Ham Radio Gutter Antenna

This all aluminum gutter is fed with coax with an unterminated shield at this end shield connected to radio ground at the other to reduce nearby computer hash from inside the house.

Ham radio gutter antenna.

They basically function as a random length wire antenna although if you have the space for it and do a little planning and experimentation you could possibly create a system resonant on a particular frequency. Make sure your gutter and downspout are isolated from ground. Make sure there is solid electrical continuity between the various sections of your downspout and gutter. Although varney envisioned his design primarily as a 3 2 wavelength antenna for the 20 meter amateur radio band radio amateurs have used the antenna for multiband use.

I did a quick coax run to the outside gutter and grounded the braided side then connected the feedline to an old mfj tuner. I had great time. However i recommend cw for such installations. I was surprised that the gutter tuned up at a.

I did use rain gutter as antenna and water pipe as ground it worked great from 160 mtr to 10 mtr. A ham friend of mine recently asked me for the details of how i use my rain gutter and downspout as an antenna. This gutter antenna is connected via an upper roof level downspout where no personal contact is possible. Also less interference is created to neighbour s tv etc from cw than ssb.

I originally did a write up on it in 1994. The g5rv is an excellent choice for the 20 meter band. And weaker signal from such set up can be heard better in cw. Gutters if they are made of metal can carry rf and they can do it reasonably well if some things are kept in mind.

In fact the downspout has now become my main antenna. Time to attach it to the transmatch and hf rig and fire it up. I have wanted to try this for a while but never got around to it until today. Stealth gutter antenna for ham radio or shortwave.

That article found its way into several ham radio publications and newsletters. Coincidentally these occurred at the top of the 75 meter band and again in the middle of the 15 meter band. Most of the original article is still relevant but i have.