[BC] Transmitter Safety

[Gary Peterson]

> Lesson learned!  I never go
>  inside an AM transmitter without shorting the antenna connection to
ground.
>  I carry several braided straps with big honkin' alligator clips on each 
end,
>  for just such situations.
>  
>  I have seen some mean static buildup during wind storms and snow storms,
>  too.

" Sounds like the static drain chokes in the ATU(s) were open.
Willie... "

The static drain choke in the ATU was fine.  An ohmmeter between the center
conductor and shield of the coax read pretty much a dead short.  In western
SD, the humidity is often very low (<20%) and it appears that static can
build up more rapidly than a static drain choke can bleed it off.  Remember,
initially, inductors tend to resist changes in current flowing through them.
I have also observed tremendous static discharges coming into the
transmitter shack from shunt-fed and folded unipole-fed antennas (both DC
grounded).

Gary, KØCX
CE KFXS, KOUT, KKMK, KRCS, KKLS & KBHB
Schurz Communications, Inc.
Rapid City & Sturgis, SD