On 2/3/2010 1:59 PM, KE5WZY wrote:
Greetings! We are starting a new club: LARC (Library Amateur Radio Club)
of Kingfisher Oklahoma. I managed to scounge three ten foot sections
from the local phone company an antenna tower base, mid-section and a
top section that comes to a point at the top with a hollow pipe. Before
I go through all the trouble to locate the antenna, probably against the
side of the library and anchor it to the roof, I need to know if anyone
has ever had any trouble with a buiding transformer as a potential
cause for RF interference. The transformer sits on the ground near the
trash recepticle. The ideal location for keeping the tower from
becoming obvious, is about 10 foot from the transformer. Keeping in
mind the antenna will be mounted at the top of the 30 foot tower, has
anyone ever had experience with putting antennas so close to the power
transformer?




Hello, and if there's an interference problem it wouldn't be with the
transformer per se. What should be of concern is leaky/cracked MV
(12-14 kV) insulators (or higher voltages if you're near a substation).
Discharges around insulators spew both radiated and conducted noise
all over the MF and HF bands. Sincerely, and 73s from N4GG0,

--
John Wood (Code 5520) e-mail:

Naval Research Laboratory
4555 Overlook Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20375-5337

Yes, that is what I am worried about, is RF leakage. I think probably the best bet is to try out an antenna before permanantly erecting the tower with a concrete base.

What kind of antenna system can I obtain retail, that would provide the absolute best reception using only a 30 foot tower?

--Mike.