stations. You never know what will work best for shortwave so see which one works the best.