Moving things around
My copper 2 meter J-pole antenna I purchased from KB9BVR was one of my first purchases when I got into ham radio. It has been my primary 2 meter antenna for my home since the winter 2019.
Originally I had it set up in a spare bedroom using a Christmas trees stand to hold it up. With that modest setup I was able to hit the area repeaters up to about 30 miles away.
When spring came, I installed a 25 foot flagpole in my backyard and mounted the antenna to the top of it, where it has remained until this summer, when I moved the location of the flagpole to better accommodate the 2 meter Yagi antenna I recently install.
This weekend I took the old J-pole off the flagpole to make room for a new dual band antenna I have ordered. However I still plan to use my trusting J-pole.
Better than I thought!
I thought a simple and inexpensive option for its relocation would be to attach it to a length of 1" diameter PVC pipe and secure the pipe to a nearby tree limb. Fast, cheap and I should get close to the same height the antenna was currently at.
While I live out in the country and the antenna would be out of view from the road or neighbors, I decided to give the white PVC pipe a quick blast of gray primer spray paint. Just so it wouldn't be a personal eyesore. Since I had a little leftover green spray paint from a previous project, I figured "why not?" and gave both the PVC mast and antenna a quick camouflage rattle can paint job.
The fast, and cheap instal turned out to be more stealthy than I thought it would. So well hidden in plain sight, I would make the case that an antenna install like this could work for anyone in a restrictive HOA.
I'm no expert, but...
Clearly I can not claim to be an experienced source on how a ham radio operator can get an antenna past the neighborhood HOA Karrens. With that said, I do have antennas in my yard that have gone completely unnoticed by family, neighbors, and service providers.
With some careful placement and the willingness to try, wires, coax, and other antenna components can blend away to be perfectly hidden in plain sight.
