Tree-line Antenna

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KC1CJN

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So after finding issues with the idea of a downspout/gutter random wire antenna, it came to mind that I might have other options. Although my wife and HOA object to visible antennas on the house or in the yard, I have a 100ft tree buffer zone 50ft behind my house. On the other side, 150ft from my rig, is a tree-line facing an empty field, so nobody will care what I string up there. So the next question is, what do I string up and how?

I'm using a Yaesu FT-897D with MFJ-898D Antenna Tuner, for consideration.

There are plenty tall white pines on the tree-line, some 75+ feet high. Questions I might start with:

1. Do I try to hang a vertical or a dipole? I have a 70cm/2m Diamond x50A dual-band on the roof, and just barely got away with it with wife & HOA, but am looking for a multi-band 6M-160M option.
2. I've heard of sling shot systems (EZHang) - worth a try?
3. 150ft to the rig is pretty far. Special considerations?

I'm a n00b, so treat me gently with detail appreciated!
 

N1BHH

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Mar 31, 2007
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1,845
Location
Jackson Square, East Weymouth, MA.
I had, at a previous location, an apartment, a landlord who didn't like antennas showing. Apparently before I got there one of the families that lived in another building had put up a simple quarter-wave CB ground plane and he got into neighbors TV's, and after that restricted antennas. But I was able to run an inverted V hung from a tree along the property line that blended in with the scenery and the coax was buried using a lawn edger. I had a friend come over with his and we laid out 140 feet of coax on the ground, then used the edger to make a slot to push the coax into.

This worked out great, I ran 600 watts on 80 and 40 with no TVI at all. After a storm had cut one of the support ropes made one leg sag I went out and fixed it, and one neighbor said they were getting interference. I went over and asked her when it was happening and she was saying mostly at night. I mentioned that it couldn't be me, I work at night and she didn't believe me. Needless to say other neighbors complained about her complaining about everything else in the complex and she was forced to move. But I asked all the other neighbors and none of them had any TVI,

Do whatever you can to get on the air, I did run a rain gutter antenna at the same location and it worked okay for me, it became my shortwave receiving antenna until I put up my random (about 700 feet long) wire in the woods, which worked really good.
 

Fast1eddie

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Mar 4, 2004
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628
Location
Crafton Pennsylvania
Hate to be calloused and say the obvious, but I would ditch the wife and move to wide open spaces with no neighbors. I have divorced mine and working on the second. The other day I was asked for marriage advice....I replied, Don't!

Never again.
 
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