RFI QUESTION?

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: RFI QUESTION?
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 17:27:11 -0600
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net


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From:  Malcolm Watts [SMTP:MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nz]
Sent:  Tuesday, March 03, 1998 3:40 PM
To:  Tesla List
Subject:  Re: RFI QUESTION?

Hi Zuma, all,

> From:  Zuma [SMTP:mwise-at-ns.sosis-dot-com]
> Sent:  Sunday, March 01, 1998 8:06 PM
> To:  tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject:  RFI QUESTION?
> 
> I have a question concerning my gap system. I use a cylindrical type
> series spark gap. On a test I did once, I set my neon up and placed it
> in circuit with my caps and my gap. When I turned it on it made my alarm
> clock and a smoke alarm in the hall way go totally crazy. The alarm
> clock is only a few feet away from where I was testing. But the smoke
> alarm on the other hand was about 7 or 8 feet away. What I want to know
> is if that kind of RF Interference is good or bad? What does this mean?
> What causes so much RF to radiate off of the gap?
> 
> Chris

Things that make TCs radiate horribly: 

- poor tuning of primary to secondary
- high impedance grounds (act as a toploaded monopole due to the 
  high base currents)
- high h/d ratios
- no line filtering (sends cr*p through the mains)
- operating with no secondary breakout or moderate corona only 
  (energy has to go somewhere)

Malcolm