Forget about the feasibility of this question for the moment.
Could a column of mercury inside a tube of glass be used as an
antenna?
--
73, Cecil, W5DXP



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"Cecil Moore" wrote in message
...
Forget about the feasibility of this question for the moment.
Could a column of mercury inside a tube of glass be used as an
antenna?
--
73, Cecil, W5DXP



Yes, of course, but make mine copper, please.

Material Resistivity r(ohm m)

Silver 1.59
Copper 1.68
Aluminum 2.65
Tungsten 5.6
Iron 9.71
Platinum 10.6
Lead 22
Mercury 98



Incidentally, Keith Monk used to make a tone arm with mercury contacts.
(For those of you who don't recognize the term "tone arm" it was a device
used in the playing of "records".)

73
H.
NQ5H

Cecil Moore wrote:

Forget about the feasibility of this question for the moment.
Could a column of mercury inside a tube of glass be used as an
antenna?
--
73, Cecil, W5DXP


OK Cecil I'll bite. Yep! [I think there may be a Troll here :-) ]

Mercury is a metal, albeit a dangerous one. It has a resistivity about
55 times that of copper. To a first approximation it's thermal
coefficients are within a factor of 2 or less. It's location in the
electrochemical series indicates that the relative potential between
copper and mercury of -0.4546 volts would be subject to corrosive
effects. Coupling RF to the column would require indirect coupling such
as inductive.

Why in Heaven would you or anyone want to do it? [I think there may be a
Troll here :-) ]

Deacon Dave

Glass is an insulator and has dielectric properties.

My conclusion: Yep! But it would have much higher losses than copper

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 20:33:40 GMT, Dave Shrader
wrote:
Could a column of mercury inside a tube of glass be used as an
antenna?

OK Cecil I'll bite. Yep! [I think there may be a Troll here :-) ]
Bite? SHF antenna arrays in a set of fillings?

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 20:39:27 GMT, Richard Clark
wrote:

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 20:33:40 GMT, Dave Shrader
wrote:
Could a column of mercury inside a tube of glass be used as an
antenna?

OK Cecil I'll bite. Yep! [I think there may be a Troll here :-) ]
Bite? SHF antenna arrays in a set of fillings?

Think of how easily the antenna length could be adjusted.

An intriguing idea, but the health hazards of working with Hg would be
significant.

Also, overheating the mercury column would be really bad, and with the
higher resistivity, and difficulties in cooling the mercury, much more
likely.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
------------------------------------------------
at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 20:52:56 GMT, Gary S. Idontwantspam@net wrote:
Think of how easily the antenna length could be adjusted.

Hi Gary,

I have four high accuracy laboratory thermometers one of which is 6"
from this keyboard (ambient 18.4° C) with a range of -1° to 51° C over
a length of roughly 16 inches. I've built precision heaters and
designed using TEMs; nothing is easy about controlling heat.

- It's a stupid idea -

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

"Richard Clark" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 20:52:56 GMT, Gary S. Idontwantspam@net wrote:
Think of how easily the antenna length could be adjusted.

Hi Gary,

I have four high accuracy laboratory thermometers one of which is 6"
from this keyboard (ambient 18.4° C) with a range of -1° to 51° C over
a length of roughly 16 inches. I've built precision heaters and
designed using TEMs; nothing is easy about controlling heat.

- It's a stupid idea -

True, but he didn't specify just how...You assumed... Maybe he ment by a
pump. That's what I thought of.

--
Steve N, K,9;d, c. i My email has no u's.

Dave Shrader wrote:
Mercury is a metal, albeit a dangerous one. It has a resistivity about
55 times that of copper.

Why in Heaven would you or anyone want to do it? [I think there may be a
Troll here :-) ]

No troll, just a wild hair. I got to thinking of using mercury as the
conducting medium for an RF antenna switch and then wondered if mercury
could replace the upper part of a whip where there is low current and
high voltage. The mercury changing length in a thermometer triggered
these unthinkable thoughts. Imagine changing the current through a
resistor in order to tune an antenna by varying the mercury level.
--
73, Cecil, W5DXP



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Cecil Moore wrote:

No troll, just a wild hair. I got to thinking of using mercury as the
conducting medium for an RF antenna switch and then wondered if mercury
could replace the upper part of a whip where there is low current and
high voltage. The mercury changing length in a thermometer triggered
these unthinkable thoughts. Imagine changing the current through a
resistor in order to tune an antenna by varying the mercury level.
--
73, Cecil, W5DXP

Had the same wild hair once.

One problem is that changing the length through temperature requires a
thin column of mercury in a stiff container; probably not ideal for
an antenna.

I came up with a bunch of other practical issues that I'm sure will all get
posted here in time.

The best use of mercury in antennas is to go down to the creek and
gather gold with it. Sell the gold and buy an antenna.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove -spam-sux to reply.

"Cecil Moore" wrote in message
...
Dave Shrader wrote:
Mercury is a metal, albeit a dangerous one. It has a resistivity about
55 times that of copper.

Why in Heaven would you or anyone want to do it? [I think there may be a
Troll here :-) ]

No troll, just a wild hair. I got to thinking of using mercury as the
conducting medium for an RF antenna switch and then wondered if mercury
could replace the upper part of a whip where there is low current and
high voltage. The mercury changing length in a thermometer triggered
these unthinkable thoughts. Imagine changing the current through a
resistor in order to tune an antenna by varying the mercury level.


No assumption here. I agree that this would be VERY difficult, although the
"upper part" sounds feasable. Just replace the screwdriver motor &
mechanism with a pump...


--
Steve N, K,9;d, c. i My email has no u's.
- 19 Different Servers! =-----