[AMPS] RE: RF Burns

Alastair Beaton ajsbeaton@x-stream.co.uk
Sat, 17 Apr 1999 13:23:02 +0100


Jon KE9NA wrote:

> Also have had the good ole RF burns on the lips from the microphone in a
> "hot" station setup as well as a real good one in college I got on my
> hand from just touching the chrome on the microphone!

This phenomenon was responsible for my abandoning SSB for CW early on in my
ham life. Really good RF burns, smack on the lips from the metal Sennheiser
studio mike I was using, bore uncanny resemblance to herpes cold sores. This
wasn't the kind of image I wanted to project when on dates. The Bakelite key
was much safer.

The problem was that part of my HF longwire was actually indoors, in the
shack. Yes, okay, I know this wasn't best engineering practice. The
disadvantages were outweighed by the fact that no one else in the family
would dare come anywhere near my shack - even the door handle could give a
little belt. Consequently I had a secure environment in which to practice
all those little vices parents strive so hard to protect their 15-year-olds
from ("yes, of course she's licensed").

My least-favourite RF burn was from walking into the end of a sloper during
a field test. I had a wonderful brown slash-mark across my forehead for
days, and looked like I'd emerged from an unsuccessful encounter with Zorro.

Incidentally, the other thing I was so grateful to ham radio for as a
teenager (and this would be a great USP on an ARRL or RSGB poster) was it
provided the ultimate excuse, i.e.:

Me, sans licence: "I'm going to a party"
Parent: "You must be back by eleven, or else"
- or -
Me, with licence: "I'm off to, er, a contest"
Parent: "Have fun, see you on Monday"

Brian K3VR wrote:

> Do you guys know anyone who has been severely injured as a result of high
voltage?

I've met a few TV engineers who've taken 10kV hits from the back of a CRT.
They have the shakes and memory loss. I'd always been told "it's the volts
that jolts and the mills that kills", but seeing the effect of a low-current
HV accident was pretty sobering.

73
Al, GM4BAP


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