[TenTec] OT: Openwire/Window Line and Bad Wx

[Steve Hunt]

Ok, let me try the simple Executive summary:

Taking a length of window-line fresh off the drum, and dowsing it with 
UK (midlands) rain water I see an small increase in attenuation at the 
top of the HF band that would not be discernible unless you had a 250ft 
run or longer. At the same time there is a shift in Velocity Factor that 
*would* be noticeable in a doublet/window-line application because of 
the impedance transformation it introduces. Those results seem to be 
entirely consistent with the ARRL results.

If I introduce a wetting agent like Wes Stewart did, I see a large 
increase in loss which is of the same order as he observed. It's unclear 
to me whether that's because it produces much more complete "wetting", 
or whether it's due to something in the agent itself. If the latter, 
it's obviously a very artificial condition.

Interestingly the ARRL experiment also included window-line that had 
been outside for some time; it performed about the same as the new stuff!

Like most experiments you can always find more to do: what about waxing 
the line; what's the effect of snow & ice as opposed to rain; etc etc. 
For now, I'm content that the discrepancy between Stewart's results and 
the ARRL results can be explained .... at least to my satisfaction :)

I may well leave the experimental line in place and try it again if we 
get some more sever whether conditions in the winter.

Steve G3TXQ