From: "Malcolm Watts"
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 09:19:03 +1200
Subject: Re: [TSSP] Progress at 12/05/01
Paul,
With regard to top volts measurement, I'm guessing that such
things as plane antenna probes and dV/dx techniques are seen to be
wanting under real powered conditions (i.e. with and without breakout
at "normal" running powers. Correct? I'd have to agree that
extrapolation from steady state msmts is a risky proposition and
hardly scientific. Are there any low level techniques that I've
omitted to mention?
I may be able to help with low h/d msmts. I am willing to
sacrifice a 17+" resonator that I consider unsuitable for serious
powered use as it is probably too short (about 3-1/2 feet) for
generating the longest streamers (too many would go for the strike
rail as output voltage is ramped up and flashovers may also present a
problem. Looks pretty but a no-goer in my book. This coil is
closewound on a skeletal form over a 3mm (or thereabouts) wrap of
HDPE which is tenuously supported by the edges of a system of plexi
ribs. The coil is probably not perfectly uniform (bowed inward a
little towards the centre). It is closewound with 0.9mm Cu dia wire
(with attendant polyesterimide insulation) and has a number of coats
of varnish applied. It *might* be possible to turn this into several
free standing coils of modest h/ds although may need more varnish to
be self-supporting. The former would have to be destroyed in order to
get the coil/s off in one piece which doesn't really worry me. I
already have a decent coilform for a much higher voltage coil so I'm
not worried about losing this one to science :)
What I need to know is: what exactly needs to be measured, the
exact experimental conditions, etc. Whether I can meet those will be
determined by your reply.
Regards,
malcolm
Maintainer Paul Nicholson, paul@abelian.demon.co.uk.