11-24-2015, 08:39 PM
I have a bit of an RF issue in the shack. For a demo of the issue, please watch this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMDiHT7BEgg
I'm working with the developer of the CWKeyer product to resolve the issue. At first I didn't think I had an RF issue in the shack. The issue is only on 80M. My shack is on the second floor of my house, aluminum sided. I'm using an end fed antenna that is about 18 feet from the rig but the feed line is about 65' (it goes around the outside of the house then through a window, but the actual antenna feed point is pretty close to the rig). The issue you see in the YouTube video happen when only 10W is used on TX. The end fed is used for 40, 80 and 160M and the rig / antenna works fine other than this CW keyer. I do hear a little "something" in my headset on 80M when I TX but very minor. I have a air core choke at the feed point (5 turns of feedline, about 5 inches in diameter).
I added two additional 14 gauge wires (total of three) from my shack to house electrical ground (about 22 feet away). Looking for ideas to eliminate the RF issue.
I have toroids on everything except the feed line. Would adding a Toroid for choke at the feed point be a good thing to do, or just tossing money out the window?
This is not a show stopper, I mostly work 20m and higher but occasionally want to work 80 and 160 which makes me switch to using the end fed.
Thoughts?
73,
KC1AXJ
I'm working with the developer of the CWKeyer product to resolve the issue. At first I didn't think I had an RF issue in the shack. The issue is only on 80M. My shack is on the second floor of my house, aluminum sided. I'm using an end fed antenna that is about 18 feet from the rig but the feed line is about 65' (it goes around the outside of the house then through a window, but the actual antenna feed point is pretty close to the rig). The issue you see in the YouTube video happen when only 10W is used on TX. The end fed is used for 40, 80 and 160M and the rig / antenna works fine other than this CW keyer. I do hear a little "something" in my headset on 80M when I TX but very minor. I have a air core choke at the feed point (5 turns of feedline, about 5 inches in diameter).
I added two additional 14 gauge wires (total of three) from my shack to house electrical ground (about 22 feet away). Looking for ideas to eliminate the RF issue.
I have toroids on everything except the feed line. Would adding a Toroid for choke at the feed point be a good thing to do, or just tossing money out the window?
This is not a show stopper, I mostly work 20m and higher but occasionally want to work 80 and 160 which makes me switch to using the end fed.
Thoughts?
73,
KC1AXJ
73, Steve - KC1SA