Can you put an HF antenna in an attic?

Can you put an HF antenna in an attic?

Yes, in the attic! But even if you can’t put up an outdoor antenna, you can still operate with antennas installed in an accessible attic space. Lots of amateurs in these situations are doing so successfully, especially on HF.

Are attic antennas safe?

Attic antennas are protected from the elements, which makes for a safer installation and better longevity. They also make use of wasted attic space. Antennas offer a variety of mounting options. They can be placed on the attic floor or installed on the ceiling or a wall.

Can I put a ham radio antenna in my attic?

Attic mounted antennas will work just fine and you will receive pretty close to the same results as you would if the antenna was outdoors. Most roofs have asphalt shingles on them, which won’t appreciably block RF radiation.

Should an attic antenna be grounded?

TV antennas in the attic do not require grounding. However, because the coax cable will run on the exterior of the house I recommend that the coax cable be grounded at the location near to where it re-enters your home. The signal splitter becomes the ground block and grounds the coax cable.

What kind of antenna can I use in the attic?

Dipole and long wire antennas can also be used with mobile/outdoor style auto-tuners feeding them in an attic space. Another local uses an HF loop antenna tacked up around the circumference of the ceiling of a second-floor bedroom. With his antenna matching unit providing an acceptable match, he’s on the air making contacts.

Can a loop antenna work as an outdoor antenna?

The loop will never perform nearly as well as an outdoor antenna, high and clear of surrounding objects. It does allow my to get on the air from a location where outdoor antennas are impractical. As is typical of loops, there are some deep nulls.

What kind of wire should I put in my attic?

Put as much wire in your attic as you can run in the shape of a loop. Establish the feedpoint as high as possible. Use heavy gauge wire to minimize losses. I am soon to replace my smaller gauge wire with #8 speaker wire. Try to stand the antenna wire off from the rafters at least by a few inches.

Where is the best place to install an indoor antenna?

Attics are great locations for indoor antennas. For example, you can install a wire dipole in almost any attic space. Don’t worry if you lack the room to run the dipole in a straight line. Bend the wires as much as necessary to make the dipole fit into the available space.