[Hallicrafters] Storm Damages Antennas, Saturday Net Questionable

[Radio Randy]

Hi guys,

I've heard the debate before but, I will stick with PolyPhaser protectors in
my shack. I have yet to find AlphaDelta brand protectors in any of the
mountaintop communication sites I frequent. PolyPhaser is the protector of
choice for those sites as well.

Radio Randy

----- Original Message -----
From: "rdhalste" <rdhalste at tm.net>
To: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer at usol.com>;
<hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 8:15 PM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Storm Damages Antennas, Saturday Net
Questionable


>
>
>
> > Roger,
> >
> > I am presuming these are the gas filled Poly Phasers in line between the
> rigg
>
> PolyPhasers are solid state and not gas filled. Being solid state, the
> devices always show a short to ground and no continuity.
> The ones from AlphaDelta are gas filled.
> I think I may go with the AlphaDelta, mainly as they have a replacement
> cartridge and the PolyPhasers don't.  The one I took out, looks fine.
> Unfortunately when I put it back in the SWR goes back up.
>
> > and the antenna. What are you grounding it to? I put mine outside the
> shack very
> > close to the ground rod.
>
> Mine all go through a bulkhead just inside the basement. The coax cables
run
> through a 3" underground conduit from the tower to the basement. They
> immediately go to the bulkhead which is grounded with #2 cable just
outside
> the wall.  Actually the cable ties into a system with over 300 feet of
bare
> #2 and 21 8' ground rods.
>
> Eventually I want to gring the conduit up just outside and go through the
> bulkhead which will be installed between the inside and outside of the
> house.  Then I'll ground all the shields right where it makes the turn in
> toward the house.
> >
> > I do not know what you are running for a tx on 2m, but if it is solid
> state, it
> > should have shut down if the swr was greater than 3:0:1 In some cases,
> 2:0:1
> >
>
> They shut down, but they don't shut off...In other words they power backs
> down to a relatively safe level, but I't was still showing 17 watts
forward
> and 13 watts reflected.  I'm running a Kenwood TM-V7. Oh, there is a
> AlphaDelta antenna switch (440 and 144 antennas) which also has a
lightening
> arrestor in it.
>
> It aparently wasn't a complete short as at least a little of the signal
was
> making it through 228 feet of LMR-400 to the antenna array. At first I was
> afraid there was a problem up at the antennas.  That would have meant
taking
> down the entire antenna system as the 2-meter array is the top array.
>
> Fortunately, although the PolyPhasers are not cheap, they are cheaper than
> the rigs and this one appears to have done its job.
>
> Roger (K8RI EN73)
> WWW.RogerHalstead.com
> N833R, World's Oldest Debonair? S#CD-2
>
>
> > Duane W8DBF
> >
> >
> > ----------
> > From: rdhalste <rdhalste at tm.net>
> > To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
> > Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] Storm Damages Antennas, Saturday Net
> Questionable
> > Date: Friday, May 31, 2002 10:00 PM
> >
> >
> > We had similar storms through here...(I'm only 50 miles NNW of Duane),
but
> > having only been in bed an hour when they hit, I sorta made note of
their
> > passing, hollered at the hail for making such a lound noise on the roof
> and
> > tried to go back to sleep through the almost constant flicker of
> lightening.
> >
> > All antennas survived, including the *big* ones.
> >
> > We received 1 3/8ths inches of rain in roughly two hours.
> > We started pouring concrete by 9:30 AM under a beautiful blue sky.
> >
> > BTW, I had noticed swinging those big stacked 12s on 2-meters 90 degrees
> to
> > the repeater (which is only 7 miles away) would make it almost
uncopyable
> > and my signal would also be noisy.  I figured that was a tad too
directive
> > to be realistic...so early last night I checked the SWR and found it to
> > be...shall we say, at tad high...OK...two tads.  A bit of searching
found
> > the PolyPhaser(lightening arrestor for those unfamiliar with
PolyPhasers)
> > shorted. No wonder I had such a poor signal.  I use these on all the
> > equipment including the antique Hallicrafters "boat anchors".
> >
> > I figure that happened earlier this spring when a lightening strike
> > basically totaled one of the computers.  But the rig tied to the antenna
> > that was hit, survived.
> >
> > Roger (K8RI EN73)
> > WWW.RogerHalstead.com
> > N833R, World's Oldest Debonair? S#CD-2
> >
> >
> > >
> > > A tremendous thunderstorm roared through southeastern lower Michigan
> early
> > this
> > > morning. Our local Sky Warn spotters reported seeing tornadic patterns
> as
> > near
> > > constant flashes of lightning illuminated the 4:00 AM EDT darkness.
> Winds
> > in
> > > excess of 60 mph, nickel size hail and H2O by the dump truck full woke
> all
> > of us
> > > up earlier than planned. An inspection of the premises revealed one
> > antenna
> > > totally down and another badly twisted by the strong winds.
> > >
> > > I managed to get the bulk of the damage repaired today and will be
> testing
> > the
> > > antenna systems later tonight. However, because my primary forty meter
> > double
> > > bazooka was among the casualties, I 'MAY NOT' be on the air for the
> > Saturday
> > > June 1st HCI 40 meter Net.
> > >
> > > If not, perhaps one of you can sit in the NCS chair?
> > >
> > > The pre-Net will begin at 12:3-0 PM EDT, (1630 UTC). The Net proper,
> will
> > > commence at 1:00 PM EDT, (1700 UTC). The frequency will be 7.280 Mhz
lsb
> > +/- for
> > > key clicks, mike splatter and the sound of Duane trying to bride the
> > Squirrels
> > > into tying the nylon UV resistant rope around the tree trunk instead
of
> > chewing
> > > on it!
> > >
> > > I hope to be there to hear you. So if you hear this puny voice crying
CQ
> > from
> > > the wilderness, it will probably be me.
> > >
> > > Duane Fischer, W8DBF
> > > NCS: Hallicrafters Collectors International
> > > netcontrol at w9wze.org
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF **for assistance**
> > > dfischer at usol.com
> > > ----
> > > Hallicrafters Collectors International: http://www.w9wze.org
> > > ----
> > > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hallicrafters
> > >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF **for assistance**
> > dfischer at usol.com
> > ----
> > Hallicrafters Collectors International: http://www.w9wze.org
> > ----
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hallicrafters
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF **for assistance**
> dfischer at usol.com
> ----
> Hallicrafters Collectors International: http://www.w9wze.org
> ----
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hallicrafters
>
>