Re: Big streamers in small basements

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

Original poster: "Mark Fergerson by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mfergerson1-at-cox-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "S & J Young by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<youngs-at-konnections-dot-net>
> 
> To basement lab TCers,
> 
> It's more work, but a twin TC in a basement works well.  Put breakout points
> each facing the other toroid and the streamers arc between the toroids in a
> controlled way, and can be much longer than the distance from one toroid to
> ceiling or floor.  And as a bonus, each TC acts as a good RF "ground" or
> counterpoise for the other TC, allowing one to skimp on an RF ground.  Twins
> also allow you to use less primary turns on each primary since they are
> connected in series.
> --Steve Young

  Exactly my thoughts; I could have been
clearer. The OPs problem was basically
that there was insufficient vertical
space (7 "puny feet"), so I figured
operating the coil sideways (whether as
a "normal" TC or as a twin) will give
the effect of running it in a taller,
7-foot-wide space as seen from the TCs
point of view. As far as it's concerned,
all nearby surfaces are all candidates
for strikes, so laying the coil on its
side will have the effect of moving the
ceiling out of the way. Of course, one
could always dig a pit in the basement
floor...

  Naturally thermal effects (rising
streamers) if any will complicate
matters.

<snip>

> > Mark,
> > Interesting question. I do have considerably more horizontal room, but I'm
> > not sure of what horizontal mounting would achieve. I have thought about
> > ceiling mounting. If I can get the system to behave properly, this should
> > give me another foot, the distance from the concrete floor in which the
> > primary now resides. (This is probably too close. The tuning is broad,
> > making me suspect compromised Q)

  (Somehow I missed this post) Ceiling
mounting would just invert your current
problem and make the floor the likely
target of strikes, no? As Steve Young
points out, your main concern here is
providing a counterpoise so the TC
doesn't find one of its own. ;>)

  Regard your basement as a (more or
less) conductive-walled cavity that the
coil operates in however it's oriented;
just where _do_ you want streamers to
strike?

  Mark L. Fergerson