[Lowfer] WE2XGR/5 finally hits the air waves!

[Bill Ashlock]

John A asks: 
> How was the RF resistance of the antenna measured? 
 
I'm using a loop simulation coil that as the same inductance as the loop has a calibrated Rac of 1 ohm at 500K. I originally used this coil on the bench to get the final working and set up the turns ratio of the coupling transformer. Turns out that the Vcc current for the final using the loop is close to the Vcc current when the simulation coil was connected, so I can assume the loop Rac is also 1 ohm. If they had not shown the same current a little math could have been used to find the loop Rac. > Why would you want to put the PA outside?
 
Jay and Warren were asking the same thing not long ago. At least a couple of reasons: Fear of the unknown' coupled with the fear of causing a fire while I'm not there, should lightening strike and/or something fail in the final (and safety in power amps is not my strong suit). Been down that road before and it's not fun; rebuilding and resupplying a small cabin after a fire, that is. There's also the problem of introducing another variable - the effect of a mismatched long transmission line to a loop that is located in the woods - and in this case: a loop location having moose, bear.... and possibly worse! Experience with 1w equipment has indicated numerous times that a transmitter having an efficiency of 98% (+) located right under the antenna leaves little to chance when making a large number of field strength measurements. When the antenna Q is this high the Vcc current to the final, measured in the shack, tells if the radiated power is close enough to the reference for accurate testing.
 
Thanks for asking.
 
Bill