This old guy lives in a deed restricted neighborhood, so antennas are mostly sneaky-pete type. There is a move afoot now to overthrow that ruling, as the homes association has permitted dish antennas to be installed in the neighborhood, thus, the deed restriction has been effectively broken, as it now reads " NO OUTSIDE ANTENNAS!!
I have succeeded in getting some antennas up and functioning without incurring the wrath of the Almighty Homes assn. Here are some pictures of the present antennas.
Yep, it sticks up in the air, but cannot be seen from the street. It is a 2meter "J-Pole"
This is the MFJ " Vertical" antenna, or at least part of it. It is snuggled inbetween two large trees. The "boom" just above the coil in the picture is really the lower end of the antenna , bent at 90 degrees. The vertical needs no ground radials since it is really a trap dipole, fed at the center with capacitance hats on the upper end and the bent section. This antenna also works for 6 meters and 2 meters. For it's position, it apparently works well, as I work the world with it and good reports.
Don Johnson w6aaq is conceeded to be the father of the screwdriver antenna. This is one of his. It is a fine work of art, and well engineered. The aluminum seen strung on the center rail of the fence serves as a ground plane. The large humk of aluminum foil below the bottom of the antenna is actually connected by large wire to a good earth ground. Does it work? you bet!
What is in the future? I purchased a twelve apartment bird house ( made of aluminum ). This will be erected in the spring of y2k. The height will be 25 feet above ground. The support is PVC pipe. Inside of the pipe is Ladder line terminating at the top into two eye-bolts. The pipe will be supported by three "guy wires", two of which are "Hot" and the third is really for structural support, and connected only to the PVC pipe. I had planned to run a coax through the inside of the pipe also to a "strap-on" J-Pole for 2 meters. Still may do it!! Stay tuned.