Topband: buzz on cw signal

[Stephen Reichlyn]

Hello, Tom:

I assume from your quick message last night that I still have a 'buzz' on 
my CW signal. I did a few more tests with a local and have found the following:

I think you know what kind of antenna I'm using on transmit (Inverted L fed 
through UnUn with ground side attached to a
1" braid going to a ground rod into the salt water. The ground braid is 
about 15 feet long from the bottom of the antenna
to the floor of the waterway).

When the tide is high, I have to use a Nye Viking transmatch to lower the 
SWR in the CW portion of the band, i.e.,
1820-1835 to below 1.5:1 for the sake of my Alpha '87A. When the tide is 
low, I use the transmatch for the higher
end of the band as the SWR at 1820-1835 is 1.5:1 or better.

The raspy note is only present when I use the transmatch to lower the SWR. 
When the transmatch is 'bypassed'
the note is pure and clean. The only thing I have done to my setup since 
last season is:

1. Added 2 radials to the antenna out on the end of the pier which I now 
have disconnected.
2. Put in a new ground rod, ground cable (1/0 battery-type thick copper 
insulated about 1/2 inch in diameter), installed
two ICE lightning arrestors on the ground rod, etc.

My shack is located in a cabana-type structure, which is on the ground 
floor of my house but the 'ground' floor
of my house is 16 feet above the ground. For all intents and purposes, it 
is on the second floor. The old
ground setup had a counterpoise consisting of 9 1/4 wave wires (160-10) 
attached to the ground rod  under the house
and spread out on the ground. I had some construction done underneath and 
the counterpoise was destroyed.
Do you think that would be a good place to start trouble-shooting the 
transmatch? Should I attach the counter-
poise to the transmatch ground post or to the new ground rod under the house?

Any other ideas from others would be greatly appreciated...please reply
direct.  I certainly do not wish to put a signal out that is other than
clean and pure.

73, Steve AA4V
Isle of Palms, SC


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