My point, which is sometime lost when threads are so long, is that
the rule of thumb of using a blocking cap 25% of the reactance of
the tuning cap is not a good rule of thumb.
The blocking cap reactance only need to be low compared to the
operating plate impedance of the tube.
> > Let's assume the blocking cap, at the lowest frequency, would be set
> > a reasonable value of 10% of the impedance looking into the tank, or
> > approximately equal to the value of the tuning cap with a Q of ten
> > (using the simple but not absolutely correct value of Rp/Xc.
>
> You have inserted the phrase: "at the lowest frequency" which was
> not
> a feature of the original question. The "10 % of the impedance" was
> formerly at the frequency of operation.
Respectfully, no person with any understanding of how this stuff
works would ever size the capacitance of a blocking capacitor at a
frequency ABOVE the lowest operating frequency.
Some things are not said because they are assumed to be
universally understood. We are sending quick e-mails, not writing
detailed engineering descriptions.
> > Using an Xc equal to 10% of the plate operating impedance, and
> > assuming a choke somewhat larger than the plate impedance, the
> > change in impedance looking into the tank is:
>
> Wrong! The plate choke may not be ignored as it is typically only
> "marginally larger" than the plate impedance in 160 meter ham amps. I
> stated in my previous message that it is a worse offender, at this
> point, than the coupling cap in the real world.
Somewhat larger and "marginally larger" are both subjective terms
meaning the same thing.
> > 300pF blocking (~300ohms 1.8 MHz) 2878ohms
> >
> > 1200pF blocking (~75 ohms 1.8MHz) 2964ohms
> >
> > The tank input impedance, with no other changes except a
> > readjustment of the tuning cap by 2 pF to compensate for the
> > reactance change, changes less than 100 ohms out of 3000
> > ohms....a totally insignificant change.
> >
> > And the small effect above is on 160 meters, where the problem is at
> > its worse point. On higher bands, the effect would be less because
> > Xc would decrease with increasing frequency.
>
> Today it does, but, look at the way the question was originally
> posed,
> where for instance 50pf could be used on 20 meters, then the 10pF
> "typical" tube output C comes into play and you'll see what's
> troubling.
You are forgetting or ignoring in this case that the 10pF is a major
player in the tube's output impedance. When that is considered, if
you follow the rule that the blocking cap only needs to be a fraction
of the plate impedance, everything is fine.
> Now, at the risk of prolinging this thread, I'll just add the
> comment
> that the smaller value (<500pF) ceramic doorknobs are typically
> fabricated from lower loss material than their larger valued cousins.
> If one chooses to use a lower valued part, thus making it part of the
> matching network calculations, these small guys are better suited to
> the task.
Indeed they are. I've read articles where someone claimed,
mistakenly, that .01uF coupling caps on a 3CX800 amplifier was
used to "insure high efficiency".
Try to find a high-current high-voltage .01uF capacitor sometime.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com
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