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[TowerTalk] Clicking? & F-12 antennas

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Subject: [TowerTalk] Clicking? & F-12 antennas
From: jlangdon@outer.net (John Langdon)
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 18:25:21 -0500
I have the same phenomenon with stacked C4XL and C3.  As a storm approaches 
from the distance, I hear clicks in the receiver, increasing in amplitude 
and decreasing in "inter-spike interval" as the storm gets closer.  When it 
gets close, I ground everything, and if I then go outside, I hear the same 
noise mechanically from the tower.  As a storm gets very near and lightning 
flashes become visible, I hear high pitched whines from the tower sounding 
almost like a ricochet. Once a very spectacular cloud to cloud display 
occurred and the "singing" of the tower was in synchrony with the display. 
 I should have known something was up when we were erecting the tower and 
the lady who had lived on the other side of the hill for 50 years was 
solidly in favor of my large tower installation.  As she put it: "mebbe we 
won't get zapped as much now that your thing is there".

-----Original Message-----
From:   Richard Thorne [SMTP:rthorne@arn.net]
Sent:   Monday, June 22, 1998 4:23 PM
To:     leewells@lexmark.com
Cc:     W9RPM@centuryinter.net; towertalk@contesting.com
Subject:        Re: [TowerTalk] Clicking? & F-12 antennas


According to Tom (don't quote me on this) in a previous note a while back, 
its ok
to remove the pvc insulators from the elements (except for the driven 
element(s) of
course) and attach them directly to the boom.

Next time my antenna's are down I will probably remove the insulators. 
 Theres lots
of wind here and static is a problem.  Not sure how effective it will be 
since the
driven element will still be insulated.

leewells@lexmark.com wrote:

> I've noticed the exact same thing with my EF-515 & EF-420/240 antennas.
> It usually happens as a storm front is approaching.  It even causes a 
little
> static in my TV & stereo.  I haven't turned on the rig to see how bad the
> noise is then.
>
> I went out one night when a storm was approaching and I could actually 
see
> arcs at the element to boom clamps.  Looks like the charge is arcing 
across
> the PVC insulators of the F-12 antennas.
>
> Is the arcing going to hurt anything???  Is there anyway to stop it??  It 
seems
> like the antennas would be nearly un-useable with the kind of noise this
> would generate.
>
>         73
>         --Lee - KT4ZX
>
> <snip>
> > ..........At various times,especially when there is lightning in
> > the area I can here a distinct clicking sound coming from the
> > tower.The sound is a intermitent-click,click and it speeds up and then
> > will quit if there is lightning in the imediate area.It then will
> > start up after a few minutes pass.Is this static electricity that is
> > building up on my tower and then discharging?Thank you.    John W9RPM
> >
>
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--
73,
Richard Thorne
Amarillo, TX
Amateur Radio Station: N5ZC (previous calls, KA2DSY, N2BHP, WB5M)



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