[Boatanchors] Question

[Mike WE0H]

Wow perfect!!! I was thinking you guys were talking coax...hi hi...I 
wonder how bad the impedance bump would be with coax using the sparkplug 
sparkgap method? Might be neat watching the 'plugs with nearby 
thunderstorms. Wonder if they'd spark blue or what color? hi hi...

GM all,
Mike
WE0H


K0DAN wrote:
> Mike's right, i was the presence or absence of a resistor...the arc 
> voltage may or may not be an issue as I previously stated.
>
> All my comments were related to balanced line feeder...I use nominal 
> 600 ohm balanced line, approx 6" spacing.
>
> I hope my ASCII "art" comes out OK:
>
>
> TO ANT <--------------o------------> TO RIG
>                                       ||
>
>
> TO ANT <--------------o------------> TO RIG
>                                       ||
>
>
>
>
> The    o    symbol are the sparkplugs
>          ||
>
>
> The open-wire feed goes straight to the shack, but at the exterior 
> entry point you drill a block of aluminum or copper (if you can still 
> afford copper!), thread the holes, and insert the sparkplugs. Also 
> drill a hole for a bolt, which connects to your ground system. Mount 
> the metal block on suitable wall, pole, etc. Inside the shack you can 
> also install a heavy duty DPDT knife switch (one side to ground 
> system) and/or connect the open-wire feed to banana plugs, so when you 
> have the big thunderstorms, you can easily disconnect the equipment 
> from the antenna network.
>
> I wouldn't recommend trying to do this with a coax feed....you'd mess 
> up the impedance of your system.
>
> For coax, Polyphasers, Alpha Delta, or other gas-discharge surge 
> suppressors are the right choice.
>
> GL es 73
>
> Dan
> K0DAN