Attic Dipole Fire

Hidden attic dipole antenna installation.

Attic dipole fire. The single most common cause of residential attic fires is electrical malfunction. My current amateur station uses an attic dipole that s nearly 60 feet long running along the roof peak with the last eight feet on each end bent along the attic walls. Posted on 2015 12 24 by james. Antennas in the attic are a fire hazard this is one of my most favorite excuses because the factual case of a fire hazard is nearly impossible to make.

A coaxial cable trap dipole antenna installed in the attic provides a surprisingly effective solution to hf operation on the 10 15 20 30 40 and 80 meter amateur bands at a qth with restrictive covenants that prohibit outside. If the attic area is not large enough to accommodate an almost full size dipole simply erect as much of the antenna as possible in a straight line then bend the ends of the dipole up down or sideways from the main portion of the system. The infamous attic dipole. The fema document previously mentioned states that a whopping 43 of all residential attic fires are caused by electrical malfunction.

I installed the liquid tight conduit from my mechanical room to the attic of the house fire sealing all structural penetrations to ensure maximum safety while meeting code for electrical work which is not technically required in this case but is a best practice. I ve been using attic dipoles since i started shortwave listening in the mid 1970s. This was installed at a previous qth i will be the first or millionth remember i m from fl to affirm that the antenna is the determining factor for success when it comes to one s station set up. It works quite well or at least good enough for me.

When circuits are overloaded and the breaker fails to respond appropriately the excess draw could result in a fire. Mac af4ps fp 51 note. Potentially flammable material as i didn t want any arcing to create a fire risk. The first antenna was a simple zigzag dipole which i fastened to the roof spars using electric fence.

The better your antenna the more success you will have making contacts. Loft attic antennas for restricted spaces.