mobile antenna for a base?

[oldslowchevy]

first of all i live in an a apartment where i am unable to install a a proper outdoor antenna. i have been using a dipole for the past few years with no issuses untill the past month were my swr has been changing alot for no reason. So now i am either going to make another one or buy one.



buuuuut, i have an eight foot francis antenna that i have had for years but have never used.

my question is can i use this as an indoor base antenna, if so, how?

an yeas i know it would work better out side but i don't have that option.

 

[binrat]

You will have to make a ground plane for the antenna that would be connected to the shield on the coax. About 4 at 108" long would do the trick. If you can arrange them on a 45 degree angle it would be better.

 

[oldslowchevy]

that is not going to work inside my apartment

 

[trailrider]

why wouldn't a no ground plane antanna for a boat not work???

 

[binrat]

that is not going to work inside my apartment

Why not build a new dipole?? with all new materials and give it a try in a different location in your apartment.

 

[W5LZ]

The problem with that 8 foot antenna is where can you stand it up? At least one counterpoise, the 'other half' of that antenna that takes the car body's place, would be necessary. Something at least as long as the antenna, or longer. It takes at least one, and more won't hurt anything. (Bend that dipole in half, stand one end up straight, the other along the floor, same thing, right?)
Why would the SWR of that dipole change? Well, what has changed with the dipole it's self, or the things around it? Everything around an antenna will affect it to some extent, some more than others. Wanna make another one? Have at it, but they don't wear out, they can change though and finding that change and correcting it is another option.
Good luck.
- 'Doc

 

[oldslowchevy]

why wouldn't a no ground plane antanna for a boat not work???

honestly, i never thought of it. i guess i might look into that as an option,

 

[oldslowchevy]

Why not build a new dipole?? with all new materials and give it a try in a different location in your apartment.

more than likely i will. i was just looking at other options though they are limited due to space money and know how.

 

[oldslowchevy]

The problem with that 8 foot antenna is where can you stand it up?

i have atic access that is 9 feet in the peek.

At least one counterpoise, the 'other half' of that antenna that takes the car body's place, would be necessary. Something at least as long as the antenna, or longer. It takes at least one, and more won't hurt anything.

yeah, i was thinking something like that, but i am unable to create that inside here.

(Bend that dipole in half, stand one end up straight, the other along the floor, same thing, right?)

my dipole is just over 16 feet in lenght so i could not stand it on end, i only have standard 8 foot ceilings

Why would the SWR of that dipole change? Well, what has changed with the dipole it's self, or the things around it? Everything around an antenna will affect it to some extent, some more than others.

nothing has changed, that is what has me confuessed. it has been getting worse as time goes on, but is was stable for years.

Wanna make another one? Have at it, but they don't wear out, they can change though and finding that change and correcting it is another option.
Good luck.

as i stated in a post above, i more than likely will.

- 'Doc

i do have some things laying around and if i do have enough i will make a new dipole this evening.

 

[HomerBB]

(Bend that dipole in half, stand one end up straight, the other along the floor, same thing, right?)

my dipole is just over 16 feet in lenght so i could not stand it on end, i only have standard 8 foot ceilings

What Doc is saying here is that you take one leg of the dipole (16' / 2 = 8') and run it straight up the wall, and the other leg of the dipole and run it along the floor. You will fit the 16' dipole in a room with an 8' ceiling and have some vertical polarity, too.

I know some frown on the idea of an indoor loop, but since you are in a trying something mood, maybe you'd like to try a full wave loop - roughly 4 x 9' continuous wire - around the perimeter of the ceiling. Feed it at one of the corners using a 6' piece of RG59 coax, then from there on into your radio with your regular coax.

Top right is what Doc suggested: (the dotted lines are preferred directions to run the feedline)

Loop: (diagram shows the loop outdoors. Your setup would be the radio placed where the Shack is located in the illustration)

 

[oldslowchevy]

The problem with that 8 foot antenna is where can you stand it up? At least one counterpoise, the 'other half' of that antenna that takes the car body's place, would be necessary. Something at least as long as the antenna, or longer. It takes at least one, and more won't hurt anything. (Bend that dipole in half, stand one end up straight, the other along the floor, same thing, right?)
Why would the SWR of that dipole change? Well, what has changed with the dipole it's self, or the things around it? Everything around an antenna will affect it to some extent, some more than others. Wanna make another one? Have at it, but they don't wear out, they can change though and finding that change and correcting it is another option.
Good luck.
- 'Doc

ohhh ok, was thinking for some reason he ment to stand the whole thing straight up.