rain gutter antenna

[J...@psuvm.bitnet]

Several years ago, when I was living on Staten Island, N.Y., I used
the rain gutter as an antenna. I ran a piece of #22 wire under the weather-
stripping of my window to a sheet metal screw on the downspout.
I loaded it up through my Dentron Super Tuner, and it worked rather well
on 80 meter CW with minimal TVI. My only problem with it was one day and it
was raining very lightly; Moisture on the downspout and a nearby, grounded
metal rod formed a 'capacitor' which blew up (very loudly) when I hit the thing
with 100 watts. An excitable neighbor saw it happen (sparks and all) and
notified management. Naturally I disconnected the thing before anybody could
get there to inspect the thing......


Any traffic handlers out there? Catch me on EPAEPTN (3.917, 6 P.M. EST)

--Jeff N2BSS

/* The only dangerous thing in this world
is an open mouth and a closed mind */

psuvm.bitnet!J9N
long live vm!