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Re: Re: Topband: Balun Discussions

To: <Topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Re: Topband: Balun Discussions
From: John Kaufmann <vze1t9xc@verizon.net>
Reply-to: jkaufmann@alum.mit.edu
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 16:55:19 -0500
List-post: <mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Sinisa Hristov wrote:

> > Note that each time the number of turns is doubled, the reactance is 
> > multiplied by a ratio of four.
> 
> The trend stops rather quickly and it is easy
> to have too many turns on higher bands.
> 
> After parallel resonance is reached impedance drops.
> 


You can actually see the impedance go through resonance at some frequency by 
connecting to an impedance analyzer and sweeping the frequency.  Below 
resonance, the choking impedance increases with increasing frequency, and as 
you get near resonance it goes up very sharply.  Just on the high-frequency 
side of resonance, the impedance starts to drop very sharply and continues to 
decrease (although less sharply) with increasing frequency.

You can use the swept-frequency measurement to tune the choking impedance to 
maximum by adjusting the number of turns until you have maximum impedance at 
the frequency of interest.  Assuming you are interested in single-band 
operation, you can't do better than that.  For multi-band operation, you have 
to be a bit more careful, because you obviously can't have maximum impedance 
everywhere, so you choose number of turns for best "overall" choking impedance 
over the bands of interest.

I've used my AEA Bravo analyzer in the swept-frequency mode to optimize the 
number of turns for coax baluns for 160m as well as other bands.  (The AEA 
CIA-HF analyzer can also be used in the same way, while the MFJ analyzer can be 
manually swept to do this).  On the AEA's LCD display, it's very easy to see 
resonance.  At resonance the choking impedance is so high that it's way off 
scale on my analyzer, although I can clearly see the frequency where the 
impedance goes through maximum.  I would "guesstimate" many kilohms there.  I 
don't have any other instrumentation that can accurately measure RF impedance 
in the range of kilohms.

73, John W1FV

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