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My sstran/ramsey ground system works "Excellently" with the Rangemaster"!!

Re: My sstran/ramsey ground system works "Excellently" with the Rangemaster"!!

There is a simple way to test PVC samples to see how they react to RF. Cut a short piece of the PVC in question and place it inside your microwave oven along with a cup of water to act as an RF load for the magnetron. Turn on the power for 60 seconds or so and then feel the PVC sample and see how warm it is. If it is warm or hot then it is no good for use as an antenna cover as it is absorbing RF energy. If it remains cool to the touch then it is not absorbing any of the 2.45 gHz RF energy and should therefore be good to use as a radome for a MW antenna.
 
Re: My sstran/ramsey ground system works "Excellently" with the Rangemaster"!!

phatdaddy said:
There is a simple way to test PVC samples to see how they react to RF. Cut a short piece of the PVC in question and place it inside your microwave oven along with a cup of water to act as an RF load for the magnetron. Turn on the power for 60 seconds or so and then feel the PVC sample and see how warm it is. If it is warm or hot then it is no good for use as an antenna cover as it is absorbing RF energy. If it remains cool to the touch then it is not absorbing any of the 2.45 gHz RF energy and should therefore be good to use as a radome for a MW antenna.
Click to expand...

Good idea, but wouldn't the water also heat up in the microwave oven? I think a better test would be to take a radio that has a signal strength meter and a telescoping antenna and watch the meter as you slide the pvc radome over it... if it changes than you effectively shielded the RF and that particular pvc cannot be used...

Basically Schedule 40 PVC is non magnetic and considered electrical inactive (an insulator)

http://www.us.piping.georgefischer.com/external/us_handbook/03.pdf

Radiopilot
 
Re: My sstran/ramsey ground system works "Excellently" with the Rangemaster"!!

I have a better test (and I DO appreciate all of your ideas and opinions), but I tried this.
Frankly no matter what the loss of the particular PVC pipes you mentioned, the signal was very stagnent with the antenna covered with a piece of pvc pipe, and yes I did use schedule 40 white.

Painting it?........well, yes, that may conceal it some.

And as for the thickness, I use now, a 1" base into 3/4" for bandwidth sake. I'd like to go higher but personally I'm just planning to build ground systems and coils now. The instructions can be hiked up 1/4" at a time til you find you can not buy anything bigger.
That is what I initially did.
 
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