@Mike / @GEsoftwhite100watts
Yep those Kill-a-watt meters are quite handy & well worth getting in my opinion.
For me ofcourse there's always the 'how much does this (thing) take
Around Christmas for lights ofcourse it makes finding out how much I've connected easy..since I need so split loads up between circuits & controllers so nothing is overloaded...
Also has a neat feature where you can leave something plugged into it & it'll give you how many kilowatts were used plus how long its been...so you can see what certain things are costing to run.
Looks like you woulda be
easily(ie: just a basic antenna/no real fiddling with it) able to get a few stations, but yeah better antenna & you'd get more of 'em.
![Smiley :)](http://galleryoflights.org/mb/Smileys/classic/smiley.gif)
LOL you wouldn't want to run that 1/2w FM transmitter here ... I'm sure it would quickly be noticed. (ofcourse what would really matter is how 'clean' the transmitter was, as long as it didn't interfere with any "real" stations, it might not matter but people still might find it & listen in LOL)
There are a number of 100kw stations for the city here (Denver)...me being outside city limits & actually closer to some the transmitters than the city, it doesn't mean I get better reception...because I'm right near the mountains & ofcourse do a fair bit of my driving near the mountains. .. .and well you know what mountains do to radio. Still not too bad though, & probably helps that the house is on a small hill.
This would be
Denver's stations.
I should go through & see how many of 'em I can get some night (day obviously with the plantlights & their electronic ballasts would kill anything weak/somewhat weak). but even just the 'near the mountains' will probably take out a number LOL
Yeah Triacs can be picky things (especially with LEDs which can give an odd load, and enough of them (even just xmas lights) can apparently give an almost capacitive-like load...something a Triac deff won't like! I have a couple things that I plan to get a single C9 socket & add to them - rather than the small strings of mini lights I have now)
That BenchLite might not be dead, I've found those LPF ballasts sometimes just need help firing up. Run your hand along the fixture's lamps & see if it does anything.
A Daylight filament LED bulb would be cool.. I might have to look those up on eBay.
I'm also tempted to pick up a green one...