[TowerTalk] Loading Coils

[David Gilbert]

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 at 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
>>
>>
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