Topband
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Topband: Balun Discussions

To: "w8ji" <w8ji@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: Balun Discussions
From: "i4jmy@iol.it" <i4jmy@iol.it>
Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2004 18:32:34 +0100
List-post: <mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Hi Tom,

the procedure of parking choke resonances out of bands can't be used in a 2-30 
MHz continuous coverage unit, and I don't like to have chokes like that in my 
own amplifiers. When plate choke wire size doesn't allow to have the lowest 
resonance above 30MHz, wahtsoever shape You chose for it, I (and many others) 
switch two or more different plate chokes. 

Using the method I described for bench testing an amplifier PI, analyzer and 
traking generator, reflectometric bridge, etc etc, you can see also the plate 
choke resonances displayed as little notches. There's no need to go exactly 
tuning the amplifier on the choke resonance to have troubles, it's enough the 
two notches, one the PI, and the other the choke, appear side by side 
"touching" slightly, may be one MHz apart. In such a case, the insurance for 
getting problems (from a low efficiency to failures) if operating in that 
around is maximal.
The plate choke self resonance is a very critical equillibrium, very much 
connected with external environment. It's enough approaching with one hand or 
changing its location in the cabinet, or symply if the amplifier has the upper 
cover removed for some reason. In those cases the choke resonance might shift 
away, may be a little, may be a lot, from the wanted "parking spot".

The problem of multiple resonances appears when an inductor becomes very long 
compared with its diameter and can be thought more as a combination of 
different inductors in series, rather than a single one. The parasitic 
capacitances (mostly external) among different portion of such an inductor, and 
the series inductance of the next section, determine different resonances 
combinations.
Seeing the choke as a transmission line because of this effect is stretching 
things far away, beyond reality.

Coming back to the original topic, as per object:
Under the resonance, inductive reactance rises continuously and the choke fully 
behaves as a parallel LC.

73 & HNY
Mauri I4JMY


> Respectfully I must disagree. My normal design proceedure in a multiband
> amplifier that must cover 160 - 10 meters is to intentionally place the
> series resonances outside the bands used. In the Ameritron amplifiers the
> chokes have series resonances at 11.8MHz. The second order mode falls at
> 26.5MHz. You can see there is no harmonic relationship. The "series"
> resonance at 12 and 26 does not hurt in-band performance. If you operate an
> Ameritron amp on 27 MHz or on 12Mhz, they will either melt a few turns of
> the choke or arc a few inches from the center of the choke to the chassis
> (many many kilovolts). Without doing that, the choke would have to be
> switched.
>
> HNY and 73,
> Tom


_______________________________________________
Topband mailing list
Topband@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>