Hi Rick,
The only other thing I would add is to be sure that the RF doesn't find its way to the furnace's controller or thermostat. I have a dipole strung across the ridge of our roof (end-to-end, about a foot above it), with the upstairs furnace in the attic below. Depending on its mood (the only explanation I can think of), I sometimes hear strange and loud noises from up there when I work 40 meters. It doesn't happen all the time, but it can't be good when it does.
Greg KO6TH.
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From: domenico.i8cvs@tin.it To: rmann@latencyzero.com; amsat-bb@amsat.org Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:08:08 +0200 Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Antenna near gas lines?
----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick Mann" To: "amsat Org" Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:42 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Antenna near gas lines?
Hi. Sorry for the somewhat off-topic post.
I recently moved into a townhouse with a lovely homeowner's association. Rather than fight them putting up my antenna outside, I decided to just mount it inside my attic. I found a spot about 3 feet away from a vertical run of the gas line to the heater (also in the attic). My first choice as a location right next to it, 'till I realized it was there.
Should I be concerned about creating an explosion hazard? My transmitter outputs a maximum of 100 W, and it's going into a Diamond X-30 antenna (http://www.diamond-ant.jp/ama2/eng_ama_2_2_3.asp).
I wouldn't think it should be a problem, since it's metal pipe, and an RF energy is unlikely to go through the gas. But sadly, I don't remember what I learned when I took my test, if it even addressed this issue.
Any advice would be welcome.
Thanks!
-- Rick
Hi Rick
Normally the metal pipes for gas are interrupted by insulating joints to prevent electrolitic corrosion and the RF currents induced over it by your antenna are flowing over the outside metal surface because of the skin effect and they cannot penetrate inside were the gas flow.
73" de
i8CVS Domenico
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