| |
KB2VXA > INFO 08.07.02 09:06l 58 Lines 3068 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 51334_WT3V
Read: DB0FHN GUEST
Subj: Re: G6KUI > bulbs
Path: DB0FHN<DB0ZWI<DB0CHZ<DB0ERF<DB0FBB<DB0GOS<ON0AR<ON0AR<WB0TAX<WB2WXQ
Sent: 020708/0738z @:WB2WXQ.#WNY.NY.USA.NOAM $:51334_WT3V
R:020708/0614Z @:KB2FAF.#CNY.NY.USA.NOAM #:3532 [Cortland] $:51334_WT3V
R:020708/0540Z @:KB3BIU.#NEPA.PA.USA.NOAM #:4701 [Brackney] $:51334_WT3V
R:020707/2101Z @:WA3LWR.#NEPA.PA.USA.NOAM #:57071 [ClarksSum] $:51334_WT3V
R:020708/0421Z @:W2LV.#NWJ.NJ.USA.NOAM #:26910 [Culvers Lake] $:51334_WT3V
R:020708/0602Z @:KB2VLX.#BRONX.NY.USA.NOAM #:20316 [East Bronx] $:51334_WT3V
R:020708/0459Z @:KC2COJ.#QNS.NY.USA.NOAM #:13627 [Far Rockaway] $:51334_WT3V
R:020708/0439Z @:WT3V.#JS.NJ.USA.NOAM #:51334 [Lakehurst] $:51334_WT3V
From: KB2VXA@WT3V.#JS.NJ.USA.NOAM
To : INFO@WW
Hi Pete and all,
Well, Pete, You made another incorrect assumption. The flourescent lamps
you speak of that fit into an ordinary socket were introduced by Phillips
of Holland about 30 years ago but were slow to catch on because of the
expense. They also were not carried by most retail outlets for the same
rason, only popular items make profitable sales.
Once they became popular because of the advertized savings in electricity
they came into common use. The power companies have been pushing energy
saving appliances for the past 20 or so years and now are about the only
ones available and carry the Energy Star logo and efficiency rating.
The lamps Hank spoke of have the newest technolohy, the inverter ballast.
These convert the 50~/60~ house current to high voltage, high frequency
current which readily arcs the tube eliminating the starter and ballast
reactor. Much larger versions of the inverter ballast which replace the
old standard have been in use in industrial and store lighting for about
20 or so years. You may remember from my earlier bulls on transformers, I
used to work for a transformer manufacturer, but until now haven't
mentioned that we made inverter ballasts as well. That makes me familiar
with thier inner workings, hi. They are quite simple, a rectifier, single
transistor oscillator and torroidial transformer which supplies feedback
and high voltage for the lamp.
Being they have been in common use in mobile lighting, busses,
advertizing signs on taxis, recreational vehicles and such, I use one for
emergency backup lighting in the shack. They have one MAJOR drawback for
the Ham, RFI. When the lamp is in operation, the ragged HV pulses produce
harmonics throughout the HF spectrum and because the oscillator is
anything BUT stable, they wander all around the band, blotting out
signals as they go. Being they don't have any noticible effect at VHF
frequencies, there is no problem from 6M upward.
I thank my lucky stars and the radio gods they are still quite expensive
and unpopular! Between all the TVs, computers, CATV leakage and GKW*
around here, operating is difficult enough without them. If "wifey" gets
the bright idea of putting them in the house, my suggestion is to
sabotage them in whatever way possible!
*GKW = God Knows What
*********************************
I'm a technician, not a magician!
*********************************
73 de Warren, KB2VXA
e-mail: kb2vxa@juno.com
Message timed: 04:40 on 08 Jul 02 UTC
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
