KC2NYU
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« on: January 01, 2013, 05:56:56 PM » |
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Would like to hear from anyone living in covenant or restricted neighborhood situations, small lot, etc about your experiences/successes or problems with Hexagonal Beams. I am am considering installing one on my roof at about 35 feet and painting with flat black/green.
73 Paul kc2nyu
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WX7G
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« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2013, 06:40:42 PM » |
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That does not sound stealthy at all.
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VE3FMC
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« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2013, 05:46:31 AM » |
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Not sure how you figure how stealthy that setup would be. An antenna that looks like a huge outdoor clothes line mounted 35 feet in the air would not be very stealthy! Doesn't matter what color you paint it.  I have a 2 element Hy-Gain TH2 at 33 feet and that is not a stealth antenna. So that Hex sure would not be stealthy. If you want stealth use thin wires for dipoles. Or mount a Screwdriver type antenna on a tripod so it is hidden by a fence or shed. Then run a long counterpoise wire. Covers all bands from 160-10. |
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WB2WIK
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« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2013, 11:02:09 AM » |
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Paint it with Invisible Ink.  |
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M0TTB
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« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2013, 11:26:00 AM » |
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Depends what the viewing public have as a backdrop when viewing your hexbeam... if it's tree's, then great.
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VE3FMC
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« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2013, 12:21:15 PM » |
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Paint it with Invisible Ink. And don't forget to wax it with Low Gloss Antenna Wax as that will make it perform better. Keeps the moisture off the wires! That invisible ink is not available in Canada Steve. Banned. |
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KC2NYU
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Posts: 108
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« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2013, 01:29:48 PM » |
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Thanks guys - those comments are really helpful. Maybe next time I will just go to the comedy channel for advice.
73 Paul kc2nyu
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WB5PGX
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« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2013, 06:01:52 PM » |
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I don't have a hex beam but have done some research. I think that one of the advantages of the hex beam for stealth is the ability of this antenna to work well at a low height. If you didn't mount it on the roof but mounted on a 20 to 25 ft mast behind your house it should still work ok and not be very noticeable.
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N4FBW
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« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2013, 07:24:58 PM » |
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A Spiderbeam is a larger antenna but it is flatter than the Hexbeam. However, the Spiderbeam still looks like a clothesline to me . I'd also suggest painting the spreaders to blend in with the surroundings. |
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VE3FMC
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« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2013, 03:48:56 AM » |
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Thanks guys - those comments are really helpful. Maybe next time I will just go to the comedy channel for advice.
73 Paul kc2nyu
Well Paul you walked into it. Asking if a Hex Beam would be stealthy at 35 feet? That's like trying to hide a bull in a phone booth, isn't going to happen. Plus Steve and I are just having a little fun. If you can't have fun you might as well be dead. Mounting below your roof line will keep it out of sight from the road. But if you have restrictions your neighbors are going to see it from their back yards. You did not explain what your exact restrictions are. That might have helped. Painting it really is not going to help, that is a lot of antenna and it will still be visible at 35 feet no matter what color you paint it. |
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« Last Edit: January 03, 2013, 03:54:26 AM by VE3FMC »
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M0TTB
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« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2013, 07:58:05 AM » |
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Thanks guys - those comments are really helpful. Maybe next time I will just go to the comedy channel for advice.
73 Paul kc2nyu
Well Paul you walked into it. Asking if a Hex Beam would be stealthy at 35 feet? That's like trying to hide a bull in a phone booth, isn't going to happen. Plus Steve and I are just having a little fun. If you can't have fun you might as well be dead. Mounting below your roof line will keep it out of sight from the road. But if you have restrictions your neighbors are going to see it from their back yards. You did not explain what your exact restrictions are. That might have helped. Painting it really is not going to help, that is a lot of antenna and it will still be visible at 35 feet no matter what color you paint it. His qth looks to be amongst quite a few tall trees.... hexbeam spreaders in matt dark green disappear into foliage, mine is all but invisible from many angles. All depends upon where the most likely complainants view from. |
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KC2NYU
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« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2013, 07:10:07 PM » |
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I think with the surroundings I have at my house, lots of tall trees, that the Hex - painted with flat black and green will blend into the trees-- certainly not invisible - but my best chance at a directional antenna with some gain. Have gotten lots of pics of Hex installations from current owners that provide good support for Hex being used in difficult QTH situations.
-- thanks to all for the inputs and advice.
73 Paul
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W1JKA
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« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2013, 03:36:15 AM » |
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Re:KC2NYU
Just a suggestion:Before painting all your mast and spreaders just experiment with one spreader and a short section of mast,stick the mast in the ground and and temporarily tie the horizontal spreader to to the top then step back to the street side and see how it blends in with your tree backdrop.Your lot sounds like mine.I have pine,spruce,cedars up to 60 ft. high on 3 sides,street open.I first used green/black combo paint but ended up with medium gray/and two tone green combo and bottom 6 ft. of mast/support a brown color to match my 6ft.wood stockade fence in background.In short only my next door neighbor knows its there only because he saw me erecting it,no comments in 6 months from anybody else except my xyl.
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KC2NYU
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Posts: 108
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« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2013, 05:37:29 PM » |
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James- thanks for the tips and glad the hex has worked out for you. I think it will here too. will post some follow up, once I get up and operating.
73
Paul
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LA9XNA
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« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2013, 04:43:08 AM » |
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If you got trees on your property why don't you make an wire vertical or a randome wire in-between the trees.
Another option is a randome wire or loop around your house.
Feed the above antennas with a auto tuner like the AH-3 or similar and you will have a all band antenna if the wire is long enough.
Another option is a magnetic loop with a diameter of about 1m or 3 feet it will cover 10m-30m. There is a lot of information about this antenna on the net.
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