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Re: [Amps] question for you experts - RF choke on antenna to ground

To: amps@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] question for you experts - RF choke on antenna to ground
From: "John Lyles" <jtml@losalamos.com>
Reply-to: jtml@vla.com
Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:02:24 -0700
List-post: <amps@contesting.com">mailto:amps@contesting.com>
Medium Wave broacasters usually have a big RF choke to ground on their output, 
installed in the ATU, especially for series fed towers. It is typically called 
the 'static drain' and sold by Harris, LBA, Kintronics and others 
manufacturers. These chokes are made from 
fairly heavy magnet wire, 18 AWG or better, solenoidal style on a large 
diameter form. Without them, a lot of the current crop of solid state 
transmitters will kick off when thunderclouds build up due to the voltage 
induced on the output feeder. 
Back when tubes were used, of course, these chokes doubled as a safety choke 
for failed blocking capacitors. 

I usually install quarter wave coaxial stubs on VHF and UHF transmitters that 
don't change channels much, as a lightning/static protection device for 
monopole antennas, esp in New Mexico in rural installations. Its for same 
reason. 
73
John 
K5PRO
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