Contact made on a dummy load

[kc9pfh]

I often check into a 75 meter net for operators of classic radios using my FT-990, I know, not a vintage radio but it isn't modern either. The story I am about to relate is hard to believe, I probably wouldn't believe it myself but I swear it happened.

I went to check into this net on my 990 after tuning up my amp on a dummy load, an MFJ "cantenna" type dummy load. I was running about 800 W. I forgot to switch back to my antenna. As often happens I was able to hear net control quite well so I didn't initially realize I was still on the dummy load. I threw out my call and the NCO didn't hear me, so I gave my call again, then again, then again. Finally a station about 50 miles away heard me, asked me to repeat my call a couple of times and finally got it and relayed me in.

Initially I couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting out, but eventually realized my mistake. When I figured out what I had done I immediately switched to my antenna, gave my call and explained that I had been on a dummy load. After I did this a station from Indiana (I am in the Madison, WI area) came on and said he had heard me too.

The operating conditions here at the time were the 990, an LDG AT-1000 tuner, an AL80B amp and an two position Alpha Delta antenna switch with a 160/80/40 fan dipole connected to one side and a Hustler 5BTV vertical connected to the other. Feed line consists of 125 feet of RG-213 to the dipole and 100 feet of RG-213 going to the vertical. Both antennas are grounded to a 6' rod where they go into the house. Radio, tuner and amplifier are all grounded to a water pipe. The antenna switch was ungrounded.

I attempted to reproduce this with a friend of mine who lives about 25 miles away and he couldn't hear me, but another guy about 20 miles away did hear me put a CW carrier on the air from the dummy load.

Call me a liar but I swear this happened. Anybody ever heard of something like this happening?

 

[K8EAA]

I did that one time while on FT8. Surprised the heck out of me. That was running only 50 watts!!

 

[jwt873]

Same happened to me.. We have a daily chat net on 80 meters in the mornings. I use a full size inverted Vee antenna,

After the net one day I did some testing using my Heathkit 'Cantenna' dummy load to check out the SSB drive on my rig.. I was running 600 Watts and used the switch on my MFJ tuner to switch from the antenna to the dummy load.

The next day, one of the guys who lives 80 miles away told me he could hear me.. Obviously there was enough leakage between the dummy load and antenna to transfer some power.

 

[R8000]

Double your performance, tune up a incandescent light bulb next time

 

[K8EAA]

Double your performance, tune up a incandescent light bulb next time

Wow, that brings back memories from my novice days in the early 70s. Used to use a bulb to tune up my Ameco AC-1.

 

[GROL]

A very long time ago in a galaxy far away I did something similar. I was in tech school at Keesler Air Force Base. Ground Radio. 1978 The instruction block for the Collins URG. On dummy load I heard a trucker on I-10. Maybe 2 miles away. I was just playing around with tuning up one frequency I apparently remembered on 11 meters. I suppose that was channel 19 back then. I think the switch from 10 was before then. I was actually able to talk to him for a brief moment. About then the instructur came back into the room and gave the two of us at the radio a stern talking to. That was a fun and complex block. The URG is quite a nice setup. While I was on Active Duty in the regular Air Force I was never assigned anywhere to work on a URG. Years later when I wanted to finish my time to get enough years for military retirement, I ran into my old friend in a Combat Comm Squadron in the Air National Guard. Fun times again. The AN/TSC-60 communications terminal van, URG and lots of other fun stuff including a chirpsounder to predict MUF. We even had the 10 KW amplifier van for it. I rembered thinking, gee I wish I could have an auto antenna tuner like those some day. Fast forward and now I have two. Back then I never saw any Ham use an auto tuner unless it was surplus gear. Now they are cheaper than a good HF rig.

 

[k9wkj]

the rf that does escape the dummy load is coupling to your antenna
and it will couple on receive as well
not to mention the lack of isolation in the switch

 

[AK9R]

Double your performance, tune up a incandescent light bulb next time

Not sure how well that would work with an LED or CFL bulb, though.

 

[R8000]

Not sure how well that would work with an LED or CFL bulb, though.

There's always a first ! Make a video of it when ya do in case it's pretty cool.

 

[oldradioguy2010]

Wow, that brings back memories from my novice days in the early 70s. Used to use a bulb to tune up my Ameco AC-1.

Me too.
15 watter

 

[K8EAA]

Yep. Still have the FT-246 xtals. I think this thread is starting to drift off topic a little.

 

[oldradioguy2010]

When you think about it, your flexible or rubber duckie is a radiated dummy load.
But your points are taken, 50 watts into a can of oil and making a contact with that is cool

DW
So. Cal