Return-Path: Received: (qmail 19639 invoked from network); 22 Jan 2001 12:18:03 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO murphys-inbound.servers.plus.net) (212.159.14.225) by 10.226.25.101 with SMTP; 22 Jan 2001 12:18:03 -0000 Received: (qmail 23493 invoked from network); 22 Jan 2001 12:21:32 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO post.thorcom.com) (212.172.148.70) by murphys with SMTP; 22 Jan 2001 12:21:32 -0000 Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 3.16 #1) id 14Kfr2-00014Y-00 for rsgb_lf_group-outgoing@blacksheep.org; Mon, 22 Jan 2001 12:13:48 +0000 Received: from latimer.mail.uk.easynet.net ([195.40.1.40]) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 3.16 #1) id 14Kfr1-00014T-00 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Mon, 22 Jan 2001 12:13:47 +0000 Received: from ericadodd (tnt-1-144.easynet.co.uk [195.40.206.144]) by latimer.mail.uk.easynet.net (Postfix) with SMTP id BC41553B10 for ; Mon, 22 Jan 2001 12:13:34 +0000 (GMT) Message-ID: <000801c0846c$fed23fa0$90ce28c3@ericadodd> From: "g3ldo" To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org References: <000901c083ed$fe2ca380$cac928c3@ericadodd> <00aa01c083fe$66e83640$563a9fd4@f9.net.uk> Subject: LF: Re: Re: Pyrotechnic insulators and CT1DRP Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001 12:14:29 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group Sender: From: Dave 'YXM > Well done Peter and Brian, is this the first QSO from CT1? It was Brian's first QSO so I guess it must be > I sympathise about the insulators, with QRO it's a battle just to keep > things running... Yes, I wondered if a coating of salt from tthe sea some 400m away had precipitated the event. As regards plastic as an insulator - when I first located coils outside they got wet but this did not initally seem to cause any losses. If you tried to dry them it the losses got a lot worse befor they got better. I then put a plastic bag over the coil, see page 13 of LF book, and this proved so successful I have stayed with it. The plastic does not get warm (to the touch with the transmitter off!) although frost on the plastic next to the coil windings gradually disappears during long QRSS sessions. I test the antenna by inspecting it in the dark with the transmitter on. With high power you can just see corona on imperfectly made joints or on dirty insulators. Last night had a pleasant supprise. I heard Finbar, EI0CF, calling CQ. We had a QSO; it was, apparently, his first LF QSO this year. Regards, Peter, G3LDO .