[Amps] corona on a quad

[Kathy Bookmiller]

Years ago I built a 4 el quad using bamboo spreaders. Put it up in diamond configuration. Worked great but one day noticed my swr had gone bad, cranked it down for a look and saw the driven element had burned 6" off ends on the driven element at the top. Fed it at the bottom corner. I wasn't running super power, just a MLA2500 amp. Redid the end with some type of plastic tubing I had and didn't have that happen again until a high wind destroyed the quad. Best antenna I ever had but way to much maintenance, besides the burning spreaders:)
Kathy

 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 04:55:44 +0000
> From: Charles Harpole <k4vud at hotmail.com>
> Subject: [Amps] corona on a quad
> To: <apolloeme at live.com>,
> <adrianjamesflynn at gmail.com>
> Cc: amps at contesting.com
> Message-ID: <BLU171-W3086E929468884EC03D949F7D70 at phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> 
> My understanding is that corona discharge would be most off
> a single isolated point, like the tip of a vertical ant or
> the ends of a yagi elements.
> 
>  
> 
> I doubt the corners of a quad would act like that as much if
> at all.  Likely someone has some hard test data on
> this.
> 
>  
> 
> I also wonder if a corona charge is enlarged by the spread
> out and larger "area" of a quad loop.  That is, is
> there a maximum charge that can be induced on any one
> isolated object or is the charge larger solely because the
> structure is larger?
> 
> Inquiring minds want to know.
> 
> Charles Harpole
> k4vud at hotmail.com
> 
> 
>