Forwarded message:

Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1998 13:09:09 -0800 From: David Honig <honig@sprynet.com> Subject: Re: How to test *your* microwave oven distribution pattern.

At 08:47 AM 11/5/98 -0600, Jim Choate wrote:

...

Here's a simple way to test the bounce-pattern of your micro-wave oven:

Simpler: stick a neon-bulb with the leads twisted off into the oven. Watch the glow vary. Put a cup of water in there since you're not supposed to run empty.

Yes, but they don't give you as easily measured level of the incident radiation. with a neon bulb or a flourescent tube (what I prefer) you have a hard time mapping radiation level to brightness with commenly available photometers. Photo quality stuff isn't nearly accurate enough.

...

- Make sure the stake is in suitable ground without lots of quartz and other similar peizo-electric materials.

Not piezo (though quartz is), but non conductive. You have to tap the groundwater table. Sand, granite don't conduct.

Sand has lots of piezo. You don't want piezo because the ground pressure on the stake will cause excessive noise. As to non-conductive, you *WANT* it to be conductive otherwise the signals will form ground waves and propogate horizontaly. You can see this with radar signals from aircraft that bounce off the tarmac (I used to live next to the Austin airport and had access to a spectrum analyzer). If the ground plane isn't conductive it isn't a ground plane. ____________________________________________________________________ To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice. Confucius The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage@ssz.com www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087 -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- --------------------------------------------------------------------