[RFI] Weird RFI Episode

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

I wish I could tell you I found a "loose" PL-259, Frank - I think the 
most I took up on any of them was about a sixteenth of a turn.  
Fortunately, at 100 watts, carnage was nil.  I have a hunch that 
yesterday's torrential rain may have been implicated, because a couple 
of the connectors are sheltered but not waterproofed and may have gotten 
wet.

73, Pete N4ZR

On 9/24/2023 7:15 PM, Frank W3LPL wrote:
> Hi Pete,
>
> As you know, that's exactly why I recommend that PL-259 connectors
> always be lightly wrench tightened, just enough to make it not
> removable by hand, no more.
>
> Next, check you entire station to verify that all of your PL-259
> connectors can not be removed by hand
>
> You were fortunate that no damage was caused by the loose PL-259
> When shield integrity is broken, the return circuit must take an
> alternative path that can do lots of damage.
>
> 73
> Frank
> W3LPL
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Pete N4ZR N4ZR"<pete.n4zr at gmail.com>
> To: "RFI List"<rfi at contesting.com>
> Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2023 3:16:20 PM
> Subject: [RFI] Weird RFI Episode
>
> This morning I got up and went on the air in the CQWW RTTY Contest.
> Everything had been fine yesterday, but as soon as I made my first
> transmission, both of my monitors shut down.  Eventually, I found that
> the cause was RFI - anything over about 40 watts and blooey (the
> computer was fine).  Without a lot of excruciating detail, I think the
> cause was a hand-tight PL-259 somewhere in my feedline out to my antenna
> switch.  Initially it looked fjne, and then it started showing me high
> SWRs on all bands.  I snugged them all down and it went away.
>
> This is a first to me in some 40 years of playing radio and computers.
>