GFCI tripping on high power CW
 

Greetings.

I have an Icom IC725 operating on an indoor antenna (Barker &
Williamson AP-10A). Was testing the setup last night on 40 CW; when I
transmitted a couple of test dits at high power (100 watts), the GFCI
on the kitchen outlets immediately tripped. What was going on? I live
in an apartment building with 100-ampere service (as my landlord told
me when I moved here), so the current draw from my Astron RS-35 25-amp
power supply shouldn't have tripped the breaker, should it? Are GFCIs
also sensitive to high levels of RF (as from an amateur station) as
they are to short circuits or high currents on electric lines? This is
my first experience with GFCI-protected circuits, and I'm baffled.
Lower power CW or SSB operation doesn't bother the breaker, but if I
run too low power, I doubt if I'll make any contacts. I cannot mount
the antenna anywhere outside my apartment due to lease restrictions
plus the fact that there are no windows in the room where the rig is
located, nor can I separate the antenna from my rig more than 10 feet
because of the length of the coax originally supplied with the
antenna. Any help on this will be greatly appreciated.

Please respond by e-mail, as I don't check these message boards very
often.

Thanks and 73,

Jeff, WB8NHV )
Fairport Harbor, Ohio
Licensed 06/30/1972
Member, Lake County, Ohio ARA and ARRL

Hmm, sounds familiar,. I had a 2 meter 1/4 ground plane out on my deck with
a GFCI about 6 feet away from it running 50 watts and that thing would
vibrate something fierce, but it never tripped it.


"Jeff Strieble" wrote in message
om...
Greetings.

I have an Icom IC725 operating on an indoor antenna (Barker &
Williamson AP-10A). Was testing the setup last night on 40 CW; when I
transmitted a couple of test dits at high power (100 watts), the GFCI
on the kitchen outlets immediately tripped. What was going on? I live
in an apartment building with 100-ampere service (as my landlord told
me when I moved here), so the current draw from my Astron RS-35 25-amp
power supply shouldn't have tripped the breaker, should it? Are GFCIs
also sensitive to high levels of RF (as from an amateur station) as
they are to short circuits or high currents on electric lines? This is
my first experience with GFCI-protected circuits, and I'm baffled.
Lower power CW or SSB operation doesn't bother the breaker, but if I
run too low power, I doubt if I'll make any contacts. I cannot mount
the antenna anywhere outside my apartment due to lease restrictions
plus the fact that there are no windows in the room where the rig is
located, nor can I separate the antenna from my rig more than 10 feet
because of the length of the coax originally supplied with the
antenna. Any help on this will be greatly appreciated.

Please respond by e-mail, as I don't check these message boards very
often.

Thanks and 73,

Jeff, WB8NHV )
Fairport Harbor, Ohio
Licensed 06/30/1972
Member, Lake County, Ohio ARA and ARRL

Oh YEAH!...they do not like RF at all. I have a few in bathrooms that trip
from the use of a UHF HT. The GFI contains a VERY sensitive Op-Amp
comparator. It's normal for them to do this...Eddie
"Jeff Strieble" wrote in message
om...
Greetings.

I have an Icom IC725 operating on an indoor antenna (Barker &
Williamson AP-10A). Was testing the setup last night on 40 CW; when I
transmitted a couple of test dits at high power (100 watts), the GFCI
on the kitchen outlets immediately tripped. What was going on? I live
in an apartment building with 100-ampere service (as my landlord told
me when I moved here), so the current draw from my Astron RS-35 25-amp
power supply shouldn't have tripped the breaker, should it? Are GFCIs
also sensitive to high levels of RF (as from an amateur station) as
they are to short circuits or high currents on electric lines? This is
my first experience with GFCI-protected circuits, and I'm baffled.
Lower power CW or SSB operation doesn't bother the breaker, but if I
run too low power, I doubt if I'll make any contacts. I cannot mount
the antenna anywhere outside my apartment due to lease restrictions
plus the fact that there are no windows in the room where the rig is
located, nor can I separate the antenna from my rig more than 10 feet
because of the length of the coax originally supplied with the
antenna. Any help on this will be greatly appreciated.

Please respond by e-mail, as I don't check these message boards very
often.

Thanks and 73,

Jeff, WB8NHV )
Fairport Harbor, Ohio
Licensed 06/30/1972
Member, Lake County, Ohio ARA and ARRL