Return-Path: Received: (qmail 16574 invoked from network); 24 Mar 2003 22:21:24 -0000 Received: from murphys.services.quay.plus.net (212.159.14.225) by mailstore with SMTP; 24 Mar 2003 22:21:24 -0000 Received: (qmail 18657 invoked from network); 24 Mar 2003 22:21:17 -0000 Received: from post.thorcom.com (193.82.116.70) by murphys.services.quay.plus.net with SMTP; 24 Mar 2003 22:21:17 -0000 X-SQ: A Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 18xaDL-00040C-V2 for rsgb_lf_group-outgoing@blacksheep.org; Mon, 24 Mar 2003 22:14:43 +0000 Received: from [212.135.6.12] (helo=smarthost2.mail.uk.easynet.net) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 18xaDH-0003zt-7A for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Mon, 24 Mar 2003 22:14:39 +0000 Received: from tnt-13-125.easynet.co.uk ([212.134.22.125] helo=erica) by smarthost2.mail.uk.easynet.net with smtp (Exim 4.10) id 18xaDG-00074i-00 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Mon, 24 Mar 2003 22:14:38 +0000 Message-ID: <000901c2f253$636d25a0$7d1686d4@erica> From: "g3ldo" To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org References: <3E4BC23500033F62@mk-cpfrontend-4.mail.uk.tiscali.com> <5.1.0.14.0.20030314120358.024cf410@gemini.herts.ac.uk> Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 22:18:14 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 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 Subject: LF: Antenna current Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-9.8 required=5.0tests=QUOTED_EMAIL_TEXT,REFERENCESversion=2.51 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.51 (1.174.2.5-2003-03-20-exp) X-SA-Exim-Scanned: Yes Sender: Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group X-SA-Exim-Rcpt-To: rsgb_lf_group-outgoing@blacksheep.org X-SA-Exim-Scanned: No; SAEximRunCond expanded to false Jim M0BMU said > My loading coil lives outside in a shelter made of plastic sheet over a > timber frame. To get rid of condensation, I have an old fan-heater in the > bottom of the housing. The 2 heating elements are wired in series so it > consumes roughly 500W instead of 2kW. This is so it runs much cooler than > normal, just a warm draught, to avoid melting the plastic. > For many months (or is it years) now I had been puzzled over the variations in antenna current that occurred at different periods of time. I had tried correlating the changes with tides, weather or if there was a R in the month but nothing seemed to fit. I have now tried the Jim loading coil central heating method with much success. I built a plastic shelter and fixed up a fan heater. Earlier this evening, with the fan heater off, the weather was dry and still, but with quite a lot of precipitation just after dark I fired up the transmitter. Result antenna current 3 amps. Ran the heater for an hour. Result antenna current 7amps. The coil seemed quite dry but obviously the dry warm air made a big difference. Regards, Peter, G3LDO e-mail Web