[TowerTalk] Sittin' in the RF?

[Roger L. Elowitz]

Hi Chuck,

My sincere condolences with the apartment antenna situation.  One serious
thought though... there has recently been a stir caused about "exposure to
rf fields."  For certain, the jury is really still out on this one.  But,
just in case they find some nasty stuff... do you... or any other serious
minded person want to sit in such close proximity to the rf field generated
from a 100 watt output rig.... (and not to mention the 1500 watt linears)?  
Let's say you are lucky enough not to have rf burning your lips from
metallic microphones (you can still buy D-104's used) and you're not drawing
rf arcs off the furniture... still, it might be a good idea, at the very
least, to look into the risks and make an intelligent decision.

Scares the hell out of me to sit in a room... the perimeter of which is
lined with your antenna.  What about the people upstairs?  What did they do
to deserve this?  While the thought of nuking one's neighbors has its
humorous vein... (for all of us who like to look at the lighter side of
things)... most of the more serious minded guys and gals among us are simply
delirious with joy that they can get antennas up 100'+ in the air not only
for the better take-off angles.... but also because they don't have to fry
in the rf.

My son sleeps less than twenty feet under my TA-33 beam that's mounted on a
tripod tower on the roof.  During the contests when I run the full legal
limit (Yes!  I too scream my lungs out ) I ask him to sleep at a friend's
home.  Besides, the rf probably sterilizes all the laundry he leaves on the
floor, so, I end up killing two stones with one bird.

IMHO, I'd opt for a mobile whip mounted on the balcony railing with a ¼ wave
hanging counterpoise.  No, I wouldn't sit next to the antenna.  Yes!  I
think I would start enjoying QRP mode operation. With a wire trailing out
the window within inches of neighbors tv's and appliances... I wouldn't want
to be living in your building and having people know I was a ham.

Give some serious consideration to paying off your own mortgage and not some
landlord's.  Independence has a lot going for it....most of the time!

Good Luck!

Roger, K2JAS

 


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