The 4 m Forum

[GW3MHW]

A Fluke 1744 was installed for two weeks at my station. This apparatus is wired in by the 'board and cannot be disconnected or isolated.

1744 contains a microprocessor. Rubbish from within is radiated resulting in birdies, whistles, pulses and all else from below 150 KHz to above 70 MHz. The test set is horrible from start to finish.

The wad of A4 printouts filling the bulky A4 envelope is impressive. However, the machine I had was programmed to record voltage at 10 minute intervals. The first cycle is measured and recorded. A further 9 mins and 980 milli secs passes before the next measurement is taken/recorded. The result is that the mains volts can fall to zero for up to 9.980 mins then return without the interuption being detected. I was making an independent watch and observed that on the 11 Kv supply several periods of voltage loss took place, lights / radio/ etc in house of course lost during the interuption. At another address 2.5 miles away a radio amateur suffered the same powe loss and added the interuptions had upset a small computer program he had which then had to be re programmed afterwards.

We need some common sense back and the use of chart recorders as the Fluke of no use for transients and volts loss of up to several minutes.

I have said before, a type writer is more use than a computer as the former will contine to function in a power cut, like a candle.

I am fed up with so called progress. Soon, watch for this, houses will be built without openable windows, all air retained and cleansed re used and what is expelled will be after the heat has been reused to maintain warmth, recirculated, all this neeeding electricity. There will be a pic chip in it somewhere. I expect CO2 quotas will be introduced. Come an EMP all the lot will be scrap, keep the valve knowledge and stocks going. Watch the Builders trade journals.

Apols for spel etc, QTR ltd at library, GW3MHW
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transformer

[G3LVP]

John,

On TV this evening a house just as you described (constructed with modules made in Germany) fully sealed but somehow with a fresh air intake, insulated, triple glazed apparently requires no energy to run it. Quite how food is cooked plus other modern conveniences are run I have no idea.

73..

Ken

G3LVP

[G3PTU]

Clearly from what you say the "Fluke" instrument will not measure short dips in voltage. It there would appear to be the wrong item for the job.
If its short dips you question from a rule of thumb you must measure at 10x the rate or duration to be able to see anything. One suspects a whitewash job.
As for its EMC crudentials, if its that bad, get rid or it by telling to electricity company to remove it. The lever is "it don't measure what I complained about".
As for houses there may well be a move towards an energy efficant design, but really I take it you are confusing two things here; not everything with a 'micro' emites trash. But the energy bills keep going up and the lights will go out soon because we do not make enough of the stuff.
David G3PTU

[GW3MHW]

Further to the previous missive, the Power Quality Loggers have been returned to manufacturers as unsuited for the task in hand. Hopefully a different instrument will be supplied better suited for continuous monitoring such as we once had with paper chart recorders.

Meanwhile, QRM from motor control equipment and leakage from the 11Kv lines continues.

73, GW3MHW
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transformer