Author Topic: Stealth antenna  (Read 4735 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

dangerdan

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 40
  • Karma: 6
  • Gender: Male
  • Extra class operator /VE
Stealth antenna
« on: January 08, 2016, 10:15:55 PM »
I found an article about a stealth antenna .
The Grasswire antenna by K3Mt
Michael J Toia .

You must google K3MT Grasswire antenna because the link is to long to type (for me)
No trees ,no problem ...the antenna lies on the ground .
 I am hopeful that this antenna will help out all HOA and portable operators .

I plan to make one ..because I like to make antennas .

If this antenna project has been posted here before and I missed it , please overlook my overlooking . :)


73

DD

AD

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1991
  • Karma: 223
  • Gender: Male
  • Extra Class Ham Radio Op / VE, CERT
Re: Stealth antenna
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2016, 10:42:02 PM »
The only dumb question is the one that did not get asked!!

spacecase0

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 790
  • Karma: 34
    • my spiritual forum
Re: Stealth antenna
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2016, 11:49:28 PM »
I will have to try that antenna with my backpack HF setup
it looks like a great idea, at least if it works with the ground around here

Tevin

  • Prepper
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 455
  • Karma: 29
  • Rhymes with heaven.
Re: Stealth antenna
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2016, 08:17:08 AM »
The author's explanation is really hard to follow, but I think I get it.

Basically, this antenna uses the reflective properties of the soil to produce a low takeoff angle, therefore, a lot of your success will depend on what kind of soil it is on.

Through the magic of google, I found this blog article from 2013 that is a lot easier to understand:
http://kh6jrm.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-k3mt-grasswire-antenna-post-233.html

The only problem i see is that the antenna is 85 feet long (170 with a counterpoise). If you're in a condo/HOA situation where you can't erect an rooftop antenna, you probably do not have 85 and certainly not 170 linear feet of space to lay out a "grasswire" either. I'm also wondering how well this antenna works in the rain/wet grass.

Interesting concept. I'm skeptical, but I see enough there to make it worth a chance.





spacecase0

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 790
  • Karma: 34
    • my spiritual forum
Re: Stealth antenna
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2016, 11:34:23 AM »
one of the references on that link was to this site
http://www.radiosurvivalist.com
I had never seen it before
and here is where it talks of the grass wire antenna
http://radiosurvivalist.com/antennas/stealth-hidden-camouflage/
they have some unusual antennas over there
http://radiosurvivalist.com/antennas/super-stealthy-antenna-ideas/bird-feeder-antenna/

Lamewolf

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 133
  • Karma: 12
  • Gender: Male
Re: Stealth antenna
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2016, 06:13:47 AM »
I found an article about a stealth antenna .
The Grasswire antenna by K3Mt
Michael J Toia . <snip>

I did that one time kind of sort of !  Didn't use the special matching device he shows, but did run a wire laying on the grass and ran it in through a window of the motel room and connected it to an MFJ tuner.  Used the wall socket ground as my grounding system.  Worked pretty well out to a couple of hundred miles.  Next evening I ran the wire across the top of some hedges that were about 6 feet tall and it worked well out to about 500 miles.  The wire was nothing more than a 70' roll of #20 stranded hookup wire I bought at Radio Shack the same evening I tried it.  Worked a lot better than I expected and was able to keep in touch with the wife back home on 75 meters.