RE: [Elecraft] RF build up
You know Alan, you may have something there. Some points I would like to make: When it is a rainy day or a gloomy day you tend to slow down. Maybe that happens to RF also? Is that a rain effect or a state of mind or state of electrical field? Your explanation of swr (slow wave radio) may be correct. Since the CW speed tends to slow down as it is radiated when you have ice on the antennas, I wonder if the reverse is also true? If you have ice on the antennas and you are receiving fast CW, maybe it will be slowed down so it is easier to copy? Another point I would like to make is about the aluminum in beams. You ever notice how your shiny new beam works so well? After a few years you get the bug to buy another bigger and better antenna because you aren't as good in the pileups anymore? Maybe the aluminum got dull because all the electrons were radiated? So without enough electrons you don't have as strong a signal. Just a thought. Happy Holidays and may you have another box from Elecraft under your tree. N2TK, Tony #3481 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Alan Slusher Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 1:16 PM To: 'Tony Davis'; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: FW: [Elecraft] RF build up Tony: I am sure that you can find evidence of the effect of weather on rf (see below). One of the things I notice is that cw signals sound weaker while it is raining. I always thought that that was because the rain was washing some of the rf out of the air, leaving a smaller amount of radio waves to induce emf in my antenna wire. Since it is also possible that the rain may be washing voltage off the antenna wire itself, I've been thinking of bring the antenna inside the garage, so that the metal roof could shield it from the rain. The other thing I notice is that all the ham bands seem to get weak towards the middle of the day and in the early afternoon. I always thought that had to do with the effects of the heat of the sun. You know how hot and tired you get at 2pm in the afternoon if you are out in the sun. All you want to do is to relax in the shade with a long cold drink. Why not the same situation for radio waves? After all, they are as much a part of nature as you and I. What you say? How come the waves are also weak if it is raining and overcast in the middle of the day? I thought I answered that in the preceding paragraph. What I don't seem to follow, and there doesn't seem to be an explanation for it, is what happens to the feedline when rf is frozen on the antenna, and cw coming from the transmitter at 27wpm leaves the antenna at 18wpm. There has to be some build-up of cw characters somewhere. My guess is the feedline. That is perhaps why old coax always seems to be fatter than new coax: lots of unsent cw characters have distended it. My question is: what happens if there are more characters building up than the feedline can hold? Isn't this the real explanation for swr? Isn't swr higher in winter than in summer? Cheers, and Merry Christmas Alan 8P9BM ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] RF build up
Ron, I love it when you wax poetic.. Chuck From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Subject:RE: FW: [Elecraft] RF build up Date sent: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 09:04:29 -0800 > Lo' these all-too-many-winters ago there were actual reports of Hams using > folded dipoles with open wire line in heavy ice/snow regions. As y'all > probably know, a folded dipole has a direct current continuity across the > feeders, since it's essentially a dipole with an extra wire running parallel > to the dipole radiator and connected at each end. > > If a dangerously heavy ice coating appeared, they'd connect the feeders to a > variable power source and allow enough current to flow to heat the wires and > melt the ice. Took a while, but it beat trying to splice and raise the > antenna again in mid-winter. > > Being a "California Boy" in those days - Southern California at that - I > never really had any need to test the idea first-hand. While others were > snowed and iced-in up to their end-insulators, we were praying for a few > drops of rain before the dry season resumed in the spring. > > Ron AC7AC ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] RF build up
It's a little known aspect of special relativity which was in fact predicted by Einstein's equations. That coupled with the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle implies that as you approach a certin limiting speed in CW, the actual transmission speed will slow down and one will no longer be able to distinguish dots from dashes. - Original Message - From: "Tom Mc" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Thom R. Lacosta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "David A. Belsley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: "Elecraft Reflector" Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 9:47 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RF build up > It's my understanding (from reading another list which is addressing this > problem) that some of the RF will, in fact radiate, but that it slows down > the speed of the signal. For example, one guy reports sending 27 WPM from > his K2 but by the time it gets through the frozen RF build-up on his > antenna, it was only 18 WPM. > > With this in mind, it might be a good time for me to go for the ARRL high > speed endorsements on my code copying certificate. > > Just a thought... > > Happy Holidays > > Tom, WB2QDG > K2 #1103 > -Original Message- > From: Thom R. Lacosta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: David A. Belsley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: Elecraft Reflector > Date: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 10:28 AM > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RF build up > > > On Tue, 21 Dec 2004, David A. Belsley wrote: > > > Does anyone know of a good way to remove frozen RF from an antenna? > > Considering the season, you might want to find some eggnog and see if it > helps the RF escape. Even if it doesn't, if you drink enough, you may no > longer > be aware of/plagued by the frozen RF. > > 73,Thom-k3hrn > www.zerobeat.net Home of QRP Web Ring, Drakelist home page, > Free Classified Ads for amateur radio, QRP IRC channel > Elecraft Owners Database > www.tlchost.net/ Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month > ___ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > ___ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] RF build up
