[Lowfer] tonight

[jrusgrove at comcast.net]

Bill

Wonder if the recent cold temps are finally beginning to freeze the ground solid. More L would 
indicate the antenna is further isolated from ground. Flashovers at 1 watt ... gotta love it!

With my 'on ground' screen I notice almost a 2:1 reduction in ground R from summer to the 'big 
freeze' in the dead of winter.

Jay

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Ashlock" <ashlockw at hotmail.com>
To: <lowfer at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 11:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Lowfer] tonight


>
> Jay,
>
> I'm just beginning to understand the ins and outs of high Q vertical antennas. Loop antennas are 
> much more stable... and safe. Thanks for the URL on Stefan's auto tune setup. I'll take a look. I 
> wonder how that works in a really high Q and in a windy environment to boot?
>
> I was just thinking that the Q of the capacity from ground screen to ground would be an 
> interesting parameter to track with changing soil conditions. Maybe even the capacity variance 
> would be interesting. My LRC meter has a Q readout which does fairly well in capacitor Q 
> determination at 185K.
>
> BTW, I was experiencing a random total loss of supply current that you may have noticed, and this 
> turned out to be an arc between the start and finish wires inside the coil form. I still can't 
> figure out why I need more inductance right now. I'll remove the loading coil and measure it in 
> the shack when I get back. Everything in that setup can be removed in short order and taken apart 
> for testing - and that appears to be the only way to go for an experimental setup where nothing is 
> known for sure.
>
> Today I noticed that another perimeter wire can be added to the ground screen with spacing equal 
> to the existing web wires and still keep the size within practical moose-snagging limits :) Your 
> high voltage leads me to measure the voltage between ground screen and the ground and see if this 
> turns out to be equal to the total antenna voltage divided down by the capacity divider formed. 
> Should be about 200v.
>
> Bill
>
>> From: jrusgrove at comcast.net
>> To: lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>> Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 22:48:55 -0500
>> Subject: Re: [Lowfer] tonight
>>
>> Bill
>>
>> Thanks for the measurement on antenna current ... always glad to hear the actual matches the
>> calculated. With the elevated ground screen and high antenna Q bet you'll need an auto tune
>> variometer to stay in resonance with varying conditions! Wonder if you've seen Stefan's auto tune
>> setup over on the rsgb list?
>>
>> Based on the elevated ground screen tests here at the 100 watt level (137 kHz) and the high 
>> voltage
>> encountered on the ground screen (pulled 3/8" arcs) I've gone back to the existing 'on ground'
>> screen ... especially considering that power levels up to a kW are in use here.
>>
>> Good luck with the experiment and keep us posted.
>>
>> Jay W1VD  WD2XNS  WE2XGR/2
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Bill Ashlock" <ashlockw at hotmail.com>
>> To: <lowfer at mailman.qth.net>
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 9:47 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Lowfer] tonight
>>
>>
>> >
>> >
>> > Thanks for the "Wm" report Doug. That's only half a watt. For some reason more inductance is
>> > needed than I could get from the loading coil to reach resonance. It was so cold and windy up
>> > there that I couldn't make a change (Back in Andover right now ). At least the ground has
>> > re-frozen up there and the current at resonance is ~.315A. BTW if Jay is seeing this the 
>> > antenna
>> > current matches the calculated value.
>> >
>> > Bill
>> >
>> >> Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 01:20:30 +0000
>> >> From: kb4oer at gmail.com
>> >> To: lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>> >> Subject: [Lowfer] tonight
>> >>
>> >> Already seeing the "WM" graphical ID in the Lowfer "watering hole". Think
>> >> I'll stay parked there tonight. Forecast is "lower teens" F here in TN.
>> >> G'night all. 0500 comes early.
>> >>
>> >> D. KB4OER
>> >> ______________________________________________________________
>> >> Lowfer mailing list
>> >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer
>> >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> >> Post: mailto:Lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>> >>
>> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> >
>> > ______________________________________________________________
>> > Lowfer mailing list
>> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer
>> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> > Post: mailto:Lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>> >
>> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Lowfer mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:Lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Lowfer mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/lowfer
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Lowfer at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html