Measuring RF Voltage at Antenna Ground Contact

[spid3rx]

Hello all,

I encounter some RF burn issue on the metal contact between an antenna with the grounding. The metal is actually connecting to the ground. I suspect that it could be due to the grounding effect which may be too long or too short for that frequency that is radiating. Because of that, the RF burn might be due to loading and cause high voltage/high E-field at the point when our finger touch the metal.
Is there any kind of RF probe can measure the E-field voltage when touching and without? I need proof and evidence to support my own theory.

thanks,
spid3rx

 

[vk6kro]

It depends on what the ground connection was. It is very difficult to get a low resistance connection to ground.
Even large radio transmitter antennas have to use huge ground mats of copper wire to get a reasonable ground.
So, with simple setups, some resistance to ground is always present.

It is possible that you were picking up RF with your body being close to the radiating part of the antenna and getting an RF burn when you grounded part of your body.

Here is an RF probe, but it requires a return path to something which is normally ground.
Just the connection to the oscilloscope ground might be OK.

[PLAIN]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4222062/RF%20probe.PNG