Topband: Bad tower shunt capacitor

[James C. Hall, MD]

Just an update on this - last night FT5ZM was spotted briefly on 160M and I went down to listen for awhile. I didn't hear much and what I did hear I couldn't make myself believe it was them !

So I thought I would try and load up the tower and see if it repeated its bad behavior. I couldn't get outside yesterday - raining and cold. Well, it tuned 1:1 perfectly and I gave it 1000 watts with no difficulties at all. No sudden SWR spikes or any of that. This makes me think the caps are just fine and a connection is flashing over at some point. I didn't push my luck and go for the entire 1500 watts, but I was pleased with this situation.

At this point I just need to get into the cap box and reset the connections and tighten everything up. I'll look at the cage wires and make sure nothing is touching where it shouldn't.

73, Jamie
WB4YDL

Sent from my iPad

> On Jan 30, 2014, at 10:28 AM, "ZR" <zr at jeremy.mv.com> wrote:
> 
> The 3" line sections will handle more (-;
> And as many BCB and other commercial stations are being dismantled it is available at scrap prices or less.
> 
> I have several large rolls of 1 5/8" here for sale.
> 
> Carl
> KM1H
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Herb Schoenbohm" <herbs at vitelcom.net>
> To: <topband at contesting.com>; "TopBand List" <topband at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 10:53 PM
> Subject: Re: Topband: Bad tower shunt capacitor
> 
> 
>> Wouldn't 1 5/8 hardline make a better HV RF capacitor?
>> 
>> 
>> Herb, KV4FZ
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On 1/29/2014 11:34 PM, HAROLD SMITH JR wrote:
>>> Jamie,
>>> 
>>> The VSWR would change because the arc would change the impedance at the Arc point. From perhaps several hundred or thousand ohms to
>>> near Zero during the Arc..
>>> 
>>> 73, Price W0RI
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Thanks Steve:
>>> 
>>> Not bad - I may try that ! :)
>>> 
>>> The question in my mind was if there was an arc outside the caps, why would the SWR change ? Anyway, I may be missing something. I haven't been inside the cap box at the tower for many months so I'll get into it - may be something easy.
>>> 
>>> 73, Jamie
>>> WB4YDL
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>> 
>>>> On Jan 29, 2014, at 7:11 PM, wb6rse1 at mac.com wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Have someone hit the key while you watch which one flashes over. Steve WB6RSE
>>> _________________
>>> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>> 
>> _________________
>> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>> 
>> 
>> -----
>> No virus found in this message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3684/7045 - Release Date: 01/30/14
> 
> _________________
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
> 
> -- 
> This message has been scanned for viruses and
> dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
> believed to be clean.
>