[Elecraft] Antenna static charge precautions - any tips?

[Don Wilhelm]

Scott,

You will have to "do the math"  to figure out the actual voltage and 
current of the components.  The formula is the standard I squared R 
power losses, or the IR voltage or some other aspect of ohms law. Gas 
discharge tubes will conduct when the peak voltage exceeds its rating.

If your antenna has components that will produce high voltages or high 
currents, then those values must be taken into consideration.

I do not understand your concern for the K3.  The KAT3 was working to 
produce a low SWR (and a 50 ohm load) for the K3, so that condition was 
apparently satisfied.  The high voltage condition existed only at the 
antenna which was not resonant at the frequency that it was used on.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/9/2012 7:32 PM, Scott Monks wrote:
> Hi all;
>
>
>
>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Bob Cunnings <bob.cunnings at gmail.com>
>>
>> Check the K3 schematics - there *is* a static bleed resistor at each
>> antenna input, including the KXV3 Rx Ant In jack.
>>
>> Gas discharge tubes are also present in the KANT3, KAT3 and KRX3.
>>
>> Bob NW8L
>> I certainly am not an expert at this, but I have a question.
> Recently I had to dismantle my antenna (brand name unnecessary) to take out a burned gas discharge tube.  I had been operating it on a Warc band for which it was not designed, made possible by the efficient tuner of my K3.  I was told that the tube might have/probably burned out because it was seeing a high SWR that, of course, was not actually corrected at the antenna (just in my radio, as expected).
>
> Now, if that was what happened, what is there to keep the same thing from happening in my K3?  Obviously, there must be something!
>
> 73,
> Scott   XE1/AA0AA; AA0AA
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