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G1HRW & G0IRW - Reading, Berkshire, UK. QRA Locator = I091ML and WAB/OS Square = SU71
I also operate from a 3rd floor apartment in Southern England which offers a totally different set of operating experiences and some completely different challenges to Wales! Due to the position in the building I am unable to provide an effective earth for my equipment and because of a combination of limited space and planning restrictions I am quite hampered with regards to the height, type, size and location of the antennas I can install. None the less I'm able to radiate a respectable transmission - and copy very weak signal - using a variety of low visibility aerials despite very strong local noise...
This QTH is near the top of a small hill overlooking Reading in the Thames Valley and I have local noise (QRN) of typically S9+10 on 80m & Top Band.
The North/South aspect satellite photograph (above) shows the Victorian building that contains the flat plus the layout of my aerials which currently include a West firing 80m EWE receiving antenna, a Top Band Doublet running N/S along a tall hedge to the left of the building and a Tri-Band Vertical hidden away for 6m/2m/70cm. I also have a low 80/40m W3DZZ Dipole which I use as a 'Phased Receive Antenna' on 40/80/160m plus there's a 120" Halo mounted above a dormer window which is used both as an FM Broadcast (DAB) receive antenna as well as on 50Mhz via a home-brew Diplexer.
ORANGE = 160m Dipole coax fed via 1:1 Balun. YELLOW = 80/40m Dipole fed with 72 ohm twin. PURPLE = 80m EWE receive aerial beaming West
BLUE = I've recently installed what I'd "loosely" describe as pair of short un-terminated Beverages about 5' above ground. These are made of 450 ohm ribbon and are about 190' long running around the boundary in a L shape. I use these as phased NVIS antennas for 160/80m with interesting results.