Metal roofing

[doublescan]

Just got new roofing installed, curious as to whether this will affect my scanner antennas. Most of my antennas are away from the house by 50' or more on poles or tower, but I have one ground plane on a 30' mast at one end of the house. Will the metal surface bounce tons of rf back at my GP, or am I worrying about nothing? Alternately, can I turn the roof into a giant antenna now? LOL
thanks

 

[KG4INW]

Any metal underneath an antenna is generally a good thing because it provides a better ground plane. Try it and see. I have heard of people turning roofs or even metal gutters into antennas but don't have much experience doing that myself!

OT but I have family near Oneonta, nice place!

 

[LtDoc]

Will that metal roof affect your antennas? I'm fairly sure that it will. That doesn't mean that affect will be bad though, it could be beneficial. Best thing I can think of, because each situation is always different, is to try it and see. There's bound to be some changes, who knows for sure what they'll be.
As for making that metal roof an antenna, you can sure make it a receiving only antenna, might even be a good one. If you plan to transmit on it... I'd love to know how that turns out...
- 'Doc

 

[Eng3ineer]

Before moving my scanners & radios inside my home had them set up in a 12x24 portable all metal building. Other than one antenna that had mounted on pipe 30 foot up the other four were mag mounts placed at metal roofs peak and they worked great three were used for 800 band and last one used for 155VHF & 450-460UHF.

But the metal will block a lot signal if the antenna or radio are behind it. So as long as you don't plan to put any antenna's in the attic you should be go to go...

I've found this out with my home when built they used radiate barrier OSB board for all the side walls as my home is 90% brick all way up to roof eve's. So it hard for me get radio or scanner to pick up unless by window. I ended up mounting couple antenna's in attic as the builders didn't use the radiate barrier OSB board for roof decking not sure why so signal comes great in attic. But that will change as my replacement roof will be metal..

 

[doublescan]

Thanks for the replies. I won't be transmitting, just scanners and OTA television. I do have a big FM radio antenna up on a 30' pole that's over the edge of this new metal, haven't even tried it yet. Hasn't affected the tv though. I too have that OSB with the foil facing on it, has always been hard to get good AM radio in this house, and the cellphone doesn't always work very well indoors either, probably because of it. That's why outdoor antennas seem to grow like weeds here!