[RFI] A New One

[Roger (K8RI)]

Peter Laws wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 00:46, Roger (K8RI) <k8ri at rogerhalstead.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> But getting back on track, I'd never noticed noise from those big lights
>> before, but this was a 20 over 9 plus crash and it happened every time
>> the light flashed and that is just from one tube.  All of the wiring is
>> in EMT and well shielded.  The building interior is bonded barn metal
>> finished in a baked on glossy white so lighting out there is very
>> efficient as is the shielding. I have to stand in front of a window just
>>     
>
> Isn't this just the ballast or whatever they call the starter circuit?
>  Isn't that pretty common with T8 installations?
>   

Probably, darned if I know. I've never heard them start and this is the 
first one I've heard fail. OTOH it's so quick that I might never have 
noticed it before, but that crash is louder than anything on the band. 
The tubes start flickering when they are about to fail, but I hear no 
noise from that either.  I've only had to replace one ballast in the 
last 10 years.  (Actually I replaced the fixture as that was cheaper 
than purchasing just the ballast)

I usually leave the rig on either 50.125, or 7.155 (+/-) while working 
out there. That way I catch the 6-meter band openings in the day or 
early evening, or lots of DX on 40.


73

Roger (K8RI)