Also an effective hf performer.
Rain gutter shortwave antenna.
First you have to use a tuner.
I did a quick coax run to the outside gutter and grounded the braided side then connected the feedline to an old mfj tuner.
The rain gutter antenna has a vertical component approximately 25 high and extends horizontally across the roof line for 35.
Unlike gregg s gutter antenna the spout and long horizontal section were made from plastic.
After reading shortwave monitoring they were talking about stealth antennas.
In hopes of finding a low profile antenna for shortwave listening the rain gutter and downspout on the back porch were tried as a random length antenna.
I have wanted to try this for a while but never got around to it until today.
I was surprised that the gutter tuned up at a.
This is the antenna i have been relegated to use for my hf operating.
Rain gutter antenna an end fed multiband antenna larry nelson k5ijb.
I got this idea about writing about my antenna because i had one once in the condo that worked very well down to about 40 meters.
They do not reach the ground but go into plastic pipe so they are not grounded but was wondering the best way to try this as an antenna.
The results have been surprisingly good for shortwave listening using the crane ccradiosw shortwave receiver.
A couple of years ago i had written an article on the use of my rain gutter on my home as my hf antenna.
I built variations of this antenna when i lived in several rental homes on hawaii island shortly after getting my novice class amateur radio license back in 1977.
Pic courtesy of n6cc website.
This one is used primarily as a shortwave receive antenna.
Well i live in a ranch style home that has wooden roof with shingles but has an aluminum flashing around the bottom as well as metal gutters and downspouts.
Another hf rain gutter antenna connection.
I have used just about every kind of material for an antenna for shortwave listening that would conduct a radio frequency including window frames bed springs rain gutters conduit aluminum tubing coffee cans soldered together old cb antennas tv antennas curtain rods copper tubing aluminum trim from kitchen counter tops and on and on.
Very simple and the system worked for me.
Mine was a mfj travel tuner.