It's my understanding (from reading another list which is addressing this problem) that some of the RF will, in fact radiate, but that it slows down the speed of the signal. For example, one guy reports sending 27 WPM from his K2 but by the time it gets through the frozen RF build-up on his antenna, it was only 18 WPM. With this in mind, it might be a good time for me to go for the ARRL high speed endorsements on my code copying certificate. Just a thought... Happy Holidays Tom, WB2QDG K2 #1103 -Original Message- From: Thom R. Lacosta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: David A. Belsley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: Elecraft Reflector Date: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 10:28 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RF build up On Tue, 21 Dec 2004, David A. Belsley wrote: > Does anyone know of a good way to remove frozen RF from an antenna? Considering the season, you might want to find some eggnog and see if it helps the RF escape. Even if it doesn't, if you drink enough, you may no longer be aware of/plagued by the frozen RF. 73,Thom-k3hrn www.zerobeat.net Home of QRP Web Ring, Drakelist home page, Free Classified Ads for amateur radio, QRP IRC channel Elecraft Owners Database www.tlchost.net/ Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] RF build up
That's what my Acom amp is for. Don't usually need it. The K2/100 by itself typically keeps the frost RF off the antennas. I relabeled the ON switch to RF Heater on my amp. Had to use it last night. Temp dropped to 4 degrees and had snow. It was sluggish trying to get my CW speed up. After the RF Heater warmed up CW was flowing fine. Happy Holidays. N2TK, Tony -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of David Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 10:37 AM To: Elecraft Reflector; David A. Belsley Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RF build up now this is why you want an air dielectric on your coax that way you can hook a heat gun and blow hot air up to the frozen rf and thaw it out. you could also try cognac after a few you won't care about the frozen rf another thing is to get a couple dozen young hams together give them each a mirror 2"X2" than have them reflect the suns light on the antenna with enough mirrors you will be able to warm that frozen rf right out off the antenna and make it as good as new.( of course to much heat will destroy it.) > Does anyone know of a good way to remove frozen RF from an antenna? It > is now so thick on my wire that the new RF can no longer get through. > Typically the antenna stays pretty clear where there is a current max, > but I've been changing qrg so much, only the feed point looks okay, > even running the K2/100 qro. I envy you chaps down south and on the > left coast who don't have to put up with this problem. > > best wishes, > > dave belsley, w1euy > ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] RF build up
I know what you mean Dave. I have wrap my feedline around the pot belly stove to keep it from happening. Bill K3UJ = Does anyone know of a good way to remove frozen RF from an antenna? It is now so thick on my wire that the new RF can no longer get through. Typically the antenna stays pretty clear where there is a current max, but I've been changing qrg so much, only the feed point looks okay, even running the K2/100 qro. I envy you chaps down south and on the left coast who don't have to put up with this problem. best wishes, dave belsley, w1euy ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] RF build up
now this is why you want an air dielectric on your coax that way you can hook a heat gun and blow hot air up to the frozen rf and thaw it out. you could also try cognac after a few you won't care about the frozen rf another thing is to get a couple dozen young hams together give them each a mirror 2"X2" than have them reflect the suns light on the antenna with enough mirrors you will be able to warm that frozen rf right out off the antenna and make it as good as new.( of course to much heat will destroy it.) > Does anyone know of a good way to remove frozen RF from an antenna? It > is now so thick on my wire that the new RF can no longer get through. > Typically the antenna stays pretty clear where there is a current max, > but I've been changing qrg so much, only the feed point looks okay, > even running the K2/100 qro. I envy you chaps down south and on the > left coast who don't have to put up with this problem. > > best wishes, > > dave belsley, w1euy > ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] RF build up
On Tue, 21 Dec 2004, David A. Belsley wrote: Does anyone know of a good way to remove frozen RF from an antenna? Considering the season, you might want to find some eggnog and see if it helps the RF escape. Even if it doesn't, if you drink enough, you may no longer be aware of/plagued by the frozen RF. 73,Thom-k3hrn www.zerobeat.net Home of QRP Web Ring, Drakelist home page, Free Classified Ads for amateur radio, QRP IRC channel Elecraft Owners Database www.tlchost.net/ Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
