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Re: [TowerTalk] shut fed tower and rotator

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] shut fed tower and rotator
From: K8RI on TT <k8ri-on-towertalk@tm.net>
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2011 13:53:39 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
On 2/13/2011 1:25 PM, Gary Slagel wrote:
> I recently built 2 verticals for 80 and 160 by shuntfeeding my tower.  They 
> both seem to load nicely and are broadbanded, partly because of an 
> insufficient radial system. 
>   
> When I transmit on either 160 or 80 the meter on my rotator controller 
> deflects.... this makes sense since I'm running rf right through the rotator. 
>   Till now I've run only 100 watts thru the antennas but I'd like to see if 
> the antennas will handle a KW ok.   I'm wondering if there's any chance of 
> damage to the rotator (Ham IV) if I do this.   I'd guess not but it makes me 
> a little nervous.

It could be coming in on either or both the coax or rotator cable.
As you are showing a good match, I assume the match is at the tower and 
you are not using a line tuner at the shack.

   When operating 75 at roughly 800 to a 1000 watts the LEDs on my 
6-pack and remote antenna switches would light. At the legal limit they 
were bright enough I was worried about damage.  I tried chokes on the 
cables, but nothing changed. Then I added a current balun where the feed 
line between the 75 sloper and the remote antenna switch reached the 
tower. No more interferrence.

The chokes/baluns I used were 5, 2.4" 31 Mix toroids with 5 turns of 
LMR-400.

I'd try one in the rotator cable near the control box to see what happens.

Read Jim Brown's (K9YC) RFI tutorial 
http://www.audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf about toroids, RFI, baluns, 
and audio interfacing.  It's well worth the time.

73

Roger (K8RI)
>   
> Currently 10 watts deflects the meter about 10%.  100 watts deflects it about 
> 25%.
>   
> Anyone have a thought on this? 
>   
> Thanks,
>   
> Gary Slagel
> Hot Springs, SD
> N0SXX
> http://marina.fortunecity.com/sanpedro/351
>
>
>
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