Singing Antenna

[Jimmy Walker]

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this experience.  I was cutting a 20
meter dipole inside my home on the second floor level where my station is
located.  I had it hanging from two door about five feet off the floor.  One
end was about 10 feet from the radio.  The dipole ran away from the room where
the radio was located.  I want to get the antenna resonant before taking it
upstairs in the attic.

I had it hooked up the SWR/Wattmeter.  When I put the power to it, the antenna
started singing with a high pitched whine.  The more power I used (50 - 75)
watts, the louder the singing.  It scared me.  It made me think it would be
dangerous in the attic.  It sounded like it was about to arc.  But to what?  I
talked to a guy last week who was using a 40 dipole in the attic.  I thought I
would try it.  I would not plan to run more than 100 watts to it.

Anyone have any ideas about this?  Was that a bad idea?  What was the high
pitched whine?

Jimmy Walker
WA4ILO
Macon, GA

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