Cantenna or Can't I?

[Stephen Tetorka]

Thank you Army and all the other thoughtful persons.

The spec sent to me shows:

1.  Mineral oil is acceptable and equal to transformer oil for input wattages less than 400 and the unit can take up to 30 minutes;
2.  Above 400 watts, transformer oil can take wattages for a little longer time...700 watts @ 15 minutes vs 8 for mineral oil...10 minutes @ 1000 watts vs 2 minutes for mineral oil.
3.  SWR less than 2.0 up to 400 mc.

I could return those 3 x 200 watt lightbulbs back to Lowes...but actually 'seeing power' via the bulb brilliance has its own value...and makes believing all that more 'tangible'...and, if I remember correctly...an old QST article showing data on bulbs as dummy loads ...shows about a 3:1 SWR from the hotter element resistance increase...that's OK for me.

And...the movie by Hallicrafters on the BC610 shows them using large light bulbs to test the unit!

Interesting how this Ham myth survives.

73 to all...looking for you on 3.885 in the evenings with my 550 pounds of 75 watts AM ..model W2PLY homebrew 1948.
Steve
WA2TAK




Army Curtis <acurtis at ANDERSOFT.COM> wrote:

>Hi Steve,
>
>I have used Heath cantennas for many years now, all filled with genuine
>transformer oil (there is an advantage to having worked for the electric
>utility company). I have used it with the SB-200 (600 watts PEP), and now
>with a Henry 2KD Classic (1200 watts PEP). I think you will melt down your
>6HF5's long before you harm the cantenna. Running the Henry amp into it, it
>will get pretty warm after some extensive tuning or testing, but it handles
>it quite nicely. 
>
>If your cantenna has other than transformer oil in it, that can be a
>different story that has been covered here many times. In general it will
>lower the ability of the cantenna to handle high power for as long a time
>that transformer oil will. I do not have any definitive information however
>as to just how much less.
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>Army Curtis - AE5P
>Nacogdoches, the oldest town in Texas
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Heathkit Owners and Collectors List [mailto:HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV]
>On Behalf Of Stephen Tetorka
>Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 4:31 PM
>To: HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV
>Subject: [HEATH-TEMPE] Cantenna or Can't I?
>
>Hi all:
>
>Would like to know how many watts ...and how long...I can put into a 
>Cantenna.
>
>I have a vintage linear I'd like to get up to working...called the Shoebox 
>II...schematic in July 1967...4 x 6HF5's...200 watts p.e.p. each or 150
>watts 
>c.w.
>
>Also...anybody ever use a halogen bulb for a dummy load?
>
>Regards,
>Steve
>WA2TAK
>
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Products bought, sold or traded here is the responsibility of the
parties involved.  This list and the City of Tempe are not responsible
for losses or misrepresentations of any kind.  Buyer beware!

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