Hi All,

I am looking to purchase a property in Spain and noticed the following (antenna?) on the roof of a house nearby. It immediately caught my attention because it is particularly large for a residential area. Out of interest, is this a tv antenna and is there any likely harm from living nearby over many years? I am 99% sure that there is no potential issue with it but as it is a long term investment, I want to cover all bases! Any help on what this is and if there are any issues is much appreciated!

 

Hi All,View attachment 114374

I am looking to purchase a property in Spain and noticed the following (antenna?) on the roof of a house nearby. It immediately caught my attention because it is particularly large for a residential area. Out of interest, is this a tv antenna and is there any likely harm from living nearby over many years? I am 99% sure that there is no potential issue with it but as it is a long term investment, I want to cover all bases! Any help on what this is and if there are any issues is much appreciated!

You could knock on their door, introduce yourself and ask them about it.

 

Hello,

Those antennas could be used for the ham-radio bands.
You will find them in all kind of sizes, depending on the ham-radio bands they are used.

Bertus

 

Thanks Bertus.

I have since googled a bit about ham radio bands. Do they simply operate at a different frequency ? Would you anticipate any issues living nearby?

 

Thanks Bertus.

I have since googled a bit about ham radio bands. Do they simply operate at a different frequency ? Would you anticipate any issues living nearby?

Living next door to a HAM radio operator means you have to put up with a guy who may have one or more of these attributes...
- he knows how to fix many things around his house and may share advice about your broken things
- he spends most of his free time on his radio so you wont see him much
- he will have plenty of stories about various guys he knows but no names except some call letters/numbers.

From the sagging state of his antenna, he may have moved on to internet forums for discussions with likeminded people about 20 years ago and may be willing to take that thing down if you offer to help.

 

You should just knock on there door, that way you won't just have guesses from us, but you will know for sure what it's used for.

AIDayley

 

You should just knock on there door, that way you won't just have guesses from us, but you will know for sure what it's used for.

AIDayley

Unless the neighbor is a spy...

 

Its a valid point and if I was in an English speaking country I would. I have just started Spanish though and as such conversation may be difficult! Maybe I will go there with Google translate

 

Its a valid point and if I was in an English speaking country I would. I have just started Spanish though and as such conversation may be difficult! Maybe I will go there with Google translate

Are you spending your Brexit windfall on a house in Spain (ha, ha, ha, ha!).

If he is a HAM operator, he likely speaks English - they have a long range!

If he is a spy - he also likely speaks English!

 

Interesting setup. Looks like a folded driver.

 

Its a multi band rotary beam antenna, for amateur radio, probably on 1.8 to 7mHz Am/ssb bands, the guy will probably be using it at night times for Usa, Australia , or during the day for European chatter.

It wont interfere with your Tv as the majority of Europe is now digital.

 

If it is a ham radio antenna used for transmitting there will be not direct health effects, however, if Spain uses analog terrestrial television signals and you receive television over the air you might occasionally notice a little interference in the picture.

 

Would

Its a multi band rotary beam antenna, for amateur radio, probably on 1.8 to 7mHz Am/ssb bands, the guy will probably be using it at night times for Usa, Australia , or during the day for European chatter.

It wont interfere with your Tv as the majority of Europe is now digital.

Thanks for your replies. So am I right in saying there should be no health effects as a result of living nearby. I feel very ignorant asking it!

 

None what so ever....

 

You'll be alright as long as you wear boxers, instead of jockeys.

 

It does look a little overgrown. Sometimes, the resident wans to keep it hidden.

A HAM could be a useful person to have around in an disaster. The EM radiation will be there antenna or not if receiving. Transmitting is likely to he intermittent anyway, so it's no where near the effects of a HV power line or commercial transmitter.

 

My only concern with any antenna which stand tall is the increase in chance in being hit by lightning. But even then, the increase in small anyway (for antenna this size anyway)!

 

Thanks for your replies everyone.

Dodgy dave seems like a good bloke for a liverpool supporter!

 

Sure am mate....