Hello Ricky,

Ricky DeLuco wrote to n2qfd <=-

I had my first QSO in the JS8Call mode with K4XTT this morning.

Nice! Have not been on HF in about 8 years. Moved into a HOA
neighborhood and cannot put a wire antenna up or any antenna of that matter. That was and it a Major mistake I made. I am desperately
wanting to dump the house and move into a place without HOA. XYL will
not allow. Maybe after 40 years, divorce !

Seems that you don't need to divorce, good things are afoot in the US regarding hams living in HOAs. Read the following ARRL link:

https://www.arrl.org/news/legislation-to-remove-private-land-use-restrictions-on-amateur-radio-introduced-in-congress

If the link does not show up properly, here is a shortened version:

https://t.ly/slfiA

You have two good Ham-related things happening in the US:

* The legislation is being put in place to stop HOA's from restricting
HAM radio operators to erect antennas. This has been sponsored by
senators from both main parties, so the blues and reds agree on this one.
I am surprised, but happily surprised in this case! :-)

* The symbol (baud) rate restrictions on digital modes are to be
lifted, with bandwidth for a single digital signal being limited
to 2.8kHz.

If you still want to remain as inconspicuous as possible, there are
awesome HOA-friendly antenna designs out there ranging from attic dipoles
to flagpoles to clothesline wires (do some research on slot antennas,
it might just blow your mind), so there is no reason at all for you
not to hop on to HF. Now is a good time for 10 meters due to us
still being in a solar maximum, so you can easily DX all over the
globe on 10 with a tiny little antenna. For some off-beat antenna
ideas, watch Walt K4OGO's Youtube channel (link below). He uses
radios with max 20w output, mostly his Xiegu G90.

Walt's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@COASTALWAVESWIRES

Get a nice stealthy antenna design, and hop on the air! Like I
said 10m is wonderful at the moment, and for local NVIS on 40m
you don't need a high antenna. Something camouflaged to look like
a clothesline will do the trick. It won't be the best, but it will
work for sure if you have a tuner.

Get on the airwaves!

73,
Jan M7HNK

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