December South Half

Using transformers, old-style

Himself

You know the drill

Feel the Power

Microwaves to the left of me

Microwaves to the right of me

Elijah Martin

Senior Physics/Nuclear Engineering major, helping me with circuits, smart feller

500 Ohm Resistors

Putting resistors on aluminum bar for heat sink; divides current between the 20 magnetrons

Coax Relay

Ukranian ex-Soviet coax relay to switch after microwave input burst to outgoing coax for measurements; ball lightning?

Brass Cones

Outside guide transitioning from magnetron stub to coax; matches impedance with inner cone. Needed serious cleaning from soldering!

Attaching Cones 1

Fitting the cones and cores to coax; note transformers, now not used

Connecting cones 2

details of connection; all hand-made, nothing store-bought

Connecting cones 3

Tightening the hose clamps

Transformers

First try to power the 3 VAC filament for thermionic emission in the magnetrons; didn't work....

North Half, old style

with transformers, what a tangle

Cones, N half

First assemblage of connected system with transformers

Core tape 1

Had to secure the cores to the magetron stubs with gaffer tape

Rack in late March

Getting close to operation; top is 5000 VDC supply, next control panel from back, then capacitors

Control panel gizzards

The control panel works minus the integrated circuits etc

N Half low

Pump and magnetrons

N half high

Shows current-dividing resistors, magnetron power supply

N hemisphere

with all baffles and antennas

S Half low

Shows big 12 V battery now used for the 3 VDC glow current, with relay that adds 4000-5000 V pulse

S High from back

Shows input of sparker, valves, wiring

S Half low, Battery

Details of big battery setup and magnetrons

S Hemi back

Another view of the sparker input

S Half top cones

Finished array of magnetrons attached to coax

S Half top back

close-up of the back view