Skip to main content


Mounted a G5rv antenna around 15cm below the stucco ceiling on my balcony, but wasn't really able to receive anything, even on the shorter bands. (It's about 3.5 meters end to end when mounted, the dipole is horizontal, and the feed line is vertical.) :(

Probably will try a couple of tripods to bring it down a bit since I'm guessing the stucco (which typically is put on a metal mesh) is causing issues.

#HamRadio #AmateurRadio

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

uh I am way too new at this to know BUT

I'd try to lever the antenna out at least to if not past the edge of the balcony. I absolutely do think you need to get away from that metal mesh.

You might literally be better off working outside a window, I dunno. But I'd try more forward first.

Not that I know much about this yet, I really don't.

in reply to Solarbird :flag_cascadia:

Thanks. I have to be extremely careful because of the HOA, so I can't really cantilever anything out, so the tripods are the only thing that come to mind.. :(
in reply to Neil E. Hodges

Thing about it is that if it's grounded, it's totally going to absorb RF. If it's _not_ grounded, it's going to act as a parasitic element against your antenna, and I have _no_ idea how it would interact but it's not going to be _well_.

I suspect it's mostly going to absorb RF though. Just because physics and stucco contact and wetness and also I have some very vague idea that stucco wiring acts as a ground and may even be earthed in some jurisdictions for electrical safety reasons maybe? But do _not_ quote me on that.

This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to Solarbird :flag_cascadia:

I'll try the tripods. They're the only realistic way to get it away from the stucco.
in reply to Neil E. Hodges

oh yeah I'd absolutely try that. Hell, I'd try just stacking it up off the ground with a [eta: WOODEN, not metal] laundry rack or something. Or hanging from above with fibre cording [eta: not wire]. Cheaper experiment, works just as well for a test.
This entry was edited (11 months ago)
in reply to Solarbird :flag_cascadia:

I did it like this, over a meter below the stucco ceiling. (The twine contains no metal.) I saw a random beacon signal and a couple of data signals in the 70cm band that I couldn't do anything with. :( #HamRadio #AmateurRadio
⇧