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[TowerTalk] Re:

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Subject: [TowerTalk] Re:
From: w7why@mail.coos.or.us (Tom Osborne)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 1997 17:35:20 +0800
frank fong wrote:
 
> Hello Tom(s):
> 
> What power level were you using at the time? The end of my dipole is
> quite close (but not touching) to a tree in my back yard.
> 
> Frank VE3FLF

Hi Frank.  I was running about 600 watts to an old TCM-2 navy 
transmitter. 
The ends of a dipole can get pretty hot too.  I was working on an antenna 
once, and unknown to me, the 100 foot tape was laying over the end of the 
dipole (insulated wire).  When I applied power, it looked good, then all 
of a sudden the SWR jumped way up.  I couldn't figger it out till I went 
out and saw the rf had arced through the insulation and the wire was 
welded to the tape.  Another time, I had used some plastic clothsline for 
the end of a 80 meter dipole.  I didn't use an insulator, just a loop in 
the rope.  The antenna looked good till I turned on the amp.  All of a 
sudden the SWR went way up.  It had arced thru the insulation and shorted 
to the wire inside :-).  So you need to be careful.  73
Tom W7WHY

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