If you are close-ish to your TX or relay I recommend a folded dipole (google for the shape etc) cut from coathanger wire measured (468 / Frequency in MHz) for your local channels, use a curved reflector made from a Pringles tube ( its foil backed) and feed with bit of satellite coax as its not as lossy as cheapo tv coax. Works better than our communal aerial.
Problems: after a few days experimentation all the wifes clothes are on the floor and Ive put on half a stone eating all the pringles.
Comments
Problems: after a few days experimentation all the wifes clothes are on the floor and Ive put on half a stone eating all the pringles.
But they won't be direct from Winter Hill, they will be via Hasslinden or Lancaster.
I knew two radio amateurs who lived close. They decided to try out the old saying "you can work him on a bit of wet string"
So they both made 2 metre dioles out of wet string, and did manage to work each other.
However they did report that the string had a tendancy to dry out at the current nodes, so needed frequent re wetting, otherwise the SWR went haywire.