Well like Fred Sanford used to say: "Get a dummy load, you big dummy!"    If 
you are dumping 800 watts into a dummy load and  no RF problems, then you 
can concentrate on antenna and feed line to try and solve things.

When playing around sometime, you may want to try something like connecting 
the ground lugs from the rig and amp to the ground lug on the tuner. 
Again, some things help the situation, some things make it worse, and some 
have no effect.   sometimes you get lucky, and other times it is a lot of 
trial and error till you find the cause/cure.

I'm just tuning the bands and looking for countries and not any QSO total. 
15 has been good today, but nothing on 10 last time I checked.

73, Steve KW3A
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "tom behler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2010 10:40 AM
Subject: Re: Net controls needed for Sunday's Cross-country Blind Ops Net


>    Steve:
>
> I may just try your idea with the counterpoise wire for 17 meters 
> tomorrow.
> ... It sure sounds simple enough and, as you say, it's low cost.
>
> Right now, I don't have any ground connections for anything--just the coax
> connections to the rig, tuner, and amp.  I had thought at one time of
> connecting them all to the common ground lug on my feed-through window 
> panel
> here, but figured it would not be of any real value, since there is no 
> real
> ground connection on the other side of the window to true ground.
>
> The XYL is gone this week-end, but she and I have talked about doing the
> ground rod thing maybe next week-end, time and weather permitting.  I need
> to get the ground rod, and would like her to at least be around to be sure
> I'm putting things in straight, not getting into any unforseen trouble,
> etc., but hopefully, I'll at least have something soon.
>
> I can't speak to RFI problems when using a dummy load, because I don't 
> have
> one.  That's another item I'd like to obtain sometime soon.  There is a 
> swap
> in our local area in the beginning of April, and it is on my list.
>
> Thanks for the advice, Steve, and I'll see what I can do here, at least in
> the short term.
>
> Have fun in the DX contest if you get the chance to get on the high bands
> later.
>
> 73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve Forst" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2010 6:52 AM
> Subject: Re: Net controls needed for Sunday's Cross-country Blind Ops Net
>
>
> Tom,
>
> I know there has been a lot of talk about  the RFI problems you and Junior
> have been having recently.  This may not be practical for  75 or 80 
> meters,
> where you both seemed to have problems, but  may be worth a try for 17.
>
> Cut a quarter wave counterpoise for 17 meters (about 12 feet, 11 inches) 
> and
> attach it to the ground lug on the amp.   Use insulated wire and tape the
> far end, since it will be RF hot.   14, 16,  18 gauge, or whatever you 
> have.
> Lay it around the perimeter of the room, and if it works, tuck it under 
> the
> carpet or under the baseboard or whatever.
>
> May not work, or may even make things worse, but it's a 5 minute,  no cost
> project that just may help.
>
> Also, just curious:  I know you don't have a real ground system, but do 
> you
> have the rig, tuner, and amp grounded together, or to a common point, or 
> no
> connections other than the coax between the gear?  Also wonder if you have
> the same RF problems while transmitting high power into a dummy load?
>
>
> BTW, I did work a few Europeans on 40 last night, but the  band was jammed
> and deafening.  Hope to get on the higher bands sometime today.  Have fun.
>
> 73, Steve KW3A
>