[Lowfer] Wm Beacon "Current" Question

[N8OOU]

Jay, you ask a simple and reasonable question which I can't answer.  Now 
why I say that is, I have two meters here that measure rf current. Both 
are homemade, which I use for relative measurements.

One meter was included with the beacon equipment from Mr. Ashlock. The 
other I constructed for use with a signal generator in finding resonance 
of coils I wound for crystal radios. It is much more sensitive than the 
loop one.

I tried measuring the current on the vertical antenna wire with the loop 
meter but could not detect a reading. I moved the meter to be inline 
with the output of the PA and was able to get a small reading.

A couple evenings ago, when I found the right capacitance to make the 
meter move, I found my signal making the trip to Jay's grabber.

Last night when I added the 2 ground wires I detected a small movement 
with the meter still in place.  My logic concluded that if I pulled a 
little more power from the PA it must to be going into the antenna.

I don't know if I have a way to translate the readings on either meter 
to something meaningful.  Is there a simple way to calibrate? If I were 
to purchase an RF Amp Meter what range should I look for (part 15 wise)?

Thanks, Enjoy the Day.


73   de   N8OOU - Mike Meek

On 11/27/2014 08:22 AM, jrusgrove at comcast.net wrote:
> Mike
>
> What are you seeing for antenna current?
>
> Jay W1VD  WD2XNS  WE2XGR/2
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "N8OOU" <n8oou at meekfarm.us>
> To: "Discussion of the Lowfer (US, European, &UK) and MedFer bands"
> <lowfer at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2014 9:11 AM
> Subject: Re: [Lowfer] Wm Beacon on-line 11/26
>
>
>> Dex, and Gary,
>>
>> Thanks for sharing the captures this morning of Wm. I am happy to see
>> these results. I was able to add 2 more wires to the ground plane
>> yesterday evening. I think I saw the antenna current go up a little,
>> but it didn't seem to change the tuning.  We received about 2 inches
>> of snow overnight so the ground plane is covered, but the yard/sod has
>> not frozen.
>>
>> Thanks again, Enjoy the day.
>>
>> 73   de   N8OOU - Mike Meek
>>
>> On 11/27/2014 07:23 AM, Dexter McIntyre W4DEX wrote:
>>> Best overnight WM and TAG in NC:
>>>
>>> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15095569/w4dex/lowfer/185300_27nov14.jpg
>>>
>>>
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