Thanks, Lloyd.

My first approach will be to put a choke on the power lead to the rig 
runner, and the power lead to the TS480.

If that does not work, then it will be time to do the counterpoise.

I'm also going to try various power levels, to see where my problems begin.

For example, I'm fine on 100 watts, but not with 600 watts.  How about 300 
or 400, or 500?

I'll let everyone know how I make out, and man, I can't wait to get that 
Windom back in operation again!

73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lloyd Rasmussen" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 7:19 AM
Subject: Re: interesting RF problem in the shack


I think that the 4.7 pF capacitor is bogus.  The capacitance between center
conductor and shield of even a few inches of coax is more than that.

But creating a quarter-wave ground "counterpoise" connected to the station
ground often helps, as mentioned in a previous message.  The far end of the
wire might be hot, so don't put it where people are likely to come in
contact with it.  For 20 meters, a quarter wavelength is about 16 feet.
This would be the length from whatever you consider to be your station
ground; perhaps the back of your amplifier.

Lloyd Rasmussen, Kensington, Maryland
Home:  http://lras.home.sprynet.com
Work:  http://www.loc.gov/nls

> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Gale Conard
> Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 12:17 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: interesting RF problem in the shack
>
> Here is something I saved from a previous discussion about grounding.  I
> haven't tried it, but several hams have testified that it has worked for
> them.
>
>
>
> Hi list:
> i think it was John who was saying that he has some grounding problems
> being on the second floor.
> I found a good method of helping to get rid of some of the floating
> ground problems.
> You use a peace of RG58 coax and put a 4.7  peaka farad seramic
> capacitor across between the ground shield and center line of the coax =
> on each end of the length you will need to go from your station to your
> ground rod or an adequet ground somewhere.  Connect the center line of
> the coax to ground and the center of the other end to the radio or to
> your common station ground in the shack.  This is supposed to help to
> eliminate floating ground and keep all the extra RF going to ground
> instead of coming back up your ground line.
> Regards
> Colin
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "tom behler" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 7:57 PM
> Subject: Re: interesting RF problem in the shack
>
>
>     Steve:
>
> I used this exact same set-up out in Colorado before I came back to
> Michigan, and before I installed the Windom.  In fact, it's what I ran the
> Cross-country Blind ops net with last year, without a grounding system at
> all.
>
> The only thing I can think of that is different here in Michigan would be
> the Windom installation itself.  But, the Windom is on a completely
> different antenna port on my Window feed through panel, and on my TenTech
> manual tuner.
>
> I will try grounding the rig-runner by connecting it to the common ground
> in
> the shack, and will also try your ferrite solution.
> Admittedly, before the Windom became unusable, I don't think I ever used
> the
> DXCC back here in Michigan on 20 meters ever since we returned.  Therefore
> it's inpossible for me to tell if the problem existed before without my
> knowing it.
>
> 73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve Forst" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 9:33 PM
> Subject: Re: interesting RF problem in the shack
>
>
> Tom,
>
> Grounding might not be a bad idea. Also,  if you have any ferrites
> around, I would try clamping a ferrite on the line from the power supply
> to the rig runner, and also the line from the rig runner to the radio.
>    Maybe disconnect any other gear that is connected to the rig runner
> to try and isolate the source.   Perhaps move the rig runner as far as
> possible away from the amp.
>
>
>
> Have you worked that combo of antenna/amp/band before?  Did this just
> pop up out of the clear blue?  If it worked fine before and now has
> problems, what has changed in the station that you can  try reversing?
>
>
> And I thought I had problems...
>
> 73, Steve KW3A
>
> On 2/7/2011 8:58 PM, tom behler wrote:
> > Hi, all.
> >
> > Well, I know I'm going to get varying opinions on this one, but that's
> ok,
> > since I'm looking for a number of possible alternative causes and
> > solutions.
> >
> > As many of you know, I have gone back to using my Alpha Delta DXCC
> antenna
> > as my HF antenna, until my Windom, which took a dump on Saturday, can be
> > resurrected.
> >
> > The DXCC works great on 40 meters with both 100 wattts, and my Ameritron
> > AL811H amplifier.  However, when I went to do the Cross-Country blind
> ops
> > net on 14.258 yesterday, I had an interesting experience.  Things worked
> > great with 100 watts, but when I kicked the amplifier in, and tried
> > running
> > things on the usual 600 watts, I ran into problems.  As soon as I keyed
> > the
> > mic, the protective circuit in my Rigrunner tripped, and everything in
> my
> > station went silent.
> >
> > I have no other indications of RFI anywhere else in the house or the
> > shack.
> > In addition, my SWR's are good with the DXCC on 20 meters (about 1.5 to
> 1)
> > without the tuner, and obviously just as good with the manual tuner.  I
> > use
> > my usual procedure to tune the amp, and everything works there as well,
> > giving me forward and reflected power readings I would expect.
> >
> > Could anyone tell me what you think is going on here?  Do I still have a
> > grounding issue of sorts, even though I've gotten no indication of
> > grounding
> > issues with other applications?
> >
> > Other than reducing power, is there anything anyone can suggest for me
> to
> > do
> > to try to solve this problem.
> >
> > I was thinking of grounding the Rigrunner by connecting a ground cable
> > from
> > the cover of the Rigrunner to my common station ground, but just haven't
> > gotten to it yet.
> >
> > It's just a strange problem, and only seems to occur on 20 meters with
> the
> > amp.  I never had the problem at all out in Colorado, where I had no
> > station
> > grounding system at all.
> >
> > 73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ
> >
> 73,
>
>
>
> Gale
> [log in to unmask]