Posted by Ed, KI6R [ ki6rcm98@gmail.com ] on November 15, 2016 at 12:40:03.

It is an old trick from the 80s when there were a lot of beacons on-the-air out here on the west coast. It is a home-built tool for tuning-up a lowfer beacon transmitter. It indicates maximum RF voltage when touched to the base of the antenna, or top of the tuning coil. Materials needed: 1. Wooden paint stick (or other thin, stiff insulating stick). I suggest sealing any wooden stick with varnish. 2. Qty-10 or so NE2 neon bulbs. 3. 2" piece of thick wire sharpened at one end. The wire should be solderable such as #10 AWG solid copper. 4. Glue, suggest using epoxy. Solder the NE2 bulbs together, in series, end-to-end so they make a string about 6 inches long. Solder the piece of wire to the lead of the last bulb. Glue the entire string to the paint stick with the sharpened point of the wire protruding off of the end of the stick. The voltage stick can be held at the insulted end and touched to the base of the antenna. The RF voltage will illuminate a number of the bulbs. The higher the voltage, more bulbs lit-up, means maximum RF voltage and RF current into the antenna. You will find that if your antenna Q is high that you may need to keep your body away from the base of the antenna and loading coil or you will de-tune it due to proximity. 73s, Ed, KI6R

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