[TowerTalk] Solenoid or Binocular configuration?

[K8RI]

I'm feeding a half sloper for 160 on the 100 ft tower.
I've fed it direct which worked just fine with no apparent RF on the 
feedline.  However I'm adding a current choke just to be sure and 
changing from a single wire to either a fan or cage for the antenna to 
broaden it out a bit.

I have room in the box to run 6 cores in solenoid or binocular fashion.
I've been planning on 6 or 7 turns of Davis BuryFlex in solenoid 
fashion.  Yes, with a little "wire soap" I really can get 7 turns 
through there, BUT this makes for a pretty good sized choke when it gets 
to be at least 8 or 9 inches across.

So, I've also looked at using RG-400 in the same configuration although 
I could easily add a few turns, but on 6 31 mix, 2.4" cores 6 or 7 turns 
should be plenty sufficient for 160.

OTOH if I place two short stacks of 3 cores each side by side and just 
tack them together with a little epoxy (for stability) I can coil the 
coax into a 6 or 7 turn (coil) that will be relatively compact even when 
using Davis BuryFlex although it's still easier using RG-400.
With the RG-400 and 2 stacks I could wind a very compact choke which I'm 
planning on doing for the C19-XR and WARC7.


My question is about the difference between the 6 cores stacked or two 
stacks side by side.  Would there be much difference between them as far 
as the resistive component of the common mode choke.  These being 
toroids I would think the magnetic fields are pretty much contained 
inside each core and the associated winding(s) and doubt there would be 
much difference between configurations.

Thoughts?