Moving to an apartment: What is a good ground for an indoor HF antenna?

[W4TLE]

After 14 years on an acre and a half lot, I'm downsizing to an apartment. I have never, EVER tried to set up a shack in an apartment before. I can find quite a few dipole antennas that I can mount on the wall, that doesn't appear to be a problem. My main concern is how to ground it so I can run all the other electronics (TV, computer, etc.) as well as not disturbing my wife while she is watching her "chick flicks".

I haven't been active on HF for at least five years, and I admit to being a bit ignorant if not downright dumb when it comes to this, so any input will be appreciated.

Thanks, Rick/W4TLE

[ZL1DAS]

Hi Rick, that can be a tricky problem. Indoor antennas [depending on power levels] will always cause a strong RF field in your vicinity. I am drawing your attention to this device: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-931  It might be useful for your situation.  73  PS: another link: http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/2118

[AC4FS]

I know this is just plain stupid, but I remember reading an article, several years ago, about a ham that build an artificial ground using empty beer cans.  The cans were attached to each other and spread throughout the apartment.  He said each can he attached improved the ground.  I wish I could find the article, just for fun reading.

Now that I've managed to get that out of my system, you might also want to consider going QRP (low power <= 5 watts).  There might still be RF in your apartment, but at 5 watts or less, the effect will be much less dramatic.

Another idea might be to get the antenna out of your apartment.  Here is one solution from MFJ:
http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-1622

With some reviews here:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/2035

I hope this helps.  Any time you put up an antenna inside of your home, you are going to be fighting RFI issues.  If you can keep the RF outside (or down to very low levels with QRP), you stand a better chance of enjoying it.

73, Howard
AC4FS

[ON3VNA]

I took my ground from the waterpipes. And I'm using magnetic loop for 80-40-30-20m in the shack.
I'm also working QRP due to my license C-class. On the Attic i have dipole wires for the higher bands, but they will be soon replace by another magloop. I have worked for the moment 83 DXCC's in digi modes.

My 50 cents.

[K3ROJ]

Back in the 70's when I was younger, I had to rent an apartment for a while.  I used the cold water pipes as my ground which worked fairly well which is better than nothing.

[W9WLS]

Hello Rick:
Take a look in the "Archive" section on this site.
There is a good bit of grounding information there (maybe too much) .
As others have said, there's going to be quite an energy field "INSIDE" the apartment , look into all the possibility's of getting the antenna "outside" or QRP may be your only answer, and with out a decent ground even that may not work as well as you might like.

Good Luck & 73, John

[ZL1DAS]

Hi, further to the above topic: beware of water pipes! They might be steel or copper when they leave the wall but these pipes or main supply pipes to the house are increasingly made of LDPE [low-density-poly-ethylen] and you sometimes in addition could have a water meter in the basement which is non-conductive! That means in that case you have no electrical ground at all even if you think so. 73.