Noisy Gaps x2 RE: Halloween Coiling and the FCC

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Ken Stevens by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <bluewaterdiver-at-earthlink-dot-net>

If most of the "noise" is coming from the gap, has anyone done any
significant looks into a Faraday cage, or metal enclosure, over the gap?

And with that, what has anyone found to be the least obnoxious (read
quietest) type of gap? Enclosed or Open? Static or RSG? What???

I live in an up-scale part of town and radio noise aside, most everyone
has cable or dishes, the audible noise is sure to annoy a couple of
neighbors.

Anyone had to deal with unreasonable neighbors and what steps solved the
problems. It's not a problem yet, as I'm still under construction, but
I'm sure it will be.

Thanks,

Ken


-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com] 
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 11:46 AM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Halloween Coiling and the FCC

Original poster: "Winston Krutsch by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <u236-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Hi Dan, All,

	This sounds bad, since I have an airport about 4 miles from my
house...  But, is the LF radiation from the coil of much concern to the
airport?  I think some navigation beacons run at low frequency, but
maybe I'm wrong?

	I think the parasitic oscillations in the tank circuit that run
into
the multi-MHz and 100 MHz range are of more concern, since they are in
communications bands (I think).  Has anyone detected these VHF range
signals at any significant distance from a running coil?  I know much of
the VHF hash comes from the sparkgap itself.  The same interference is
caused by electric drills, saws, and other devices with brush-type
motors, and people don't usually don't care about it.  Also, I don't
think that airports have much of a problem with it.

	I'm just wondering if my situation really warrants caution from
a
radiated RF standpoint.  I run my coil outside often, and even with a
crummy RF ground, and no line filters, my mother reports only minor TV
interference (when the coil is in tune).  When out of tune, the TV
wasn't watchable :-0.

Thanks,
Winston K.

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com>
> 
> I know a lot of people here claim that tesla coils are quite "lousy"
at
> being antennas and all that, but they throw a whole huge amount of RF
hash
> out in the atmosphere especially when run outside.  Especially in a
very
> urbanized area, you may attract the attention of other "listens"
especially
> if near an airport, etc...
> 
> My very good friend Lou, a seasoned ham operator, made a bet with me.
He
> claimed he could hear my tesla coil with his antennas at 20 miles away
> during operation.  Since "the group" here previously claimed that
tesla
> coils were lousy radiators, i figured i had that bet won.  Anyways, i
set my
> coil up outside and he and my friend were at his house where all his
ham
> equipment was set-up.  We then synchronized our watches and he
informed me
> to key at random 3 short pulses.  This was accomplished by quickly
turning
> off power to my 15kv/60mA NST.  He then told me to do this at random
> intervals for the next half hour and that he would record the exact
time he
> received them.
> 
> Well, sure enough he got almost all the transmissions.  He also picked
up to
> the 3rd harmonics of the signal as well which were much fainter no
less, but
> still detectable.
> 
> We then reversed roles and repeated the experiment.  Voila.  Same
results.
> And it was blatantly obvious when that thing was on.
> 
> I never would have thought it could be such an efficient radiator!!!!
I'm
> convinced now!!!!
> 
> HOWEVER, it still wouldn't stop me from firing my coil up outside.
I'm
> going to do the same.  Of course, halloween is the perfect excuse to
run the
> coil outside!!!!
> 
> Dan
>