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[AMPS] High Voltage at Antenna Ends

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] High Voltage at Antenna Ends
From: k7fm@teleport.com (Colin Lamb)
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 09:18:34 -0700
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One way to prevent high voltage at the ends of an antenna is to reduce =
the Q.  The easiest way to do this is to use a lossy wire for the =
antenna.  This will also reduce the SWR variations as you change =
frequency. =20

Galvanized Iron electric fence wire is cheap and reduces Q nicely.  =
Since losses are high, it reduces noise pick up on receive - especially =
from stations a long distance away.=20

For the ultimate in Q reduction, nichrome works very well.  With at =
least a quarter wave of nichrome, the end insulators can be made of =
silver and they will not introduce appreciable losses.

Lossy antennas eliminate the need for antenna tuners and eliminate the =
need to calculate 1/4 waves.  They also allow you to tune up on the =
actual antenna without having to bother with the dummy load - a real =
boon to contest operators who like to tune up on frequency. =20

For quiet reception, the ultimate antenna is created by removing the =
center conductor from 1/4 wave coax and replacing it with 1/4 wave of =
nichrome. =20

The cubical quad was invented to eliminate corona effect of high power =
antennas.  Beams and dipoles in the Andes had the corona effect and kept =
destroying themselves.  Apparently the designer did not know about =
nichrome.  Instead, he built a quad to eliminate ends of the antenna. =20

Colin  K7FM

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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>One way to prevent high voltage at the =
ends of an=20
antenna is to reduce the Q.&nbsp; The easiest way to do this is to use a =
lossy=20
wire for the antenna.&nbsp; This will also reduce the SWR variations as =
you=20
change frequency.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Galvanized Iron electric fence wire is =
cheap and=20
reduces Q nicely.&nbsp; Since losses are high, it reduces noise pick up =
on=20
receive - especially from stations a long distance away. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>For the ultimate in Q reduction, =
nichrome works=20
very well.&nbsp; With at least a quarter wave of nichrome, the end =
insulators=20
can be made of&nbsp;silver and they will not introduce appreciable=20
losses.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Lossy antennas eliminate the need for =
antenna=20
tuners and eliminate the need to calculate 1/4 waves.&nbsp;&nbsp;They =
also allow=20
you to tune up on the actual antenna without having to bother with the =
dummy=20
load - a real boon to contest operators who like to tune up on =
frequency.&nbsp;=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>For quiet reception, the ultimate =
antenna is=20
created by removing the center conductor from 1/4 wave coax and =
replacing it=20
with 1/4 wave of nichrome.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The cubical quad was invented to =
eliminate corona=20
effect of high power antennas.&nbsp; Beams and dipoles in the Andes had =
the=20
corona effect and kept destroying themselves.&nbsp; Apparently the =
designer did=20
not know about nichrome.&nbsp; Instead, he built a quad to eliminate =
ends of the=20
antenna.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Colin&nbsp; =
K7FM</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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