| Author |
Message |
    
Wildrat
Advanced Member
Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 928
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 - 11:05 pm: | 
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Ever since I have been home from my hospital visit on 12 June and my return to radio last Tuesday, everyone has been asking me what I did to my radio. I ask them what they are talking about and they seem to think I have a bigger box because I am showing more power on their meter and I louder. Then today some fellas in Pasco county(about 24 miles north) asked me if I could turn my beam a different direction because they could not talk. I told him I did not have a beam, that I had the I-Max, then he said turn the thing down. The one guy said that I was a lot louder now. So after I got over being annoyed I started trying to figure out what was going on. The guys down where I am noticed something different, the fellas 20 or more miles north of me are complaining because I have them on lock-down. What could it be? Well I think I figured it out. I have all this copper in the ground for my single point grounding, no big deal, but what has changed is the sandy soil. We had grass put down the Wednesday after my surgery. It has been getting watered everyday for a couple of hours everyday, plus the rain we have received. The ground is nice and wet on the surface and down in the ground. My ground system has nice wet soil to conduct in now, so I figure my ground plane is much better now, kinda like driving over a body of water talking on the radio, your always louder on the water. It's just like Pat when he parks by that ditch up there in NY when he to be heard well. So that took a load off but now I have to be real nice so I don't upset any of the yaps in Pasco County. Does this make since to you all? Vanilla better get out there with his water hose on Saturday night before the nets on Sunday so he can sound like he's got a great big radio.
WR |
Coyote
Advanced Member
Username: Coyote
Post Number: 800
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 - 9:09 am: |
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I'm gonna have to do some watering.  |
Airplane1
Advanced Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 815
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 - 10:14 am: |
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Thats not funny, an electrician told me to water my grounds for the house and garage when we are having dry weather. Water helps alot.
AP |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1692
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 - 4:35 pm: |
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Yep, keeps the soil nice and conductive.
Keeps grass green too. |
Gumpit
Junior Member
Username: Gumpit
Post Number: 15
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 - 8:48 pm: |
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That is also why I have my grounding rod at the corner of my house where the gutter drains. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1695
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 - 9:56 pm: |
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Yeah, if rod placed to close to house the
eve prevents enough water from getting to
your ground-rod. By rain gutter is a good idea. |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 1396
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 - 10:48 pm: |
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That is perfectly normal. |
Wildrat
Advanced Member
Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 930
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, June 29, 2006 - 8:22 pm: |
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What rain gutter? |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1699
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 30, 2006 - 12:50 am: |
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I was just remarking about what Gumpit said, there Wildrat. Quote Gumpit: "That is also why I have my grounding rod at the corner of my house where the gutter drains." |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 1498
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, July 01, 2006 - 8:43 am: |
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I heard somewhere and this could be CB RADIO MYTH, if you add plenty of rock salt to all that copper before you bury it, it makes things even better when watered down. Been told its not just a little difference but makes a HUGE difference in performance! Never tried it and not sure how good that is for the enviroment but interesting cause salt does have an effect on conductivity. |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 1506
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, July 02, 2006 - 10:10 am: |
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That just proves once again to teke what you hear on the radio with a grain of salt.  |
Tecnicoloco
Member
Username: Tecnicoloco
Post Number: 76
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 03, 2006 - 10:02 pm: |
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Hi Hollowpoint445:
I guess I will keep my backyard flooded to get better performance.
Just kidding LOL.
Tecnicoloco
73 de |
Vanillagorilla
Advanced Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 661
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 5:25 am: |
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Vanilla better get out there with his water hose on Saturday night before the nets on Sunday so he can sound like he's got a great big radio.
OUCH!
Gonna put in a 15,000gal saltwater cesspool with 17 foot stainless ground rods  ...25 of 'em |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 1513
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 11:18 am: |
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I think I'm gonna just put my next base antenna in the swimming pool. |
Airplane1
Advanced Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 830
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 12:26 pm: |
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I put my grandaughters pool under my maco 58 and filled it with water and now everyone is telling me I came up 3 s units on there recieve meter. |
Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 414
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - 2:19 pm: |
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Airplane ,
Did that once - floated a whip antenna in my parents 18ft diameter swimming pool. Could not convince a guy in tasmania that I was in Newcastel NSW and only running 5w AM. |
Airplane1
Advanced Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 833
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 7:07 am: |
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I was just kidding about the pool.....LOL
Just had to do it!
AP |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 1518
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 11:29 am: |
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HA! What a comedian that Airplane is. You know, somewhere right now somebody is doing that I bet! Only in the USA. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1730
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 12:51 pm: |
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Darn you Roger...LOL... I just purchased
a big pool to sit underneath my antenna.
 |
Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 419
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 1:04 pm: |
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Actually I did it back in the 70s while in Australia - read my prior comment. |
Airplane1
Advanced Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 834
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 6:36 pm: |
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Thats cool Tech297, I would not have believed it............LOL. |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 3954
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006 - 10:36 pm: |
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True they do ..... |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1734
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 10:49 am: |
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Hey Tech237, how did you float the antenna
in the pool? What was the set-up like?
I'm trying to picture this. |
Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 426
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 12:03 pm: |
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The antenna was mounted on one of those styrofoam kick boards they use to teach swimming. A short weighted wire went from the ground terminal into the pool (steel sided with plastic liner. I recall I had screwed an old model glider tail assembly underneath to balance the antenna.
The only problem was that my parents were not impressed when they came home from vacation. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1735
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 07, 2006 - 5:07 pm: |
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LOL... on your parents not being impressed.
That wouldn't been something to see. |
