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?

On Wed, 3 Feb 2010 18:59:20 +0000, 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?

Hi OM,

Transformers further away have certainly lead to grief. It is
unlikely even at what you consider to be a short distance that you are
going to inject any problem into it during transmission. If you are
worried about that, then you really have to pay attention to the power
distribution inside the building that would be far closer.

If you are worried about noise being injected into your system by the
transformer; then survey the area around it with a portable HF
receiver (or VHF or UHF depending upon your band of operation will
be). Very simple.

This doesn't end it, however. The transformer can inject problems
into your system by your not practicing good grounding methods.
(Actually, the transformer will probably be benign in face of poor
ground handling that is beyond its role and responsibility.) That
alone is deserving of at least a string of follow up postings to this
thread.

Go to one of those library shelves that has a copy of the electrical
code and read it about grounding.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

Dear KE5WZY:

You might find the electrical code in the library by itself or as part of
the National Fire Code.
Good luck. 73, Mac N8TT

--
J. McLaughlin; Michigan, USA
Home:

.. . . . .


Go to one of those library shelves that has a copy of the electrical
code and read it about grounding.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

J. Mc Laughlin wrote:
Dear KE5WZY:

You might find the electrical code in the library by itself or as part of
the National Fire Code.
Good luck. 73, Mac N8TT


Or at the city hall. Even on-line, if you hunt around.

Thank you for you suggestion KB7QHC,

That seems the logical thing to do, is just try it out with some portable receiver, perhaps i can map the interference if any based on how many feet away. If I have to locate the tower somewhere else that might be what i have to do.

On Feb 3, 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?

--
KE5WZY

I had a very similar setup in Fl. Antenna mounted on a wooden light
pole net to a ground mounted transformer. No problems with it.


Jimmie

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.