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WLW 500 Kilowatt transmitter


It wasn't used at 500,000 watts for long. It was problematic. Requiring two feeds from separate substations, two backup generators that could not run it, and lightning strikes would hold the spark gap energized from RF after the strike.

One outside the box thinker used a photo cell to detect when the spark gap discharged a strike and momentarily shut the transmitter off to break the RF arc so the transmitter could return to the air automatically after a strike. If you've never seen an Amplitude Modulated Corona Arc, it's about the only time you will hear loud voices come out of a flame.
 
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Honestly, that sounds interesting, especially the voices.
I've had it happen when I was not aware until a neighbor came pounding on my door in fear saying the antenna on top of the tower was on fire and voices were coming out of the flames! Had I been paying any attention to the reflected power I would have noticed the increase.

The next morning it looked like someone was soldering all over the top of the flat roof and left solder blobs everywhere. It was melted aluminum that burned off the tips of the elements that were bursting into flames. The antenna also developed an upward shift in bandwidth until the elements could be repaired.

Incidentally, all it took to prevent that from happening again was soldering copper pluming caps with rounded corners over the tips of all elements. This can be done using Super Alloy 1. Make sure to use this stuff in a well ventilated area.
 
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Honestly, that sounds interesting, especially the voices.

Horse-Head Crossing in about 1852.

Don’t need no mescal . . it’s only a few more steps. And a few more. And a few more (as thirst does the rest of the hallucinations).

One of the mules got lamed. And shouldn’t have taken a day to bury the wife. Now, nothing much matters on this Earth.

A burning bush with a voice would be welcomed.

.
 
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