Jeff, you apparently didn't even bother to check out the guy's website.
Here is a direct quote from it:
"These coils are suited for amateur and commercial applications,
including but not limited to – antenna loading coils, Pi and L networks,
amplifier tank coils and antenna tuning units."
There is nothing at all separate about it.
The only thing debatable here is just how thick the nickel "plating"
is. If it's just a very thin flash it's probably not a problem ... but
then also not much protection either (and he claims they are good for
outdoor applications). If he plated nickel at even a nominal thickness,
they are indeed a problem for almost any of the applications he lists.
Dave AB7E
On 8/2/2025 5:12 PM, Jeff Blaine wrote:
The key point of this original mention seems, to me, to be lost. Which
is that if a guy needs a prefab coil for his application, here is a
source. Given this kind of stuff is getting hard to find, that seems
a good post by the original lister. The suitability of that coil to a
given application is a **completely** separate topic.
Debating the guy's decision to nickle plate the coil is part of the
application end, not the offer end. You may as well add in the wire
gauge and spacing as well to the debate as these are of similar
importance. Ni is more resistive than Ag, but if the currents
involved are low then the drop in Q may not be an issue. Again, it
depends on the application.
Guys with skills to roll their own are unlikely to buy a prefab coil.
My guess is that buyer of this guy's coils are likely going to be in a
less selective procurement mindset as a result. So maybe this is just
the ticket.
I'm not saying that the coils are good or bad as a category, rather
that it's great to see someone making something hams can use. And
that's becoming more and more rare these days unfortunately, as are
the number of folks actually making something by their own hand.
73/jeff/ac0c
alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
www.ac0c.com
On 8/2/2025 3:37 PM, john@kk9a.com wrote:
I believe the old B&H coils were made from tinned copper. Isn't that
coating even less conductive than nickel plated?
As far as aluminum coils go, they may not be good for amplifiers but
several
big name antenna companies use them on 40m Yagi elements for loading and
they appear to work well.
John KK9A
Jim VE7RF wrote:
## nickel plated, He's joking right ? Years ago, I replaced the
silver
plated copper tubing coil in a hb amp with an IDENTICAL aluminum tubing
tank coil. Talk about HOT.
Nickel ? You may as well douse it with lighter fluid, and toss in the
zippo.
Measure the Q of the nickel plated coil vs the copper coil, or silver
plated copper coil......and you will be in for a rude awakening.
Nickel is worse than phosphor bronze. I just ran a typ 160m coil
through
K6STI's ' coil' software....and using copper the Q was 1222. With
phosphor bronze, it dropped to 464.....and nickel plated is even
worse ! (
aluminum was a Q of 857 using 3003-0 alloy).
No doubt he wanted nickel so it was weather resistant.
I wind my own copper tubing coils....then silver plate em.
Jim VE7RF
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
|