[Lowfer] Dew?

[WE0H]

Yep same thing happens here. Even the loop is affected by a wet ground but
not as bad as a vertical.

Mike>WE0H


-----Original Message-----
From: lowfer-admin@mailman.qth.net [mailto:lowfer-admin@mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Eric Smith
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 10:15 AM
To: lowfer
Subject: [Lowfer] Dew?

Now that I have the rf current meter I'm seeing things I never saw before.
Overnight, my antenna current drops a few mA.  After morning, it rises
again.

So I've looked at what's different about nighttime.  Well, for one, it's
dark -- noticed that right off.  Also, the temperature drops.  Noticed
that, too.  Hey, I may have been born at night, but it wasn't *last*
night.

The other thing I noticed was the dew.  Here in NE OK there is lots and
lots of humidity that comes up from the gulf.  It's amazing -- I can visit
my sister in the panhandle of Texas, and it can be 100 degrees and not
even feel like it.  But here, once it gets over about 80 or 85, the heat
combined with the ultra high humidity makes it very uncomfortable.

So at night, if the conditions are right (usually) there is dew -- often
heavy dew.

Last night was no exception.  My antenna was soaked, the grass, and
everything.  I don't know if it's because the meter was soaked, or the
antenna, or the grass, house, etc, or if the dew even has anything to do
with it at all, but the antenna current definitely drops.

Am I on the right track?  Do any of you know?

Thanks,
Eric

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