Return-Path: Received: (qmail 13309 invoked from network); 9 Dec 2002 10:25:02 -0000 Received: from netmail02.services.quay.plus.net (212.159.14.221) by mailstore with SMTP; 9 Dec 2002 10:25:02 -0000 Received: (qmail 5674 invoked by uid 10001); 9 Dec 2002 10:24:37 -0000 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal Received: from post.thorcom.com (193.82.116.70) by netmail02.services.quay.plus.net with SMTP; 9 Dec 2002 10:24:37 -0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 X-SQ: A Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.10) id 18LL47-00064G-00 for rsgb_lf_group-outgoing@blacksheep.org; Mon, 09 Dec 2002 10:23:07 +0000 Received: from [134.58.10.57] (helo=mail3.cc.kuleuven.ac.be) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.10) id 18LL47-000646-00 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Mon, 09 Dec 2002 10:23:07 +0000 Received: from dell-rik.fys.kuleuven.ac.be (pc-10-33-165-177.fys.kuleuven.ac.be [10.33.165.177]) by mail3.cc.kuleuven.ac.be (8.12.1/8.12.1) with ESMTP id gB9AMYoc062436 for ; Mon, 9 Dec 2002 11:22:34 +0100 Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20021209112452.02c47e18@pb623250.kuleuven.be> X-Sender: pb623250@pb623250.kuleuven.be X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.1 Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2002 11:29:16 +0100 To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org From: "Rik Strobbe" In-reply-to: <000701c29f67$10869ae0$0504210a@c.scope> References: <3DF1014F.5CFB3173@att.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Subject: Re: LF: Re: North Carolina Ice Strom / HBG plotting on hold Content-Type: text/html; charset=windows-1252 X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-1.1 required=5.0tests=HTML_FONT_COLOR_BLUE,IN_REP_TO,QUOTED_EMAIL_TEXT, REFERENCES,SPAM_PHRASE_00_01version=2.42 Sender: Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group Content-transfer-encoding: 8bit

Removing Sleet from Antenna.--One of the most interesting features of the station is the method by which sleet, that might form on the 25 miles of aerial wire in each aerial, is removed. With an antenna of such magnitude, the question of sleet on the wires is serious. This is taken care of by passing a current of 250 amperes at 1,500 volts through the antenna wires. Sufficient heat is generated to melt even the most severe ice formations on the wires in ten minutes. Small high-capacity condensers are connected in series with the antenna and tuning coils, to prevent the heat producing current from becoming grounded. The condensers have sufficient resistance to the 60 cycle current used for the above purpose, but readily allow the high-frequency current of the transmitter to pass through.

Maybe efficient, but for sure it is expensive : 250 ampere x 1500 volt x 0.17 hour = 63750 kWh
Don't know what a kWh costs in the US, but here it is about 0.1 Euro (same in $). So getting rid of the ice costs well over 6000 Euro (or $).

73, Rik ON7YD