Topband: Hazards of HV-Caps for gammas

[Dr .Wolf Ostwald]

Hi reflectees !
Although it is very interesting to hear about the many ways of making HF caps for gamma matches, i want to bring about another consideration. Most of the caps described are representing a big fire hazard ! Inflamable dielectrics, like coax dielectric, circuit boards, PVC pipes etc, can arc over and then start burning, which might ignite a nice fire in Your backyard or in the bushes. I would strongly recommend the use of vacuum variables for that purpose !
I have talked to people, that had partly carbonized homebrew caps, which of course worked as spark gaps and trashed the band with a broadband hiss of considerable strength.
I have been there and done that, as You would say, and the small investment in a vac-C is beneficial in all aspects of good engineering.
73 de wolf  df2py