[Lowfer] antenna current

[Bill Ashlock]

Eric,

Thanks for the ground conductivity map. It's good to have a version I can 
file for future use.

>If you can believe this map, ground conductivity is better here than in
>many parts of the country.

Your local conductivity could vary. BTW: Check out the poor conductivity in 
the mountains north of here.

Relative to your strange measurements (below), are you still using an output 
filter? If you are, I suggest removing it when running experiments like 
this. Take a look at the output waveform of the exciter with a scope if you 
have any doubts. You could have ringing like crazy which changes 
dramatically with small changes in output loading.

What are you using for a current probe voltage readout? If a multimeter, 
watch out for signal pickup on the leads. I use a dual banana plug with the 
sense coil mounted right on the plug.

Bill A

>Last night (and into the wee hours of the morning) I was doing some
>additional tuning, and had some experiences I really cannot explain:
>
>My best ground is a line running to my outside water faucet.  If I
>disconnect that ground, my antenna current drops significantly.
>
>But I ran a few short radials...only 6 - 8 feet in length.  I had these
>lengths available and I wanted to just see what adding them would do,
>planning to add some long radials later.
>
>But I found that when I connected these radials to my final ground my
>antenna current DROPPED.  Thinking that maybe this somehow affected my
>tuning, I re-tuned the loading coil until I achieved maximum antenna
>current.
>
>Then, just for grins, I disconnected the radials and my antenna current
>INCREASED!
>
>It seems these radials are hurting me more than helping.  Can you explain
>what I'm seeing here?  I'm a little confused.  Being ignorant doesn't
>help, either :)  But right now, the only ground that seems to help is
>grounding the final to my water spiggot.
>
>Thanks,
>Eric

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