[Elecraft] Ice on dipole under snow under ice

[David Haines]

Update:

With one-quarter of one leg of the dipole still under ice, I got a 
reception report from PSKReporter on FT8 with 2 watts to Italy. That 
shouldn't work, should it?  Maybe the ice doesn't matter?

KD5VXH recalled a discussion in QST on this very subject, where 400W AM 
melted the ice on one leg of the dipole (fed by coax), but not the other.
'
You can follow the controversy in May and July 1960 letters in QST!

david
KC1DNY

On 12/13/2020 4:36 PM, Louandzip wrote:
> I haven't given this a lot of thought but:
>
> 1. Virtually none.  100W most radiated, leaving very little heating 
> the ice/snow along your long cold wire. The wire itself won't heat up 
> as it has very low resistance.
>
> 2. IDK about the KXPA100, but Tune is often done at low power, so if 
> 100W work, Tune certainly won't.
>
> 3.  Need to check the SWR, but even if good initially, may vary a lot 
> as ice/snow situation changes. This might test the SWR capability of 
> the tuner and protection of the amp, which is best left untested.
>
> If you do try it, keep it legal: Check the freq before transmitting, 
> and be sure to identify.  Let us know how it goes. This might be the 
> excuse you've needed to get that legal limit amp you've been wanting.
>
> Lou W7HV
>
>
> On Sunday, December 13, 2020, 11:40:18 AM MST, David Haines 
> <dhaines at bates.edu> wrote:
>
>
> Before I try something crazy, like climbing up on the roof ... .
>
> We had an ice storm.  The ice pulled my wire dipole down to the roof,
> but didn't break it because one mask was Schedule 30, which leaned over
> nicely.  It then snowed on top of the ice.
>
> I've been able to free the feedline (ladderline) and most of the dipole,
> but part of the dipole is till under the snow under a layer of ice way
> up on the roof.
>
> I'm thinking of running 100W from my KXPA100 to melt it out of there,
> but before I try:
>
> 1.  Is there any chance of this working?
> 2.  Should I just transmit a TUNE through it?
> 3.  Can I damage the KXPA100 or tuner?
>
> Right now the coax is not connected to the KX3 and I haven't tried to
> receive.
>
> david
> KC1DNY
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft 
> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net>
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html 
> <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html>
> Message delivered to louandzip at yahoo.com <mailto:louandzip at yahoo.com>