Any amatuer radio people there?

[Nocturnus]

Looking to get my license next month..

Trying to figure out how to do antennas in an apt complex without pissing off the main office. heh.

[Daniel Bates]

KD7LHF... I just renewed my license this year. Ten years seems like a very, very long time ago!

I don't have any equipment right now, but I could be convinced to get some.

[wclavey]

I think there are a number of ham operators on the forum. I operated 20M QRP from the ground floor of an apartment building on the west side of Houston for a while.

[Nocturnus]

I'm trying to figure out antenna design. I'm picking up a handheld 2m/70cm Yaseu this week. But I plan on getting the Yaseu 8900r later on this year. Need to figure out how I'm going to do a 6m and 10m antenna. I was looking at doing one of the fan dipoles. Easy to hide on my balcony.

Going to make a simple j pole for the handheld.

[Flores]

kd5ltc here... also just renewed!

I have no tips, but reading this reminds me I need to blow the dust off my old ham gear...

[revjvegas]

KF5CYD here.

I got mine just a couple years ago. Primarily use it when helping out with marshaling the MS150 and other such rides.

Just a hand-held with an extended whip ant. so I'm not ticking off the HOA with a tall ant. in the back yard :-)

[duronboy]

KC5PKB, here. Haven't been on the air in over a decade, but I would love to get back into it! So much going on, though.

[ggeen]

Copper wire dipole antenna is going to be your easiest and most concealable or maybe a copper wire J-pole. I had one buddy put a mag. mount antenna on a table on the patio of his apartment. Pretty low key. As he was on an upper level, no fear of walking off.

-KD5PXO, Sachse R.A.C.E.S. ARO.

[Nocturnus]

Yeah, but jpole for 6m and 10m get kinda big. So dipole it is.

[wclavey]

Especially for 10M & 6M, a mag mount on a metal table might be a great way to start... or attached to a metal railing around your patio, if you have one. I used a 20M wire dipole inside the living room up in the corner where the wall meets the ceiling and was able to work people with a 5W QRP rig - - I never tried the TS-850 on it...

I fought the law and the law won (...the HOA) out here in Green Trails in far west Houston. I had a G5RV antenna up for 8 years that was hidden from view from any direction by trees - - until a storm brought down one of the trees... then the HOA saw my "38' flagpole" made me take it down - - the most I could get from them was approval for a 12' flag pole -- useless...

I have used other low profile antennas in the 40+ years I have been licensed and would be happy to knock around some ideas with a group if you wanted to start a group email going on the topic or if you wanted to continue here in this thread.

[Nocturnus]

Man, either 2m is dead here in Austin, or the rubber ducky antenna sucks. :P Went out side and scanned 2m band, only found one conversation going.

[iCe]

NE5U

I used to operate mobile CW at 20WPM (no writing) before texting and driving became popular I'd be doing good to copy 10 WPM now and even then I would have to write it down.

Google - 10m stealth antenna

One of the links will take you here. Good read

[Daniel Bates]

Originally Posted by iCe

NE5U

I used to operate mobile CW at 20WPM (no writing) before texting and driving became popular I'd be doing good to copy 10 WPM now and even then I would have to write it down.

Google - 10m stealth antenna

One of the links will take you here. Good read

I was very fortunate that they dropped the code requirement for Extra down to 5 WPM. If they hadn't, I'd never have gotten it... I learned just barely enough to pass and brain-dumped it instantly.

Foreign languages and I don't get along well.

[Donb10]

My Dad was a Ham Radio operator. (W5TEK) I remember as a child in the late 40's listening to him sending Morse code. His first radio where he could use a microphone came out of a B-29. My younger brother is also a ham and still has the set from the B-29. Several years after my father passed a way, my brother petitioned the "Powers to be" and asked for my father's call letters. The request was approved so W5TEK lives on.

[wclavey]

Originally Posted by Daniel Bates

I was very fortunate that they dropped the code requirement for Extra down to 5 WPM. If they hadn't, I'd never have gotten it... I learned just barely enough to pass and brain-dumped it instantly.

Foreign languages and I don't get along well.

I do not currently have a station set up, and I admit to not keeping up with the current incentive licensing changes... But if the Extra code requirement is 5 WPM, and if I still have my old General license that was 13 WPM, do I just need to take the Extra written exam? Would I need to take the Advanced, too, as an intermediate test or just the Extra? It used to be (40 years ago) that you had to take all the interim written tests if you were testing up to Extra.