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I've been told to take down my antenna (2 replies and 4 comments)

Agent X
3 years ago
Agent X 3 years ago

A bit of a long shot but hoping somebody might reply.

I live in a rented property and I have been told that I have to take down my antenna unless I get planning permission which isn't likely. I have no other way of getting on air without an outdoor antenna. Indoor antennas I have tried in the past and perform pretty lousy.

I need to put together a good argument for having an outdoor antenna to increase any chances of getting planing permission for an outdoor antenna.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Warden
3 years ago
Warden 3 years ago

What antenna and what band are you wanting to use. I have a Diamond x200 dual band antenna in my loft and can access Dstar repeaters on 439MHz 50 miles away.

Agent X
3 years ago

Hi Warden. You must have a big attic for an x200 antenna I'm mainly wanting to work simplex. The antenna I was using is an x50

Peter M0PWX (2E0PWX)
3 years ago

also who has told you to take it down?

if you are a member of the RSGB they have services to help with planning applications and planning issues, and in the member only part of the website they have a handy guide about antennas and planning 

wire antenna's tend to be largely exempt and i believe you are allowed 2 external antennas on the house (but these tend to be taken up with terrestrial TV antenna and satellite dish)

did you ask your landlord before putting the antenna up?

i assume you are working 2m/70cm, if so something covert like a ladder line slim jim behind a down pipe is nice and covert and a few cables ties hold it

i have a HF fan dipole on my fence panels, just a bit of speaker wire, some 3mm bungee cord and a screw to hold the far end of bungee cord, if you hide the feed point / common mode choke box and coax it will look like plant support

it works quite well on digital mode FT8/4 with 10w when i was an M7

Peter M0PWX (not pete M0PSX)

https://www.essexham.co.uk/images/my-compromised-fan-dipole-on-fence-rotated.jpg
Agent X
3 years ago

Hi Peter thanks for your reply... Its an X50 VHF/UHF antenna I had put up of the side of the balcony and it was up for a few months until somebody complained about it and my landlord asked me to take it down because I didn't have planning permission. I was told that planning permission isn't likely. Its very strict where I live. I have no outdoor space apart from a balcony which is closed in with a roof over the top. I had to use L poles to get antennas past the roof and up into the air. I not currently a member of the RSGB. I'm more of an analog person although I have enjoyed using DMR simplex.

Peter M0PWX (2E0PWX)
3 years ago

the other option is one of the many car mag mount antennas on a dustbin lid on the balcony, then classed as a temporary antenna

did the landlord give the reason the for the complaint? interference, appearance or just a killjoy?

the other option as i say is a stealthy ladder line j-pole, not a nice and shiny shiny antenna, so not as easy to see, it can hide in a corner or hang from a hanging basket bracket be put up and taken down quickly and easily when not in use
if you have a good relationship with your landlord have a chat with him and see if he is happy for a ladder line antenna you can hang only when you are using it, may be even show him how unobtrusive it is, may be demo the radio and show no interference on your TV etc

George M0URB
3 years ago

Sorry to hear about your antenna troubles. Could you go for a portable setup, for example mounting the X50 on a tripod and deploying it whenever you want to play radio? It's a bit of a faff, but should not take too long to set up and take down. The good thing about this solution would be that if the antenna is not fixed to the building it does not constitute development and therefore does not require planning permission. I think it would be difficult for the landlord to prevent you from operating portable from your balcony! :-)
Also, who told you that planning permission was not likely - the landlord or the planning department? Out of interest: which local authority do you live in?

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