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Re: [TowerTalk] how do you model a hairpin match?

To: rxdesign@ssvecnet.com, towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] how do you model a hairpin match?
From: TexasRF--- via TowerTalk <towertalk@contesting.com>
Reply-to: TexasRF@aol.com
Date: Fri, 22 May 2015 14:56:06 -0400
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Hi Gary, sounds like you are being hung up by use of series reactance in  
the case of the d.e. impedance vs parallel reactance for the hairpin.
 
I don't have a modeling program for this but doing it the old  fashioned 
way, the d.e. R component can be transformed from the series form to  the 
parallel form by R par = R ser times (Q sqr +1). Assuming 22 ohms R, it  takes 
a 
Q of 1.128 to transform to 50 ohms. The Q is still 1.128 in the parallel  
form so the parallel equivalent is 50R shunted by 44.3 capacitive reactance.  
These numbers agree closely with what you stated.
 
A Q of 1.128 requires a series X of 22 times 1.128 which equals -24.8  
reactance. This is the number provided by shortening the d.e.
 
The resulting parallel form is R50 in shunt with -44.3 ohms. The shunt  
reactance is then canceled by the hairpin inductance. 
 
The hairpin can accurately be modeled as a transmission line. The handbook  
formula is XL = Zo times Tan of the length in degrees. Zo is the 
characteristic  impedance of the line and is defined as 276 times the log of (2 
x 
spacing)  divided by diameter. 1/2" conductors with three inch spacing would be 
297.9 ohms  characteristic impedance for example.
 
If we need 44.3 ohms inductive reactance, the required length then is 8.46  
degrees. If the frequency is say 14.25 MHz, 360 degrees (one wavelength) is 
 984/14.25 = 69.05 ft or 828.6 inches. The hair pin length would be 
(8.46/360) X  828.6 = 19.47 inches.
 
If you want the hairpin to be longer, then the Zo has to be less which is  
done by reducing the spacing.
 
By the way, the hairpin can become part of a balun by grounding the short  
to the boom and running the coax up one of the hairpin tubes. The coax 
shield  has to be connected to the same place the hairpin short is connected to 
the  boom. At the feed point end, the coax center conductor connects to one 
side of  the d.e. and the shield to the other side. Making this water 
resistant might be  a challenge.
 
 
Hope this makes sense and is helpful.
 
73,
Gerald K5GW
 
 

 
 
 
 
In a message dated 5/22/2015 12:24:00 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
rxdesign@ssvecnet.com writes:

Ok.... I  read the Antenna Handbook... it says to use a chart they have – 
reading it at  52 ohms line impedance (coax)... and 22 ohms RL I need 42 ohms 
of reactance.  
Then shorten the driven element to produce enough capacitive reactance to  
cancel out the inductive and transform the impedance up to 52 ohms. 

So  I enter 42 ohms as a center load in my driven element (6ft/-6ft length 
load  set to 50% and is 50% ... ) ... then shorten the length of the driven 
element.  But this doesn’t work. The load never gets transformed. 

What I’ve been  doing is enter their length/diameter info from their 
manual... then adjust the  driven element to get the SWR where I need it 
(centered) ... then I read the  load resistance off the SWR chart and change 
the “
alternate’ source impedance  to be this value. Finally I add in just enough 
hairpin to cancel out any  capacitive reactance. This works – I get the same 
SWR curves that are  published by M2 when I model their antennas... so I know 
its ‘right’. But I  can’t seem to now NOT use the ‘switch’ to a different 
line impedance in order  to determine the correct hairpin XL so I can figure 
out how to build the  hairpin! 

any one see what I’m doing wrong please?

This is using  EZNEC5

Gary  
K9RX
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