[TowerTalk] Pl-259 Flash over voltage

[Pat Barthelow]

>From: Jim Lux <jimlux at earthlink.net>
>To: "K8RI on TowerTalk" 
><K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net>,<TOWERTALK at contesting.com>
>Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Pl-259 Flash over voltage
>Date: Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:49:18 -0800
SNIP;
>You've got something akin to charging a Leyden jar with a
>electrostatic apparatus.  slow charging, fast dicharging. (actually,
>the Leyden jar discharges much faster.. very low inductance)

Ohhh the memory of my first Leyden Jar...as an 12  year old, I got a Renwal 
"toy" electrostatic generator for christmas.

Holy collectible toys Batman!   see: 
http://i9.ebayimg.com/03/i/05/e6/f9/16_1_b.JPG

Harmless, high Kilovolts sparks.... sting your finger when they snap from 
the silver ball to you.  I  Read about leyden jars, wanted QRO,  made one 
from some alum foil, scotch tape,  and a small polyethelyne  ice cream 
container.  Filled the leyden  jar with electrons for 30 seconds or so.... 
was positively crackling and sizzling the air when I stopped charging it.   
KAPOW!  Knocked me on my butt....
Capacitor was about 1/4 square foot of foil, taped inside and outside  a 
1/32" polyethelyne container dielectric.   Bright flash, big bang, and 
heaviest shock, almost ever, that I've  been hit with... But it got me going 
the right path, into DC, RF, etc...

73, DX de Pat, AA6EG  aa6eg at hotmail.com