What have you used as antennas & how good were they ?

[MorseMan]

Used 2 supermarket trolleys on a multi story car park to work europe

Used b&b loft ladder to work USA

Used washing line to work Russia

Used beer can vertical on hf field day to work Brazil

Used ladder line & a light bulb to work Germany

The MFJ 949e is great

What have you worked with your bit of wet string ?

YES I'VE TRIED IT & ITS NOT GOOD !

[ch25]

I was transmitting from electric fence a few times and anti lightning system used as J-pole antenna.
I'm not a fan of that, but basically you can transmit from anything conductive for RF.
Some time ago I read guide how to make transmitting antenna out of central heating system in skyscraper which worked for that guy.
Chris

[26mb04]

I tuned a wheelchair against the roof of my car (!) and had a contact in either Germany or Poland, it was a long time ago. I decided to ignore the SWR of about 3.5:1 because the RX signals at both ends were very good. Radio was a Yaesu FT77.

[MorseMan]

I was transmitting from electric fence a few times and anti lightning system used as J-pole antenna.
I'm not a fan of that, but basically you can transmit from anything conductive for RF.
Some time ago I read guide how to make transmitting antenna out of central heating system in skyscraper which worked for that guy.
Chris

Yes electric fences work well

[MorseMan]

I tuned a wheelchair against the roof of my car (!) and had a contact in either Germany or Poland, it was a long time ago. I decided to ignore the SWR of about 3.5:1 because the RX signals at both ends were very good. Radio was a Yaesu FT77.

Never tried that but now I'm wondering if my dad can buy me a nice HF beam to use mobile / probable

He is registered disabled & gets the vat back on mobility items

[MontyFlange]

Could I make this fence work ?

www.ibb.co/6gF7fP3

[26mb04]

Could I make this fence work ?

www.ibb.co/6gF7fP3

Probably not directly, but it'd make one heck of a ground plane! It looks like a nice take-off too, chuck some mag mounts on there and see what you get.

[MorseMan]

Could I make this fence work ?

www.ibb.co/6gF7fP3

So long as the posts insulate the steel fence from ground there is no reason why it won't load.

Only problem with galvanised steel is oxidation on the joints & any rust can give diode effect interference.

You will need a good earth to load against.

Pretty anything conductive will radiate.

[InTheClouds]

Using an electric fence that pulses a few 1,000 volts every now and then sounds like total and utter insanity (for your radio) not to mention YOU.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_fence

I was also scratching my head seeing these earthed street furniture items i.e. fences and wondering how they would load up given they look to be VERY well earthed. Probably significantly better earthed then the ground side of most people's antenna systems at home.

For any high performance antenna you have used.. just ask yourself was the + radiating element 1/2 buried in the ground ?

Don't be a complete fool and damage yourself or your radio.

[Kaos]

Worked a UK Military station and a call sign on HMS Albion from the Falkland Isles a few years ago whilst attached down there.

HF set with a trailing wire clipped to a barbed-wire fence....bingo.

[MorseMan]

Using an electric fence that pulses a few 1,000 volts every now and then sounds like total and utter insanity (for your radio) not to mention YOU.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_fence

I was also scratching my head seeing these earthed street furniture items i.e. fences and wondering how they would load up given they look to be VERY well earthed. Probably significantly better earthed then the ground side of most people's antenna systems at home.

For any high performance antenna you have used.. just ask yourself was the + radiating element 1/2 buried in the ground ?

Don't be a complete fool and damage yourself or your radio.

The general idea is the radiator of the antenna is insulated from ground.
I would pay good money to watch someone so unintelligent & lacking in radio knowledge attach the pride & joy radio to a working electric fence.

It you read my reply I state if it is insulated from ground.

Anything conductive will radiate, Something's better than others.

Actually electric fence wire makes quite a good NVIS antenna on the short insulated poles.

[MorseMan]

Using an electric fence that pulses a few 1,000 volts every now and then sounds like total and utter insanity (for your radio) not to mention YOU.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_fence

I was also scratching my head seeing these earthed street furniture items i.e. fences and wondering how they would load up given they look to be VERY well earthed. Probably significantly better earthed then the ground side of most people's antenna systems at home.

For any high performance antenna you have used.. just ask yourself was the + radiating element 1/2 buried in the ground ?

Don't be a complete fool and damage yourself or your radio.

I thought about your comments about half the radiating element being burried in the ground & remembered the military used trees as the antenna aswell as slinging a bit of wire into them.

Isn't a tree sort of earthed& hurried in the ground ?.... It helps stop it falling over.

Not sure if trees have a ceramic insulated trunk.

Have a look at this.

[InTheClouds]

Yes I suppose the thread is about making anything you can an antenna (without frying yourself or the radio), however it won't be a good antenna, it might be a fun gimmick which to be fair is what this thread is about. I personally prefer an antenna to be a performance item, efficient, resonant, well designed for specific purpose.

I don't doubt the military could use a tree in an emergency, a tall standing organic structure of maybe up to 50m more high in remote area is an obvious emergency choice to get a signal radiated in an emergency / survival situation. But don't mistake a compromised emergency antenna as a good antenna.

I would have personally thought that the military could have the budget to have a 15-30m length of wire with them on a catapult type device to get that upwards. They must have an ATU to tune a tree so why not take $15 of wire with you as well ?

[raptor_dog]

I tuned a wheelchair against the roof of my car (!) and had a contact in either Germany or Poland, it was a long time ago. I decided to ignore the SWR of about 3.5:1 because the RX signals at both ends were very good. Radio was a Yaesu FT77.

Well i hope no one was in that wheelchair!

[Werthers]

I'm just doing an experiment with a 1/2 wave antenna and range testing it in a crappy spot while looking at the signal on the websdr and listening to other stations to see where they are while making a little coverage map. I get a 12 mile radius from indoors on about 10watts. I'm bored so doing some range experiments with poor antennas on 2 meters.