Return-Path: Received: (qmail 4947 invoked from network); 30 Oct 2001 09:08:34 -0000 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Received: from unknown (HELO murphys-inbound.services.quay.plus.net) (212.159.14.225) by excalibur-qfe1-smtp-plusnet.harl.plus.net with SMTP; 30 Oct 2001 09:08:34 -0000 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal Received: (qmail 2772 invoked from network); 30 Oct 2001 09:08:18 -0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 Received: from unknown (HELO post.thorcom.com) (212.172.148.70) by murphys.services.quay.plus.net with SMTP; 30 Oct 2001 09:08:18 -0000 Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 3.33 #2) id 15yUoA-0001Ka-00 for rsgb_lf_group-outgoing@blacksheep.org; Tue, 30 Oct 2001 09:03:42 +0000 Received: from k2.pncl.co.uk ([212.35.226.183]) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 3.33 #2) id 15yUo9-0001KV-00 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Tue, 30 Oct 2001 09:03:41 +0000 Received: from 233.pncl.co.uk (23.234.35.212.in-addr.arpa.ip-pool.cix.co.uk [212.35.234.23]) by k2.pncl.co.uk (8.11.3/8.11.3) with ESMTP id f9U931k03773 for ; Tue, 30 Oct 2001 09:03:01 GMT Message-ID: <5.0.2.1.2.20011030075422.00a1a1e0@mail.pncl.co.uk> X-Sender: blanch@mail.pncl.co.uk X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.0.2 Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2001 09:01:33 +0000 To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org From: "Walter Blanchard" Subject: LF: coil former MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group Sender: Looking around my local builders' merchants (Halls) for something to use for a loading coil former I came across what is described in their catalogue as a "plasterers' bucket" 460 mm (18 ins) tall, 330 mm (13 ins) wide at the top tapering to 280 mm(11 ins). It is very strong (I can stand on it), and far more rigid than other plastic buckets. It's made of a translucent whitish thermoplastic about 5 mm thick and putting a piece in the microwave for 15 mins didn't even make it warm. It melts with a soldering iron in exactly the same way as the polyethylene in coax cable and has the same slightly greasy feel. Also considerably harder than PVC. So is it polyethylene? It cost 12 pounds as against 1.50 for the usual cheap plastic bucket so maybe that's a clue. I've wound it with 4mm Litz to make a variometer and am using it with the QRP rig. Measured Q is over 500 using only plain single-layer winding. Walter G3JKV.